Every home has a variety of spaces dedicated to various forms of work-from the home workshop that is the focus of home maintenance activities, to the den or office where family finances are managed. In between there might be a study area for school-age children, a craft or hobby room for sewing or needlework, a laundry, a car-maintenance center in the garage, and a garden shed from which the home landscaper tends the yard and garden. Self-employed persons working from home might also have a full business office. In this day and age, we may well spend more time in the work areas of our homes than in the traditional recreation spaces. IdeaWise Activity Spaces is a helpful guide to getting the most from the utility areas and work centers around the home. The book opens with an introduction that presents the common elements that go into making an effective work space: layout and floor plan, work surfaces, storage, lighting and utilities, and furnishings. Following chapters deal with the specifics of planning, organizing, creating, furnishing, and maintaining the various types of work space. Written specifically for do-it-yourselfers, the book features large idea photos presented in case-study fashion. Includes all the background information needed to plan a DIY approach to each idea. In addition to these inspirational photos and the practical case study text, the book is filled with side bars, charts, and DIY tips that make it truly useful.