As most of my regular readers know I have changed my office and my sewing and craft room around several times in the 3 1/2 years we've lived in this house. AND I'm fortunate enough to have 4 bedrooms in this house for only 2 people. I also chose not to have a room for guests because it's a waste of space for us. (More on that later.) This office is on its 3rd change because a few months ago I was looking at other people's creative spaces and thought mine would "look better" if I took most of the "extra" stuff out and put it in the craft and sewing room, and it DID look a lot better with so much stuff out of there. I put my huge white cottage desk up against the wall. I thought that gave it more room in the center of this smallish room. Well, I've come to some serious conclusions about that!
One: Hubs said moving furniture is tough on the hands. Nuuuuuuuu, it's tough on the feet, or more specifically, the toes! Ouch!!
Two: It did give a little more room to the center but to what end? It didn't make any difference in what I could do with the center of the room. But the greatest "epiphany" was that it didn't work for me; it didn't "flow" well for ME. I've been around the internet visiting with other people's offices and creative spaces and thought to myself that some of them are wonderful and why can't I have "THAT" kind of room. But I had to come to that decision on my own. I couldn't file any papers with just swiveling my chair around to the filing cabinet. I faced a boring wall instead of having the window seat in front of me and wasn't able to take in the view. My paper shredder, which I use frequently, was in front of the printer stand and I couldn't get into the doors very easily at all. Now, I have never gotten ahold of a copy of a book titled Where Women Create so I have no clue how they do it but I'm sure the rooms are fantastic. I do hope to find a copy at a reasonable price on Amazon soon though so I can just look at it for the eye candy, but truly this works for me - Connie. While I'd love to have my space be gorgeous enough to be able to show in a magazine, that isn't ever going to happen. It's a humble little room - all pink and froufrou-y (and that is the correct way to spell froufrou). I love it and it makes me happy. It simply didn't work for me the other way but I had to try it out. (And trust me, this is a huge and heavy desk for Love Bunny and me to turn around, let alone MOVE!) I won't ever have a huge room with huge floor to ceiling windows with lots of light. I won't ever have the "beautiful shelving" or the vintage stuff that makes a place even more wonderful - for me at least. I won't ever have people in here oooohing and aaaaahing either. I have a "nicer" room than some people and a "not-so-nice" room to some other people. Get over it! This is a "home center" for this family - a "working" place for me. I do all of my business in this room and blog and webcam with our kids and grandkids. It needs to be "functional" more than anything and "form follows function" and so it is with me and this room. While it is lovely to me, it is functional and that's its main purpose.
And about the guest room: we don't need a room to sit empty unless our kids come to visit which averages about twice a year because we go back to California to see them once or twice a year at least. So why keep a "guest" room that isn't used? So that room is now hubby's office. We can each have our own space to do whatever business we need to conduct AND each have our own computers to read or whatever. It just didn't make sense to us to waste that space.
BEFORE TODAY:
So this is what it was the 2nd time I redid the room but just before it is now. And if you think you're confused please don't forget hubs! He's wonky at this point, chicks.
This was my view across the room or - at that point - behind my back.
AFTER TODAY:
This is how it is now from the above pictures. In the picture below you can see the power cords. There is no way I can get rid of any of those cords. It hooks up a lot of extra stuff I have for my computer. They are what they are and nothing can change that for me except to maybe try and camouflage them a bit and I have a "plan" for that coming up soon. But I do like it with less stuff on the walls - especially since the walls are now pink.
One: Hubs said moving furniture is tough on the hands. Nuuuuuuuu, it's tough on the feet, or more specifically, the toes! Ouch!!
Two: It did give a little more room to the center but to what end? It didn't make any difference in what I could do with the center of the room. But the greatest "epiphany" was that it didn't work for me; it didn't "flow" well for ME. I've been around the internet visiting with other people's offices and creative spaces and thought to myself that some of them are wonderful and why can't I have "THAT" kind of room. But I had to come to that decision on my own. I couldn't file any papers with just swiveling my chair around to the filing cabinet. I faced a boring wall instead of having the window seat in front of me and wasn't able to take in the view. My paper shredder, which I use frequently, was in front of the printer stand and I couldn't get into the doors very easily at all. Now, I have never gotten ahold of a copy of a book titled Where Women Create so I have no clue how they do it but I'm sure the rooms are fantastic. I do hope to find a copy at a reasonable price on Amazon soon though so I can just look at it for the eye candy, but truly this works for me - Connie. While I'd love to have my space be gorgeous enough to be able to show in a magazine, that isn't ever going to happen. It's a humble little room - all pink and froufrou-y (and that is the correct way to spell froufrou). I love it and it makes me happy. It simply didn't work for me the other way but I had to try it out. (And trust me, this is a huge and heavy desk for Love Bunny and me to turn around, let alone MOVE!) I won't ever have a huge room with huge floor to ceiling windows with lots of light. I won't ever have the "beautiful shelving" or the vintage stuff that makes a place even more wonderful - for me at least. I won't ever have people in here oooohing and aaaaahing either. I have a "nicer" room than some people and a "not-so-nice" room to some other people. Get over it! This is a "home center" for this family - a "working" place for me. I do all of my business in this room and blog and webcam with our kids and grandkids. It needs to be "functional" more than anything and "form follows function" and so it is with me and this room. While it is lovely to me, it is functional and that's its main purpose.
And about the guest room: we don't need a room to sit empty unless our kids come to visit which averages about twice a year because we go back to California to see them once or twice a year at least. So why keep a "guest" room that isn't used? So that room is now hubby's office. We can each have our own space to do whatever business we need to conduct AND each have our own computers to read or whatever. It just didn't make sense to us to waste that space.
BEFORE TODAY:
So this is what it was the 2nd time I redid the room but just before it is now. And if you think you're confused please don't forget hubs! He's wonky at this point, chicks.
This was my view across the room or - at that point - behind my back.
AFTER TODAY:
This is how it is now from the above pictures. In the picture below you can see the power cords. There is no way I can get rid of any of those cords. It hooks up a lot of extra stuff I have for my computer. They are what they are and nothing can change that for me except to maybe try and camouflage them a bit and I have a "plan" for that coming up soon. But I do like it with less stuff on the walls - especially since the walls are now pink.
This side still needs to be redone and I need to tidy it up but that's coming soon.
I have a red wooden bench on my front porch that I plan on bringing in to this room. It's in need of a paint job and that will happen later but I think this room needs it more than the front porch and it's "wispy" enough that it won't take up much visual space as much as a cabinet full of books would.
My printer is now easily accessible as are the doors beneath it that holds paper, ink cartridges and extra disks for recording.
And another important thing is my view and this clock. My kids gave me this clock for our 40th anniversary 8 years ago and I love it. I took it down and told hubs to use it in his room. He's never put it up and I've missed it tremendously. I used to look up and see the time (yes, I have a clock on my computer monitor but the hanging clock is one I'm used to; it's a gift from my kids and I wanted it in there). It's nice to have an "old friend" back! Yep, that place needs to be tidied up also.
I think the gist of this story is that you need to do what works for you even if it isn't the the "decorator book" look that's what you'd like or love. I've seen miniscule craft rooms and miniscule sewing rooms here on blogs and they're gorgeous and/or lovely while its occupant lusts - like me - for the "perfect" space or room. It's a painful realization sometimes but you'll get over it. Excuse me while I go have my "melt down" or my own little "depression"; I'll be right back, sweet cherubs..........
