It’s been a while since I shared updates from my office, which is ironic because it’s the room I spend the most time in every day. I often find myself daydreaming about ideas for this space when I should be working—can daydreaming count as part of my job? I’d like to think so. Among all the projects I’m juggling around the house, the office is the one I’m focusing on the most right now. This year I’ll be growing and expanding my business in some exciting ways, so I want the room to be ready for those changes and challenges. I’ll share more about that soon.
My office is on the small side, about 11 x 11. I really wish it were larger, but I enjoy the challenge of making the most of the space I have. If budget weren’t a concern I’d install built-ins and wood floors, but for now I’ve chosen affordable, easy updates that add functionality and refresh the room for new creative work.
I’m excited to share a few office updates today, and more changes that will happen in the coming months.
While most of our main floor has hardwood, my office still has dark brown wall-to-wall carpet with a lighter vine pattern. It felt too dark, so I’ve always layered a rug to brighten the space. I tend to feel energized by pattern and color rather than a neutral backdrop, and since I’m keeping my Anthro curtains in the room, I thought a stripe would be a fun complement.
I found a wide striped indoor-outdoor rug at Lulu & Georgia and they kindly sent it to me. It covers most of the room, so I barely notice the brown carpet anymore.
I love the rug—it makes me smile every time I walk into the room, and a smile at your workspace is always a good thing. You might remember I also found my round wood mirror through the same source; they have lots of charming pieces.
Before the holidays last year one of our old laptops stopped working, so we replaced it. I decided to upgrade to a much larger screen and bought a 27″ Mac desktop for the office. I worried I’d miss the portability of a laptop, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised—having a desktop has made me feel more productive and organized. There’s something about actually going to my desk in the morning that helps me focus.
I’ve added links to the blogging, camera, and office equipment I use in my online shop, in case you ever wonder what I use or see in a photo.
As often happens when refreshing a room, one change led to another. Since I’m sitting at my desk more, I wanted a more comfortable chair. My quirky swan chair needed a new seat and I hadn’t used it for a while. I briefly switched to a yellow metal chair for its color, but it wasn’t comfortable for long stretches. My daughter Courtney found a tufted nailhead chair at Restoration Hardware that was a floor model with a small upholstery flaw, and she brought it home for me. I love it and will have it repaired. I still plan to find a dedicated office chair eventually, if I can find one that’s both attractive and comfortable.
On a lighter note, because we’re fond of quick, fun updates, we decided to refresh the black metal label holders on my desk with a touch of gold leaf using Rub n’ Buff.
A little gold instantly made the label holders feel more polished.
Eventually I’ll move this desk to the left side of the room and convert it into a console table to create more surface area for spreading out projects. I plan to take everything out of the room, paint the walls, and rearrange the layout, so it will look noticeably different the next time I show it.
Do you remember what this room looked like a few years ago? Eek. Not very inspiring.
There’s more to come as I continue to tweak the space—small changes that boost comfort, function, and creativity. I can’t wait to share the next round of updates.