If you caught my last post or have been following my antics on Twitter you’ll know that there is a plan (and not much more at the mo) to convert my garage to a new fancy pants studio / workshop. But in the meantime I have been using the kitchen instead of my actual office, but I’ve been evicted by Mr W so have had to upgrade my actual office. Blah blah blah – all caught up?
Yesterday Operation Improve Actual Office commenced at around 1pm and finished roughly 24hrs later. In the hours leading up to this event I felt like I did before my last marathon. Sort of excited but nervous about the inevitable pain. And there was pain. There were flat packs involved. But other than a few terse exchanges it actually went much better than expected. So want to see the results?
First I think you need to understand the layout I’m working with. The room needs to remain a bedroom as we have a lot of visitors, and it has a staircase in it, two windows and a large radiator. Look…try and ignore the ugly lights, they’re going as soon as I’ve found suitable replacements.
So this is where I’ll be sitting oggling fabulous interiors stuff on the internet doing paperwork, research and making calls
Check out my new magnetic memo board with a handy pocket for paint charts
I bought 3 of these headphone wearing skulls for a children’s bedroom project and only used one. I know the grinning me in cap and gown is a bit off putting but Mr W insists I display it as doing my MBA when working full time (and a half) for a slave driving employer was quite an achievement he tells me, and he’s right, it nearly killed me.
Combing shelves and picture ledges turned out to be a winner as I can have more pics without giving up valuable shelf space. And those under shelf wire baskets (set of 2 for £5 from Dunelm) are genius.
And this is where I’ll be standing doing the more creative stuff, like testing paint samples and putting together mood boards. I realised today though that I also want a high stool with a back rest so that’s tomorrows distraction sorted. In the meantime I’ve pinched one from the kitchen.
Love my new wipeboard which I’m using to plot where customers are in the pipeline. These 30 minute or 3 day makeover programmes are a complete illusion, projects never happen quickly. I’m photographing one tomorrow that technically finished in December, but then another chair had to be ordered which only just arrived. Also smitten with my customer specific clipboards. I wasn’t this organised when I had 300 employees.
And look how witty I am.
I now have a space for my NYC musical snow globe. When I was 21 I got sent to New York for a week on my own on a business trip. I thought I was the bees knees but I was also terrified as I’d never been anywhere on my own or to America and the subway did look exactly like it does in horror movies. Every time I look at this globe which I bought that week I smile and remember what an adventure it was.
But this is my favourite bit of the room.
Nothing in my house is straight or central and this fireplace is a shining example of its irregularities, which called for a little off-centre wall art. The print was an eBay bargain and the clock from Cult Furniture one of my go to places for cool stuff.
I’m also very happy with my other eBay bargain print. Mr W was not at all sure. He thinks it look like a doctors surgery not an office.
This was my mantra when I started my own business so it had to have a home somewhere in here.
And the best thing about this office? Well if it all gets too much I can always have a power nap.
So in addition to the new stool I also want to change the lights (cue sigh from Mr W). There are really old fashioned (and not in a good way) but I’m struggling to find something with the right look and that will give out the same amount of light. Maybe that’s Thursdays distraction…
So what do you think, could you work in here?
