Your Perfect Home-Based Studio: A Guide for Designers and Other Creative Professionals [Paperback]

Poppy Evans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 2001

Creative professionals who work out of their homes face a number of challenges, both anticipated and unexpected. Simply knowing where to start is perhaps the most difficult obstacle of all. In Your Perfect Home-Based Studio, everything from taxes and setting up a workspace to the psychological aspects of working at home is covered. Whether the reader is a graphic artist, a new media designer or an illustrator, all the information they need is here, including:

* the basics of setting up and running a business
* sure-fire methods for getting clients and getting paid
* suggestions for structuring a studio environment
* guidelines for putting together a powerful business plan
* how to get the best deals in equipment and furniture
* information on getting legal and professional advice
* how to stay in compliance with federal and local tax and zoning regulations

Designers will also find invaluable sidebars full of tips and advice, and samples of business forms and bookkeeping systems that make Your Perfect Home-Based Studio the perfect home business reference.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

These two books help prioritize the steps involved in setting up a successful home office, a task that can be daunting. Freelance graphic designer Evans focuses on selecting the appropriate equipment and furniture for her line of work, and throughout she includes visits to the studios of other successful designers. But she also covers every other aspect of establishing a home business, including financing, zoning, taxes, and the like, making her book useful for anyone who wants to set up a home business. Sweet gives an overall look at setting up a home office with considerations for personal and professional needs. However, Lorrie Mack's Calm Working Spaces (LJ 1/01) gives more practical, solid advice then found here. Evans's book is essential for any graphic design collection and, given the comprehensive information on working at home, recommended for public libraries. Purchase Home.Work where there is a continued interest in creating home offices.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Poppy Evans is the author of The Graphic Designer's Guide to Faster, Better, Easier Design and Production, Fresh Ideas in Photoshop and The Graphic Designer's Ultimate Resource Directory. She currently teaches graphic design and computer publishing at the Art Academy of Cincinnati.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books (April 7, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581801327
• ISBN-13: 978-1581801323
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,248,969 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Guide For Setting Up A Home Office!, December 26, 2001

By 

Jim Moran - See all my reviews

This review is from: Your Perfect Home-Based Studio: A Guide for Designers and Other Creative Professionals (Paperback)

The job market has taken many hits in recent years. Mergers, acquisitions, bankruptcies, and layoffs have become quite commonplace in American society. As the result of these trends in the business world, many people have taken to market their talents and skills from the comfort and safety of their own homes. Many have set up elaborate home offices from which they now conduct business.

Your Perfect Home-Based Studio written by Poppy Evans is the perfect resource for those persons looking for professional guidance in setting up their own home office studios. This book includes a wealth of design options - furniture, accessories, home design and decorating options, and discussion of important business matters.

Poppy Evans guides her readers through a number of important decision-making topics pertaining to the setting up of a home office - the arrangement of furniture and equipment, the importance of having an ergonomically correct workstation, choosing the right computer equipment and service technicians, dealing with children, and establishing an effective online presence. Business matters discussed include determining what kind of business to establish, dealing with local government authorities, maintaining financial records, keeping track of expenses, paying taxes, and dealing with slow-paying clients. Thrown in is plenty of other important details necessary for setting up and running a productive home-based business.

While setting up a home office may seem an easy task, there are some important considerations we should to keep in mind. Because one's place of work is confined to the home, as Poppy Evans points out, it's necessary to establish workplace discipline, being as accessible as possible, maintaining contact with clients and the business world, and to cultivate good working and long-term relationships with clients. The recognition and the paying of close attention to these concerns and others addressed in the book will go a long way to help readers operate successful home businesses.

The book is beautifully illustrated with high resolution photographs of actual home office designs. A number of case studies are included to provide readers with actual home-based business experiences. The content, layout, and over all quality of the book makes it an excellent guide. This is must reading for consultants and anyone desiring to set up their own home office!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Buy for the "Do-It-Yourselfer"!, October 26, 2009

By 

Jared M. Montgomery "tymelessjunque.blogspot.com" (Mansfield, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Your Perfect Home-Based Studio: A Guide for Designers and Other Creative Professionals (Paperback)

For anyone looking for a true blueprint on creating a studio, this is the book you want to buy. I once checked this book out at my local library and hated the fact I had to return. Well this year, I bought it because reading the book, and seeing how people set up their homes and outhouses (or shacks) made me realize that it is possible to own a business at home, and still have time and space for everyday living.

The book tells you vital information before getting into the fun stuff. What to consider as far as who runs the business (sole priority, partnered, etc.), the goods on having a home business and more. I won't spoil anything, I want you all to buy this magnificent book, it gives me a good idea on how I want to design my home for my business I run. It is not only a good resource on setting up a business in your home, it gives alot of legal info on insurances (property, disability), income tax time and longevity of your business.

The book also shows you real people, with real simple blueprints of how they did it. I was surprised in some of the stuff I saw in this book.

Buy this book, it will help you not only in starting a home based studio, but it will make you truly think about starting your home based business before getting carried away on buying electronics, supplies and whatever you may need.