Whether for work or play, a workspace at home ought to feel more personal and cozier than the office, yet allow a person to feel organized and efficient. Even if you have tight quarters to contend with, a renter can have a workspace that will blend in with the rest of the apartment. Some tips from the American Furniture Manufacturers Association for creating a home office that is stylish and comfortable as well as functional:

Determine what space you will use. Some renters often dedicate a second bedroom for use as a library and/or study, but people in a one-bedroom apartment don't have that luxury of space. Look at the living room or dining area and see if there is a corner where a desk and computer can be discreetly situated.

Examine prospective locations, and then measure the areas, as you would when considering other pieces of furniture for your studio, apartment or rented home. Make an inventory of all your equipment, and measure the individual pieces. How big is the monitor, the printer?

You can choose from a variety of desks and separate pieces. There is an array of choices to accommodate different budgets and space limitations.

One handy option is an office armoire. "It looks fabulous," says Pamela Bayer of Pamela Bayer Interiors in Hudson. "It looks like a piece of furniture when it's not in use. You open it up, the doors retract in. There is a retractable desk that pulls out. It has a filing cabinet; it has bookshelves in the interior. There are drawers. It really is an all-inclusive workspace. You don't have to have a messy-desk look in the interior of the apartment."

Assess your electrical capabilities. Be sure you have enough outlets and phone jacks. You don't want to overload the existing circuitry with multiple extension cords.

Analyze your lighting needs. You'll need to incorporate both general lighting and lighting for specific tasks.