My home office

A few post ago a discussion about home offices and how to hide all those cords came up. A few people wanted to see my home office. Well here it is, nothing too fancy, and as you can see, CORDS! Its not really that noticeable and YES I know I need to straighten that mess up ! My desk top is a cheap closet door stained brown sitting on top of 2 file drawers . I love my hotel cubby because I can stick tons of stuff in it and keep my desk straight. My chairs are mismatched because I do not have 3 of the same and right now, it does not bother me.

Signs

I've always had a thing for quirky wall signs. I have quite a few in my house now, my favorite being a canoe sign (top picture). This was my office wall and has since changed but I still have that sign. Feels like it belongs at summer camp, and thats why I bought it. I also have a matching one in green that says cabins. My friend Linda redid her bathroom (stunning!) and added a subway sign (2nd picture). Thats the first sign I've seen in awhile thats made me swoon!. Ebay is a great place to find old signs etc.

Neutrals

One look I never seem to tire of is creamy whites mixed with warm wood tones. The 2 tones go together very well and I think that's why you see it used a lot. The picture with the desk is of my teenage daughters room. I redid it a few years back and she was not happy with the lack of color. But now that she's older she really likes it and her friends do too. Very calming colors for the bedroom. I have color in my home too, but I do love the feel that warm whites bring to a room.

Entryways

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My entryway was one of the last places I thought about. As you walk into my house, it spills right into the front room. No foyer at all. I decided I was going to design a entry. No, not adding on but giving the visitor a visual que that they were stepping into my home, not falling in. Whats great now is there are tons of things available for entryways. The above mirror shot is a part of my entry. The mirror does 2 things, makes the space appear larger and its great of that one last look before you leave. So if you only have room for a few hooks and a bench, you can still have entryway! Try to get as close to the door as you can and have a place to put your keys and hang a jacket. Its really a nice quality of life thing when it works well!

Bedside Tables

Bedside tables in small spaces are a luxury not to be taken lightly! I've gone threw 3 tries before getting mine just right. It ended up being a small chest with 4 drawers in the front. I love the white square one pictured, but I had to face facts. I'm not neat enough to keep something like that looking the way it should. You can adjust that square to fit just about any size space. My teen aged daughters room had only 1 logical place for her bed. The space for a side table was so tiny, nothing worked. I had a old suitcase that belonged to her grandfather and it fits great. Sometimes all you really need is a spot for a clock and glass of water. We put her sheets in the case for storage (her room is with sheepskin rug). I've used baskets stacked, side chairs, books, you name it. If you have no room on the sides of your bed, try shelving above the headboard. Remember tho, something above your head can fall on your your head! Do be careful trying that!

Spring Fever!

Every year around this time I get a major case of spring fever. I cannot get enough pictures of outdoor spaces. The funny thing about my home is, as small as it is, I have a huge backyard. Its part of the reason I don't want to move! Very few new homes have big yards. What really sold me on my home was the 10 x 10 screened in porch it has. As soon as I saw it, I was hooked. One of my greatest pleasures is having a cup of coffee on it in the AM or even better, in a light rain. (my porch is the last picture with the "has been replace Kmart bistro set!) No matter how big or small your yard is, think of it as another room to your house and fix it up to enjoy!

Found Space

Often when reading articles about living in a small space, I come across the term "found space." Found space? Well, yes, it can happen! This is when thinking outside the box can come in very handy! For me personally, finding space for my home office was a lot of fun. I've changed my office space about 3 times. It took a few mistakes (wrong desk size, not enough file space) to get it just right. Finding the balance between form and function is key for me. I want my space to look great but work great too. The top pictures is of my own personal home office. A cubby with many compartments has worked great for me! There are tons of options now, smaller desks, compact armoires and tons of shelving sizes and styles. Planning is key so really think through what you want your home office to do for you!