Office Mini Makeover

So, it looks like I'm going to put a bit of effort into this whole "heal by decorating" thing.  I'm worn out after today's work, but I have to admit, it's been a boost to my spirits.  Today, I dismantled the office and painted the walls.  It was an all day affair.

The previous color was Sherwin Williams Creamy.  Even though I tested tons of samples when I went with this color in 2008, it turned out to be a mistake - too much yellow.  The new color is Sherwin Williams Watery.  It's the same color as the side entry room.  It's an interesting color -  a blue-ish turquoise. I don't think any of my photos truly captured it.

I swapped some wall art around and ended up hanging these flowers over the shelf.  One day, I hope to have two wall-to-wall shelves where that picture is.  I *think* I might be able to do that myself, but will have to work up some courage before I try.

I've always loved the long shelf that's on the floor.  My hubby made it for me years ago.  He even made wooden drawer-like boxes for the bottom row, but we got rid of those a few years ago.

It was starting to get dark by the time I got my desk put back together.  That desk was a real pain to move.  It's super heavy.  I'll be taking aspirin or ibuprofin or something tonight.  Quite a few of my muscles are complaining, especially in my back.  Ugh.

I swapped some window treatments around.  A few days ago, I decided to try using Shirley's Grandmother's tablecloth as a window treatment.  I tried it in the laundry room and loved it.  Today, I decided that it would add a little bit of girly vibe to the office, so I moved it. The curtain softens the feel of the desk.  That desk is a bit too masculine for my tastes, but it's wonderfully functional.  I recently sold a prettier desk.  It was a big vintage oak beauty, but the drawers were heavy and hard to open.

The flowers on the desk are real.  My sweet friend, Susan, brought them the other evening when she came to dinner.

The office is functional, but there's still lots of room for style improvement.  I don't like the door that's propped to the left of the window.  That'll probably be the first change. Anyone need a vintage door?  The room is still not "me" but these changes are a step in that direction.  My life is still not "me" but at least I'm doing something.  That's gotta be good, right?

Desk Space - Adding a Pretend Hutch

I've changed my desk space... again.

The wood shelf was not working and I have been thinking of finding a hutch or something similar to use in that spot.  But would a hutch be exactly what I need?  I wouldn't want to invest in one only to find I didn't really like using it. 

Then I realized I had an easy to move piece that would let me try out the hutch idea before buying one - my metal etagere!  It's shaped similar to a hutch with deep shelves at the bottom and smaller up top.   The height of the main shelf is a little lower than a hutch would be, but it's close enough for me to use it as a test piece.

The picture below shows everything taken apart.  This is the stage where I always wonder, "What have I done?" 

 

It was all worth it.  The whole area has a cleaner look and it functions better.  I still don't have the perfect containers or a pretty to look at space, but I'm a step closer.

I love how everything I need is within arms reach. 

There is a small rolling shelf just to the right of the etagere.  I found it for 2 bucks at a yard sale this weekend.  When it's time to do my husbands bookkeeping, I can roll it to my left.  I need to use it for a bit to see if I truly like it.  If I decide it's a keeper, I'll probably paint it.

Oh, and I think I have decided what I want to use for my desk - a vintage formica table!  How fun would that be?

They can be be pretty pricey, but I sure do love them.  

You can actually buy the vintage look Formica now. I considered using the lime green in my kitchen, but lost my nerve.  But a bright red formica table as my desk - mmmmmm... perfect.  I'd better start saving!

Here are more posts about my journey in setting up an ideal desk space:

Part 1 -  how it feels
Part 2 -  how the space functions 

Part 3 -  how the space looks

An Ideal Desk Space - Part 3: The Look

In creating my new work space, I want to merge three concepts - how the space feels, how it functions, and how it looks.

I posted about how it feels in Part 1. 
Part 2 focused on how the space functions.

Now I am ready for the icing on the cake, so to speak...

THE LOOK

I want my desk space to look nice.  Pilers spaces can look messy, but they don't have to. See post 2 for an explanation of a piler. I just need to organize and contain my piles so they look nice.  Helen suggests bins, baskets, and trays.  

The look I most enjoy could be described as colorful vintage.

