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"  VIEW MORE PHOTOS&amp;amp;gt; Incorporating work space into a home can be challenging\u2014as Marilyn, a freelance writer and personal Pilates instructor, found out when she moved into a small house with her son and two daughters. Placing her desk in the combined kitchen-dining-family room kept this working mom from feeling isolated, but meeting with clients at an uninspiring kitchen table didn&amp;#039;t project her profes-sionalism and creativity. To improve her working area&amp;#039;s function and style, along with her business image, Marilyn turned to designer and Home contributing editor Candice Olson. Her savvy solutions: Replace oversize furnishings with more intimately scaled pieces, and install a fresh lighting scheme that empha-sizes distinct cooking, work, dining, and lounging zones. For task lighting above the kitchen peninsula, for instance, Olson hung a pair of wrought iron pendant lamps with frosted glass shades, while undercabinet fixtures illuminate a nearby home-office unit. The dining area is crowned by an elegant bronze and crys-tal chandelier (its delicate leaf-and-vine motif links it to the backyard garden views). And across the room, picture lights atop a new entertainment center spot items on its shelves. &amp;quot;Walls painted sandy brown, and sophisticated fabrics and finishes in subdued, natural tones tie the whole space together,&amp;quot; says the designer.  LIVING LARGE To preserve the room&amp;#039;s feeling of openness, the designer scaled down the furniture in the seating area. She replaced a massive sectional with a cream-colored chenille sofa, which faces the television. A pair of arm-chairs\u2014one covered in the same chenille as the sofa, the other made of woven seagrass\u2014round out the space and can easily be turned for conversation or TV viewing. In the middle of the arrangement rests a 3-foot-square dark-brown leather ottoman; it&amp;#039;s large enough to serve as guest seating or a table. To anchor the area and visually unite the furnishings with the existing dark-oak wood floors, Olson laid down a durable 8-by-11-foot rug woven from narrow strips of chocolate, tan, and cream-colored leather.  ORGANIZED ENTERTAINMENT By moving a doorway two feet to the left, Olson and her team freed up wall space to the right of the opening for a custom-built, 14-by-8-foot entertain-ment center. The white-painted Shaker-style cabinetry features open shelves to display the 32-inch television, DVD player, and audio components; DVDs and CDs are hidden behind the recessed-panel doors. Small picture lights mounted overhead accentuate Marilyn&amp;#039;s pottery, photographs, and books. The entire back wall of the unit features medium density fiberboard (MDF) beadboard stained a deep chocolate brown. &amp;quot;It looks like wood paneling,&amp;quot; says Olson, &amp;quot;but it&amp;#039;s a fraction of the cost.&amp;quot;  DOUBLE DUTY The designer introduced a richly stained maple dining table; at 52 inches diameter, it provides ample room for Marilyn to meet with clients. &amp;quot;The round shape is friendlier than a rectangular one,&amp;quot; says Olson, &amp;quot;since it doesn&amp;#039;t say &amp;#039;this is my side and that&amp;#039;s yours.&amp;#039;&amp;quot; Furthering the natural theme established by the chandelier, Olson brought in cane-seated pine chairs in a light, distressed finish; their creamy hue echoes that of the floor-length drapes. These are suspended by rings from a brass rod screwed to a soffit and frame the French sliding doors that lead to the deck. divine details        1. The custom-built workstation, made of MDF and painted white to match the adjacent kitchen&amp;#039;s cabinetry, has a yellow-painted beadboard insert, which adds a bright accent and visual depth. Two mini halogen lights are mounted to the underside of a shelf and illuminate the 6-foot- long mahogany desktop and matching pull-out keyboard tray. Upper cabinet doors hide clutter, while filing cabinets below organize paperwork.        2. Handmade tackboards are mounted to the insides of the workstation&amp;#039;s two long cabinet doors. Sewing expert Edmond Joseph covered one side of a 36 &amp;quot; high x 12 &amp;quot; wide piece of fiberboard with felt. He then wrapped cream-colored linen around the board, securing it in the back with staples. Finally, he arranged grosgrain ribbons in a crisscross pattern and stapled them in place on the back.   Perfect Palette  1. SOFA AND CHAIR Korintos #5-570202. Norwalk Furniture; 419-744-3200, norwalkfurniture.com. 2. OTTOMAN Leather in Bison #M-9CO119. Norwalk Furniture. 3. DRAPES Stratus Slub in Eggshell. Drapery border: Teresina in Maize. Robert Allen, through Design Professionals; 212-759-6894, ddbuilding.com. 4. PAINT Walls in Crown Point Sand #HC-90. Benjamin Moore; 800-344-0400, benjaminmoore.com. 5. PAINT Trim in Cloud White #CC-140. Benjamin Moore. 6. PAINT Workstation insert in Woodstock Tan #HC-20. Benjamin Moore. 7. PILLOW Adelle in Kiwi. Robert Allen. 8. PILLOW Carlton in Mink. Robert Allen. 9. PILLOW Avenue to Time in Chocolate. Robert Allen. 10. PILLOW Feodor in Scallion. Robert Allen. 11. DESK CHAIR Leather. Deboers; deboers.com. Tune in to HGTV to watch Divine Design with Candice Olson, including episode #803, featured here: &amp;quot;Marilyn&amp;#039;s Family Room/Office.&amp;quot; Check local listings, hgtv.com , or divinedesign.tv for airdates. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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