"Drew V" wrote in message
...
I'm moving to a new place that has a very large, open space. I'm
looking for a cheap way to partition off a corner of the room for an
office area around my desk (so guests don't see all of my clutter).

Anyone have any recommendations ? It's a loft, so something unfinished
or industrial looking is fine. I was thinking of building a couple of
screens with 1/2" steel conduit and some cheap plastic sheets in
the middle, but I haven't found good plastic to use.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Cheap bookcases. Either the chipboard crap from Ikea or the big-box, or hit
an institutional/government auction and buy real ones. (auctions usually
have the tinkertoy office panels, too, but you may have to buy a pallet
load, and the stuff often isn't lotted out in complete sets, just however
the crew threw it on the truck.) Big cities usually have a dealer in used
store fixtures- probably can find some scuffed slot panels pretty cheap, and
some stuff to hang off them and make display space for your art and such.
Hit the local army surplus, and buy a butt load of big metal ammo cans, the
kind that stack like milk crates. A wall, and dry moth-proof storage for
seldom-used items.

Make sure whatever you set up isn't a tipping hazard, especially if you are
in quake country or throw rowdy parties. Tie it to walls, or bolt it into L
shapes, or screw metal channel to the tops, or something. Lead bricks on
bottom shelf help a lot. Being pinned is no fun if you live alone.

aem sends....