I needed a space. Not a room, but a space. “The office” was in the living room, on our big wall, but it caused the furniture to be too cramped. I moved to the corner of the same room, but got booted for the Christmas tree.
I moved into the dining room, in the corner again, {perhaps it was a hint?} but as you can see below-not working. Not enough storage, not enough place to stretch out, and not inspiring.
I wanted somewhere that wasn’t closed in, was in the sight line of the kids, didn’t take up too much real estate, and was cost effective. {!!!}
Dreaming of a solution.
Before-
I happened to be dreaming as my husband perused. At the very same time!
When I started voicing my distress, and how I was going to go down in the hall of hoarders if something drastic didn’t change soon…he let me know he had been looking for a solution and hadn’t found one. He had planned on making it my Christmas gift. I had to start looking after that.
My solution?
Inexpensive track shelving from Lowe’s.
After-
It took two trips to find the right configuration, and we made a trip to the big city for the accessories.
I love it!
The little touches, the splashes of color. I love it all. I saw so many designs online with lots of white-but that just doesn’t fit me, or our home. I really like the vintage look-also primitive.
A dresser now holds the wireless printer on the other side of the room, and the space saving chair scoots in close enough to not bother our dining room seating too much.
I love seeing other’s spaces, so I thought you would enjoy me sharing mine.
Shopping info-
Lowe’s-
Target-
Wall art
magazine holders
picture frame
Hobby Lobby-
Paper mache “K” {painted deep ocean blue}
Metal basket
Photo boxes
Linens and More for Less-
Orange fabric boxes
Staples-
White “better binder”
From my house-
Glass jelly jar pencil cup
I left plenty of space to grow, no sense in building a space you fill up instantly. We can also build to the sides if needed, we made sure everything was completely centered on the wall.
Do you have your own office space? How do you make it work for you?
© 2011 – 2012, Sam Kelley. All rights reserved.
Sam Kelley
Wife to one and mom to six. I love my Lord, my family, organizing and fitness. I'm a homeschooler who takes pictures obsessively. I love good tea. I don't eat meat.
I love your clean, organized, and peaceful space, Sam! The pop of orange is a nice touch too.
Lovely! Can’t wait until we finally have something like a home to make my own space in!
I have a built in desk but no hutch. I, too, asked my husband about building a hutch, but wood is so expensive. Just showed this to my husband and he said he liked this much better. I like it because I wouldn’t be limited in shelf placement and I could change it around as often as I’d like to. :)
My ever-changing OCD required changeability. Be sure to get shelves that aren’t too deep for the bottom ones. You’ll feel closed in. :)
BTW-I like your before pic too LOL But after pic is def better! :)
The before area is now the same place-a dresser took the desk’s place, and the printer lives there now.
Love it! Great job!
Thank you!
Love your colors … yay, for your own hideaway (of sorts) but all yours :)
Thank you. I love them too. :)
I love it! Great job making the most of the space you have, and the colors/style you chose go well with your paint color (can’t see the rest of your house to see general style – lol). My office space needed several trips to Ikea (not all at once), and it’s moved around the house several times, but I like where it is now. Well, except for when my hubby works from home and has conference calls.
I wish we had an Ikea anywhere near us! I have a 2 hour limit to my travels…sigh.
Self-imposed I might add. ;)
Wow, looks right out of a magazine. So incredible. So lovely. So functional! I adore it! Thank you so much for sharing! Enjoy your new happy place!
xoxo,
Jen
Thank you. :)
Awesome! So beautiful and well deserved. Congrats :)
Thanks, Tricia. :)
Love it! Still working on my space.. We just moved our school room and put in the “office” in the same room.
Let me know when you finish-I love looking at other spaces!
Beautiful Samantha! Looks like something out of a magazine. I just have a old, cheap, walmart desk stuck in the classroom for my ‘office’ :) Yours is much prettier!
My desk is a desk from Walmart…I bought it about 3-4 years ago. :) This system is an upgrade with the savings of not replacing the desk!
I like your walmart desk better than my walmart desk! LOL Seriously-I have like an 8 year old cheapy computer desk with a broken shelf! LOL 3rd photo down here
http://cowsdontmoo.com/our-classroom/
It would be more usable with the shelf, but as is it’s kinda unusable-but you have inspired me, maybe after Christmas I”ll look for some stackable, pretty boxes to put in there to make it more beautiful and functional! Maybe some photo boxes? Hat boxes? I could paint or mod podge some scrapbook paper onto them…..you got my wheels turning girl!
You win-my desk is more functional than yours for sure. Let those wheels go-and let me know if you do change things up!
Hehehe Yeah-def need some functionality added to my desk!
Oh I LOVE it!! Might need to get some of that there track shelving for my space! I have my desk downstairs but never go down there. It’s too uninspiring, but at the same time, I spread my “junk” all over our living room couches and it annoys everyone (including me). Thanks for the inspiration! :)
Thank you! Now, get to work!
Looks wonderful!! Totally love the jelly jar cup — that’s my whole house — the jelly jar, the multi-purpose item. :)
We are all about jelly jars as well! They are cheap! and you can use them for everything!
Yes, the jelly jar is a good friend. :)
I love it!!!! It looks beautiful. Excellent pictures! They were like candy.
Thank you. :)
VERY nice =) I love it! I’m actually working on my itty bitty space. I have had to face the fact that I am indeed a hoarder of ALL things homeschool! HA! There I said it…confession is good for the soul. Right? =)
Ah, but I have the other huge room for all things homeschool…and-perhaps it is. ;)
That looks great, Samantha!! I’m inspired! :)
Thank you, my friend. :)
Sam, I LOVE IT! The colors are so beautiful….and cheery! I want to make a few changes….hmmmm….now you’ve got me thinking!
Thank you. Cheery was what I was going for-without white. :)
LOVE IT! You did GREAT! :)
Thanks, Susan. :)