The vintage look can be pulled in with old furniture pieces.  The containers can pull in a bit more vintage and some color. Old wooden boxes, pottery, and wire baskets make functional and attractive containers. It's easy to re-purpose things like drawers for creative containers. 

Plus, I want pleasing color.  I love to look at white on white rooms - they are beautiful!  I truly appreciate sleek modern design.  I enjoy completely coordinated looks with a limited color palette.   I really enjoy those looks in other people's homes, but for me - I want an eclectic mix of color. I do not want to be locked in too much. 

For now, I have gathered what works from what I have on hand. The setup is functional but really unattractive.

This is just a mess. Cords are showing. The colors are all wrong.  The shelf is ugly.  There's no continuity to any of the containers. I keep telling myself to be patient.  I'm just trying out different things so I'll know what works and what doesn't.  Pretty much anything I do will be be an improvement, don't you think?  I am a little hesitant to go wild getting nicer containers at this point.  The first thing I need to do is to find a better piece of furniture to replace the shelf.  Then I'll get containers to fit the space.

I have a feeling that getting my desk space just right is going to be a long process... probably never-ending.  Whenever I go to yard sales or second hand stores, I will be on the lookout for things that are both functional and pretty. 

Meanwhile, there's lots of inspiration to be found.
 
The blogging queen of organizing, in my humble opinion is Benita at Chez Larsson.  I don't even need to link to a particular post.  Everything in her small house in Sweden  has a place and she keeps it very very neat.  She's quite creative with her containers and no matter what your decorating style, you can get plenty of ideas.

 This is Benita's home office. 

I've always been a big fan of the way Susan at T-Cozy uses colorful vintage items to contain her stuff.  This look can go horribly wrong and just look like a bunch of clutter, but Susan is a master.  I never tire of looking at her studio.   Here are some examples:

There are some very good examples in this post I did about the studio area from Snapshots of a Good Life. I especially love her drawer on wheels.

I'll need folders and ways to contain papers.  There are so many options.  Here are a few interesting ones.

 If I need to have folders out, they could still look nice, 

like in this photo from Out of the Attic.

Or like this.

I can't remember where I found this photo.

I promise there will be more posts about my desk area in the future. It's high on my list of things to improve!

An Ideal Desk Space - Part 2: The Function

In creating my new work space, I want to merge three concepts - how the space feels, how it functions, and how it looks. I already moved my workspace to a spot that feels great.  I talked about that in Part 1. 

THE FUNCTION

This post is about something I feel strongly about - function.  I am really drawn to organization and efficiency. I don't like things that are pretty, but don't function well.  In thinking about the function of my space, it's helpful to understand my organizing styles.  Of the two main styles, filers and pilers, I am a piler.  Here's how professional organizer, Hellen Buttigieg, explains both:

You are either a filer or a piler. Filers prefer to keep their papers upright, while pilers like to stack them. Pilers tend to have messier offices but claim they know exactly where everything is within the piles. On the other hand, filers tend to have neater looking offices but seem to accumulate more paperwork and access it less frequently than pilers. One type is no better than the other. Even though pilers may look messier, it doesn’t mean they are less organized or less productive than filers.  Click here for more of this article.

The problem I have with being a piler is that a messy look makes me uncomfortable.  I keep finding myself in circumstances where I have to pull together things that work, but have little control over how nice they look.  That has happened to me especially in my work life.  I plan to change that.  I am going to be a piler without the messy look.  It's a challenge I am looking forward to.

As a piler, I want everything I use regularly to be easily accessible.  My desk in our downstairs office is really pretty - a big, heavy, old oak desk.  Unfortunately, the drawers don't exactly glide easily.  They don't stick or jam, but they do require a bit of muscle to open.  That's annoying.  That's NOT easily accessible.

I want everything I need to be in easy reach. Over the years I have tried out a good many desk arrangements, both at home and work (I am a retired teacher).  The best arrangement for me is L-shaped. I don't want to get up and walk over to a shelf beside my desk.  Not because I'm lazy, but because it bugs me that it's not efficient.

 

Seriously Unattractive, but Functional

THE FURNITURE
Now, don't get turned off here. This is not the finished look!  I worked with what I have on hand to experiment with function.  I pulled the table and shelves out of my storage space to create the L Shape I am after.
 
