If you missed that post, I blogged about the transformation here. Honestly, it was such a simple DIY for such a big impact. It took easily less than 15 minutes (plus a few extra for installation.) I’m so happy with the chic industrial vibe of these little numbers. Who would ever have thought I’d be found gazing dreamily at a basket of bills with a happy smile on my face?
And on the other side, the Alex cupboard. This is home to bulkier items such as the laminator, laptop bag, and nappy bag (because it’s always getting packed at the kitchen bench and it’s handy to have it stashed nearby.)
When I designed our house plan, I included a recessed area to the left of the study space to hold a filing cabinet. This has already proven SO handy for filing away household paperwork as it comes in. It’s within arm’s reach of the desk and yet slightly tucked away so that it doesn’t command attention.
Back to those big blank shelves. They would be called upon to store everything from paperwork and stationery to scrapbooking supplies. I needed a cheap and stylish storage solution, and once more, Ikea proved up to the task. I went with the classic white Kasset storage box. At $2.50 per box, it’s well worth the time it takes to assemble them.
I already had some nice wooden magazine holders kicking around in a cupboard. Onto the shelf with them! I considered spray-painting them white, but in the end decided the pale birch timber is a nice accent colour so everything isn’t too matchy-matchy.
The white crumple box was comparatively a bit of a splurge at $19.95 from Howard’s Storage World, but it was so cute I could not resist.
It’s not the most usual piece of Scripture to have on display, but it’s very meaningful to me. I love the story of how King Solomon took the time and care to make his surroundings beautiful, both in the Temple and the Palace. As an interior decorator, that gives me assurance that God is pleased when I use my creative gifts to honor him. King Solomon took on a vast number of building and beautifying projects, and he completed them. He followed through and carried out his plans.
This really speaks to me as I launch out this year with this new blogging endeavour. A project-based blog takes an ENORMOUS amount of work, and it can feel discouraging to pour endless hours into something and then receive no comments on a post. But God reminds me that my task is just to remain faithful (there’s that word again!) and follow through on my plans.
My study space is at the heart of our home. When I planned our house, I knew that I wanted this area to be right off the kitchen – for starters, so we could use it as a “command centre” to corral paperwork that otherwise ends up dumped on the kitchen counters – and secondly, so that I could snatch moments throughout the day to catch up on emails and blogging while also keeping an eye on the kids playing.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse of my new study space! I’m thrilled to bits with how it turned out. There may have been several nights where I was up until midnight finishing things off, and I must admit I felt pretty exhausted by the end! But it’s amazing what can be achieved in two weeks when you give yourself a deadline. It’s exactly what I dreamed of, and it feels so satisfying to have it complete.
I’d love you to share your thoughts. Do you have dreams of making over a study space? How would you describe your ideal home office area?
Linking up at Get Your DIY On: Room Revamps!
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