Has the home working revolution hit Britain yet

A.� Slowly but surely more and more of us are working from home.

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Millions self-employed people are now using their homes as offices instead of renting premises while employers are increasingly being persuaded that out of sight does not necessarily mean out of control when it comes to parts of their workforce, and are beginning to acknowledge the productivity advantages that can be gained from employees who don't have to slog through commuter traffic and who can spend an hour with the kids at lunchtime rather than in the queue at the sandwich shop.

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It is estimated that as a result of the revolution in mobile and Internet telecommunications almost a quarter of the workforce could now work from home. The Henley Centre for Forecasting believes that 30 per cent of us will be wholly or partially working from home by the year 2006.

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A.� Even if you've got access to the very latest technology, sitting down in the living room with kids crawling round your feet is not going to do anything for your productivity.

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It is important to find a space where you can make yourself comfortable and shut out the distractions of the outside world, as well as having enough space to store files, papers etc.

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A spare bedroom can provide the perfect small office simply by adding a desk and some shelves or, if you can afford it, a loft conversion as long as it is done well not only takes you right away from the hub of the house but could also add value to your property as well.

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A. Most houses will have a space that can be annexed for an office with a little imagination. The area under a main staircase or an alcove on the landing could hold a desk and shelving and been separated from the house as a whole with a thick curtain. There are even those who, thanks to some underground cabling and a heater in winter work quite happily from the garden shed.

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A.� If you have a low budget, look out for office clearances and second hand office furniture. You can pick up a decent filing cabinet for as little as �25.

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Make sure that the place you chose has enough power points and a telephone point to support all the equipment, thus avoiding miles and miles of unsightly and potentially dangerous extension leads.

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If you are self-employed you should check your home insurance would cover business-related computer and electrical equipment. Even if it doesn't you may well get a discount on account of the premises being occupied during the day.

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A.� Interior designers warn against strong colours, stripy wallpaper or patterns, as they are distracting. You don't see too many modern offices bedecked in flock wallpaper, after all. They suggest calm light colours like cream or orange.

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