Our Home Office Moodboard
It’s been a while since I have shared, and although a lot has been going on around here, it’s also been a while since we’ve tackled some projects around the house. Between Mabel starting to walk (well, run) and the insanity of starting back to work part time in the middle of a pandemic, my long list of home projects has taken a back seat to the things that seem like more of a priority right now (like, I don’t know…surviving).
But, as mentioned, starting back to work part time in the middle of a pandemic has brought some new ideas into focus. Not only did I just start back to work after my maternity leave, but that back to work is actually a start at the beginning in building my design business. I’ve been taking on freelance graphic design work and working 2.5 days/week from home. I had Mabel lined up to start at daycare the exact same week that everything shut down back in March, but thanks to a fantastic available friend and her willingness to take on a last minute part time nanny position, I was able to pick up working as I had initially planned. However, that has meant that Mabel is still home while I’m working, and sometimes those lines can blend. My office is currently on the main floor in a common living space, which has meant that any meetings or calls have required extensive planning around nap times and strategically planned walks, and although I try to tune out the noise with a set of headphones, I do occasionally hear a sweet, soft “Mama!” from the next room when she notices the clicking of my computer mouse.
Long story short, we have always intended to set up a home office for both Curtis and I in our spare bedroom (with a door), but it’s taken a while for us to get around to doing it. The room is currently a stow-away zone for all those random boxes that didn’t have a spot when we initially moved in – namely my extensive stash of craft supplies. Curt already has a desk set up in there with his computer for those one-off days that he works from home, but we need a desk system that can work for both of us, as well as extensive storage to organize all the craft supplies. We also need some sort of file storage, and for me personally, a place that is generally quiet and relaxing, but also inspiring so I can be creative and productive on the days I am working. Here’s the plan:
General – We painted out the walls in Falling Snow by Behr a while ago from the original peachy-beige colour they were when we moved in. This room is also upstairs in our home, so the original carpet has already been replaced with the same laminate floors that run through the second floor of our home and we replaced the main ceiling light fixture to match the fixtures we used in the other bedrooms. Generally speaking, this room already flows with the rest of our home, but I want it to feel cozy and distinct so we can mentally draw the line between work and family when we step in and out of it.
Workspace – Since we will both be working in here, I plan to set up a long double desk that grounds the space by stretching (nearly) the entire length of the main open wall. I’d like to use the Karlby faux-butcher block counter top from IKEA with two matching black Alex drawer units as the base so we each have our own space to store our frequently used supplies. I’d like to make this space feel as balanced and connected as possible, so I am going to get a set of matching chairs that add a pop of colour to the space and purchase some beautiful matching desk lamps that are equipped with USB chargers for easy phone charging. I’m thinking about building some sort of wall shelf that stretches the length of the desk near the top of the wall for some additional open storage, but haven’t finalized that idea yet.
Storage – I purchased a used IKEA filing cabinet (similar) from our local Buy and Sell that will give us tons of storage for papers and files. I also wanted a storage cabinet that I could tuck all of my craft supplies into so I purchased an antique hutch on the Buy and Sell as well. I was pretty set on something with glass doors so that it didn’t feel as heavy and clunky, but this meant that the actual organization had to be done in a series of matching baskets and boxes so it was visually cohesive. I made over the hutch and have already organized all my supplies, which I will be sharing about soon. Otherwise, I’d like to keep the storage vessels looking cohesive by using either natural materials or clean black and I would like to keep things tucked away as much as possible.
Decor – My visual inspiration is drawn from this dreamy bedroom design (by @styleitprettyhome) using primarily natural tones with a blue-green-undertoned grey and black touches. I’d like to bring in this rug to play off the blue undertones of the grey (which I painted the antique hutch in) while adding some much needed warmth with the peachy rust tones. While most of the room will be bright and neutral, I’d like to add a punch of colour with the camel tone of the chairs. My husband has a framed Blue Jays baseball jersey he has always wanted displayed in here, so I thought that the blue tones could also be reflected from the rug in that. The frame is a simple black, so I figured that I would do the same with my choice of art – this stunning screen print poster all about the Futura typeface, which is my absolute favourite typeface and one I use repeatedly in the designs I create. I’d also like to bring in some natural greenery with (faux) plants.
We’re hitting a point where we are starting to feel pretty desperate for a separate office space and many of these pieces have either already been ordered or have arrived. I’ve been working on organizing the items that already exist in this space and am looking forward to fully setting up the space and moving my computer up there within the next couple of weeks. I will definitely be sharing about it here once we do, as well as in a Youtube video on our channel. In the meantime, I will also have a post and video coming out about the transformation of the antique hutch we purchased into a beautiful storage cabinet.
I hope you all are keeping well and finding slivers of inspiration in these (still) seemingly strange times. I don’t know about you, but I’ve noticed myself starting to adapt to the reality that this all is pretty much our new normal and planning out ways to make our home an even better fit for our needs has definitely been helping.
