In a past blog I wrote about my ongoing office renovation and how I was attempting to design my waiting room after Starbucks. I was looking for that inviting, comfortable, homey yet high-tech feel. I am still in the process of achieving that goal and so far so good.

The rest of the patient care areas are in place and almost ready, but there is still some plumbing, electric and lots of computer work to accomplish. That part gets dull. Coordinating this work so there is no disruption in patient care can be a challenge. After a couple of weeks of that, I decided to work on a part of the project that I have really been looking forward to.

That part is my private office or what I have been calling my Sanctuary. I tried to give it a cool SoHo kind of feel with a stone tile floor and old-fashioned tin ceiling. Each part of it has some special significance to me and will give me a nice, comforting feeling when I go there to take a break from a hectic day. I plan to decorate the walls with photos printed on canvas and antique items that my wife and I have collected over the years.

The stone tile floor is the same type of floor that was in a farmhouse my family vacationed in when I was young and the tin ceiling is very similar to an old pub where my wife and I met and spent time in while we were dating years ago. The pictures will be of my children from vacations we have taken. An accent chair by the window makes for a great place to read the paper and write in charts.

Behind the scenes in my Sanctuary is an office that is moving rapidly towards being paperless, has access via the Internet to a series of security cameras and has computer control of every aspect of the office's functioning. This includes scheduling, digital X-rays, electronic perio charting, practice management software, banking and everything else that makes the office run smoothly.

I love the "sleeper" effect. The high-tech world all rolled up into a vintage surround. That is what makes me feel better when I just need a break from the rigors of the day. It's been the most fun part of the renovation. One that still needs some work but is heading in a great direction. Find your place of sanctuary in your own office and make it special.