TWEAKS+inspiration : Home Office
Oh, boy! In 2017, I wrote this article about my home office but somehow, it never got posted. So this week, I'm publishing it so you can see the basics of my office. Soon, we'll look at how this room has had a change in attitude. If you're currently working from home - maybe more than ever - I hope this article will inspire a change or two in your environment.
Have you noticed those mattress ads telling us to buy a good mattress because we spend one-third of our lives sleeping? That got me thinking. What about the other two-thirds of life? If you're like me, you probably spend at least one-third at work. In my case, mostly in my home office.
When we first moved into this house, I asked the movers to put my husband's office in the bedroom with two windows and a French door. It turned out, he was asking them to move my office into the same room. We both wanted the best for each other. Once he was out of site, I got his stuff moved into the lighter office because he was going to spend more time there.
Later, P suggested I trade spaces with the guest room as it had the most light of all. Old habits die hard as I put my desk right into a dark corner. It was only last year when I finally saw the light. What could I do within the limits of a little budget? Let's take a little tour around the room and see what's happened. P installed a custom made desk-height counter with cantilever brackets. No legs to get in the way and plenty of area to work.
The counter provides extra workspace and I can rotate art and memories that keep a smile on my face.
Office necessities corralled in a tin lid used as a tray.
IKEA shelving provides plenty of storage.
My work files are in the end basket so I an easily clear my desk at the end of the day. An IKEA Parson's desk holds computer and printer.
The rest of the room's floor is covered with a cowhide ($200 on Amazon). A bit of splurge but the carpet has been sun bleached so less expensive than replacing the carpet. (I'm still trying to get the wrinkles out.) The ceiling light was found on a seconds table ($75 at Lamps Plus). The sconce was priced right ($20 at IKEA).
The other large pieces are the settee ($200 at Wayfair that I slipcovered) and the IKEA cabinet which I've had for years. The little silver animal footed stool is from Target (about $40).
My childhood china cabinet is topped by a Nate Berkus faux tortoise shell ($30 at Target).
The closet holds all the work stuff I don't want to look at everyday which brings us full circle around this little bedroom now turned into my home office. I have a light-filled office with space to work, a place to sit during long conference calls and plenty of storage. When things get stressful at work, I can always look around and smile. That seems like a good way to spend a third of one's life.
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