The table and shelf are not pretty, but they work decently.  Plus, they'll allow me to fine tune and eventually I'll find better pieces for the area.  By using these two pieces I have already figured out a few things.

The shelves I am using aren't quite working.  The top shelf is the primary shelf, but it's too high. I can't easily get to the things I need to be there. The third shelf would be a great height for my primary shelf, but it doesn't have enough room to easily get to the things I want to be there.  I'm thinking a hutch or wardrobe might work better.  Plus, it would be more attractive. 

The table could be just a little bit longer (wider). I could use a little bit more room on my left side. The depth is great. The height is perfect for me.  I don't want drawers.

Before I head out on my next thrifting expedition, I'll be sure to have measurements and wish lists in my notebook.

THE STORAGE
Now remember, I'm a piler.  I don't want things in drawers or cabinets.  I want the things I use to be out where I can see them and get to them quickly.  As you can see from the earlier photo, I put together an assortment of bins and cans and boxes and baskets and pots and containers.  They look awful together.  For now, it doesn't matter.  I'm just trying out different things to see what works best for each of the things I need to contain.  Only two things so far are keepers - the lamp (not cute, but wonderfully functional) and the wrought iron napkin holder. That piece looks cute and functions very well holding the three different envelope types I need. Everything else will eventually be replaced by something more functional and hopefully, much more attractive. 

Speaking of attractive... stay tuned for the next post in this series...  Part 3: The Look

An Ideal Desk Space - Part 1: The Feel

I have moved my computer workstation.

I had been sharing the small downstairs office with my beloved DH. The setup I had there was not working for me.  My DH liked me being there just fine.  I was very accessible... at his beck and call.  I was (and still am) his personal secretary and bookkeeper.  Because of the room layout and interruptions, it was more difficult to do the things I needed to do (bills and his bookkeeping).  It was also more difficult to do the things I wanted to do (blog and learn and create).    Keeping in mind that I am defining my new life, I moved my computer station upstairs to my loft.  That's my space to be creative and free. 

I have been pondering what it is I really want.  Right now, the focus is what I want from my desk, but in a way, it also relates to what I want in my life.  Deep, huh?

I want to merge three concepts - how the space feels, how it functions, and how it looks.

PART 1:  THE FEEL

From reading a number of feng shui books, I have learned that the way you arrange things can impact how you feel.  The best example I have for this came from one of the books (can't remember which one).  If you are sitting in a nice comfortable chair, but you have a cactus on a table beside you, you will feel uncomfortable and will most likely lean away from the cactus, even if it's not actually close enough to bump into.

For me, the feel downstairs has a lot to do with facing a wall.  In the downstairs office, my DH faces the window and has a great view.  I was on the opposite side, up against the wall... literally and figuratively. I felt trapped, blocked, restricted.  The DH said he was willing to switch spots with me if I'd stay there, but that would only solve one of my issues.

 

The Downstairs Office

The wall desk area is a bit dark.  The office is on the north side of the house and faces a deep covered porch.  The window is large and gets natural light, but not enough to give much light to the opposite wall.  I put a mirror over my desk to reflect the light from the window but it still wasn't enough. 


My upstairs loft is a huge room with a great view and tons of windows and light.   It's a much better setup. I'm where I need to be.  I hope my DH adjusts.  I hope he comes to realize that my loft is as special to me as his workshop is to him. 

This photo shows the view from my new workspace.  I like this sooooo much better.  I used to not mind my computer facing a wall so much.  For the last year or so I've been working in an office with no windows and not much light.  Maybe that's why I'm obsessing about windows and light.

I'm not completely happy about the arrangement of the rest of the furniture in the loft.  I moved it around last weekend and didn't have much time or energy.  I'm sure I'll rearrange some more.  The papsan chair will likely go.  The rug is not staying.  We had it made to fit the downstairs office.  I will need the DH to move some heavy furniture around in order to put it there.  While I wait for him, this is the temporary home for the rug.  I'm eager for it to go. 

Still, all in all, I am now pretty happy with how I feel at my new workstation.  I've made a step in the right direction.

Next post... Part 2: The Function