Jun012010
The Office Is Done
Filed under Home by Kim at 1:03 pm on Jun 01 2010
Six weeks ago I replaced the carpet, transforming our former guest bedroom into a blank slate for my new home office, with the goal of having a peaceful place for me to study first, stretch out/work out and sew things second. Sorry guests, this means we are slightly less hospitable than we once were. (Though it would be nice to finally use that sofabed as a sofabed for once, after having it almost 7 years!)
I had only a vague idea in my head. I’d been lurking around the Unclutterer Workspaces flickr pool for over a year. And I had some leftover pieces of furniture that had to live in this room whether I liked it or not.
I went to Ikea for two massive remodeling runs. As much as I swore I was not going to go to Ikea for this, I have come to loathe furniture shopping and the Ikea website makes the whole process simple and less loathesome. After a reconnaissance trip (you have to sit on everything first!) I was able to set up a cart that had the locations for everything on the local store’s self-serve shelves and print that and it was a breeze.
Putting it together was less than a breeze and thank goodness for Christie and Jack or I would have broken everything.
I was going to go for a more old-fashioned look, back when I thought I could find the kind of desk I wanted lurking inexpensively in an antique mall. Nope. Modern it is. Originally I was going to go for a futon/loveseat type thing, but I hated everything I looked at and I went to every furniture joint within a 50 mile radius. So I decided to move the toddler-strangler upstairs and get a second chair and create a little seating arrangement.The desk & shelves arrangement is basically exactly what it was on the showroom floor where I fell in love with it.
You can see a 360° picture set on my flickr, just click through below. People with more design sense than me – I welcome suggestions. It’s not perfect – like I wanted to paint the little drawer set white, but got lazy. Nevertheless, I look forward to getting into my studies here. 
1 mpomyon 01 Jun 2010 at 1:12 pm
Ikea sometimes = necessary evil. And, of course, the photography is spot-on, really promoting that feeling of peace and productivity. Those two things rarely go together for me, so I’ll be looking forward to the updates. Congratulations on a beautiful workspace and good luck!
[Reply]
Kim Reply:
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Thanks! I was really unhappy about the WB on the photos – I don’t know what it is about the kit lens but I feel like it does something funny to the colors, which doesn’t make the most sense. But people seem to think they are good so I may just be being hard on myself, as usual!
[Reply]
2 Jeanneon 01 Jun 2010 at 1:24 pm
It looks really beautiful. I am inspired to go and conquer my cluttered office!
[Reply]
Kim Reply:
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:08 pm
It’s so satisfying! Even if you have to do it in small chunks, do it!
[Reply]
3 Christieon 01 Jun 2010 at 3:18 pm
OMG the room looks absolutley amazing! You are a total inspiration!
[Reply]
Kim Reply:
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Thank you! Please to be ignoring my “playtime” home office which looks like a hurricane hit it. 😉
[Reply]
4 Jenon 01 Jun 2010 at 4:49 pm
I’m with Christie – I’m actually inspired! I love what you did! I’m sure it is going to be a great environment for you.
[Reply]
Kim Reply:
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Yay! Keep me posted on how you do in your extra room!
[Reply]
5 Robon 18 Jun 2010 at 6:26 am
Love the room. Came over here from Unclutterer post to read the blog post. I, too, do not like Ikea that much. However, I will also agree it is sometimes a necessary evil. I must admit I have some Ikea stuff in my house. Two or three months to build or a day to go buy and put together. Sometimes it is not even a question.
I do have one question for you. Would you mind giving me the dimensions on the room. I am wanting to redo my home office and I am looking for ideas. I am trying to get a sense of scale from your pictures.
Thanks!
[Reply]
Kim Reply:
June 18th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting! I am so flattered and happy that my room made Unclutterer and that people like it.
The room is 10.5 by 15. It’s possibly the bigger of the bedrooms in our house but since my partner is a bit of an ascetic so he lets me take things over with all my stuff.
[Reply]