Before and after: the office project
A couple of years ago I decided to turn a vacant room in my 1911 bungalow house into a new office for me. A lot of things in my life came along to slow the project down, but now, after a year and a half of actually (slowly) working on it, the room is basically done.
I went for a bit of a modern look this time, using bright colors and IKEA fixtures that I would not necessarily use in the rest of the house. But I think it works well in this room. The other current project, the main floor bathroom, will be much more traditional in style, without an IKEA product in sight.
The office is meant to be multipurpose, used for computer work, costuming and knitting projects, music, paper crafts, and sometimes just general hanging out. The built-in closet has been turned into a crafts storage center, with shelving and baskets to store yarn and fabric. I painted cork board with quatrefoils using leftover wall paint to make a bulletin board for inside the closet door. The other door has hooks to hang tools including a yardstick and a T-square. When I want to stop working, or I just want to keep the cats out of my yarn, I close the doors and it’s all nicely hidden away.
Three tall bookshelves (IKEA Billy shelves with extensions) have a ladder so short me can get to things on the top shelves. The shelves contain books, games, decorations, and more craft supplies. There is a clip-on LED light on the bookshelf to serve as a reading light when I’m sitting in the armchair.
The desk is antique (and was in the house when we moved in). It contains a cabinet with a shelf that lifts up on a spring when a typewriter on it is to be used; now, that shelf holds my sewing machine. Also an antique is the white icebox in one corner, which serves as storage and also a place to put the turntable and stereo receiver, along with a small lamp.
I’m very happy with the room and enjoy working in it! Now, onto the next room…
