The aesthetics of technology often leaves much to be desired. Computers and peripherals consume valuable workspace above and below the desk, generating bulks of gratuitously long cable entangled behind desks and around power outlets, while unsightly beige and black blinking boxes conflict with the hard work of interior designers.

Most people simply overlook computers and technology as a part of the office design. If considered, the inclusion stops at the front desk because of cost. However, it does not take much time or investment to create an office where design and technology compliment one another.

Work with your designer and furniture provider. Jessica Moser at inside the LINES has experience with blending design, technology and ergonomics. Moser recommends using keyboard trays like the freeBOARD from AnatoMe, www.anatomeco.com/freeboard. It hides under the desk when not in use and “keeps typing between the width shoulders, an important ergonomic feature that most people don’t know.”  The keyboard has USB ports incorporated within it for easy access, and since it’s integrated, cable clutter is reduced. Products like the freeBOARD, monitor arms and cable management systems, help users stay healthy, while working within design and organizing clutter.

Investing in the right computer is the essential. While a box connected to a screen is the most common off-the-shelf option, almost all computer manufactures create design-friendly styles. Both Apple and Dell create ultra-compact desktops, such as the Mac mini and Studio Hybrid. Small enough to tuck away, the Studio Hybrid comes standard with a choice of colored sleeves to compliment the workspace, but by far the most attractive sleeve is the $100 upgrade to bamboo.

Apple, originator of the all-in-one design, continues to offer the iMac. Perfect for an industrialized office, the latest design features glass display housed in aluminum and black with a diminutive footprint. On the same note, Gateway offers the ZX190 and Sony has similar options within its JS, LV, and RT series, plus offers the clear-framed all-in-one LT series, perfect for rooms needing bright design and a feeling of cleanliness. HP’s slightly more expensive offering is touch-screen based.

Beyond the computer, managing peripherals becomes a challenge. Cables add up quickly: scanner, printer, keyboard, mouse, flash card readers, speakers, iPods, phones, external hard drives, etc. I hate cables and spend a lot of time finding ways to hide them. Thankfully, there are many companies that can help.

Beyond products from inside the LINES, Bluelounge (bluelounge.com) offers many cable management options for hiding everything from surge protectors to phone and camera chargers. Pressure Drop sells a two-tier paper tray with integrated USB and Firewire hub, reducing the number of wired boxes littering the desk.

Locally, Media Convergence Group has done an amazing job of integrating design and technology. With hanging cable distracting from an impressive bank of iMacs and Mac Pros in the middle of the room, MCG created a black fabric skirt around the desk to hide the cables, a simple and effective solution. Through careful planning, organization, and cable routing, they made their server rack a showpiece rather than hiding it in a closet.

Most striking are the eight 42″ monitors floating from the ceiling continuously fed by six Mediacom cable boxes and two Dish Network feeds. With all the video services being integrated into the server rack, providing video signal to the television over HDMI or component cables would have been expensive and required bulky cable. By using component video baluns, the signal transmitted over thin, cheap ethernet cables to the TVs overhead reducing cost, time and the amount of visible cabling.

Do not let the investment of good design stop at the desks and wall colors. It takes very little time and money to make technology a part of a clean, organized, visually appealing office. With the proper guidance from professionals in design and technology for a good foundation and simple DIY solutions to hide and downplay flaws, it is not hard to create a great looking office from the front to the back door.

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