Office Space Part Deux

By golly I've found it! This is the perfect space for a home office and writing space! Now if only I can convince my writing partner to paint her home office black....

And also to move her whole house from LA to NYC....

Image: Atlanta Homes & Lifestyle Mag via The Decorista

Project Desk

My desk is by far the biggest eyesore in my bedroom. I try to clean it off about once a month but because I tend to use my laptop on my bed, my desk is usually hidden under a mountain of books and old mail. Case in point:

Sad right? Well today I'd had enough. It was time to organize, rearrange and take on a small craft project!

See that wooden box on the floor? It's actually the FIRA drawer unit from IKEA. I bought it two years ago and only put together 2 of the 3 drawers before I gave up and stored old beauty products in it. While dusting it off, I realized I might as well go to town with some acrylic paints:

Not so shabby, eh? After I put away the paint, I got to work reorganizing my desk which was quite a feat because as it turns out, I have A LOT of junk! Books went back onto my bookcase, notebooks are stored in the sad blue bins under my bed and old mail went into the shredder. The result is much more conducive to actually being productive!

Photos Courtesy of: Mia G for w*ink
(Please excuse their poor quality, I am clearly not a professional photographer.)

Design Soulmates

 I have been freaking out over Matt Berman's Manhattan apartment, which was featured recently on Elle Decor. Isn't it just so yum?? I cannot stop staring at the photographs because the apartment gets better with every photo in their slideshow.  From the artwork below the bookshelves to the cubed coffee table, green dining room chairs, and oversize mood board, this space has excellent attention to detail and a well thought out floor plan. I love how the masculine heft of the larger pieces are balanced by lighter benches, patterned accessories and soft rugs. Basically, I would do anything to live here. Berman's aesthetic sense is so amazing, I would like to cut out his prefrontal cortex and just insert it right into my brain. Then I would decorate my apartment to look like his. And then I would give him back his prefrontal cortex because it really isn't nice to go around cutting out chunks of people's brains. Also, ew.

Moving on:

Look at the watercolor of Mae West! Check out the hanging lamp above the table! Why don't I have big branch arrangements on my table!?!?!

This is my ideal workspace: simple and not fussy with interesting things to look at when I am lacking inspiration/procrastinating/bored out of my mind.

Images: Elle Decor

On reading nooks

I am in a horrible mood today because my dumb cat spent half the night knocking all the perfume bottles off my dresser one by one and then this morning I bought a 'mixed berry' scone and there were raisins in it.

Fact: RAISINS ARE NOT A BERRY.

Sigh.

Luckily this photo from AT:LA has lifted my spirits a bit! I would totally do something like this in my apartment if I had the proper corner. It's cozy and comfortable and makes great use of a corner that might otherwise have been wasted. I love the deep drawers, which are perfect for storing drawings and papers if you are an artist or even household items like stationary, napkins, place mats, unused artwork and take-out menus.

I also love that they used fabric instead of wallpaper; it's wonderful for renters and easy to swap out of you wake up one day and decide you are out of your flower phase and heading toward tie dye.

Image: Family Living via Apartment Therapy Los Angeles

It's not easy being green

My adoration of all things jewel-toned has been well documented on this blog. As has my tendency to go overboard with the color grey (evidence = my grey wall and the two grey blankets, grey shirt AND grey jacket currently spread out on my bed).  Yet somehow when I look around my room, everything is suddenly green. I have nothing against the color green. I find it quite nice actually. I like green eyeliner. I like green tea. I like green apple jolly ranchers. J'dore the color green. Just don't particularly think to use it much in my living spaces. As a nice accent color, sure. Who doesn't love a kelly green cushion against a glossy white chair? Now I look around my room and I have an olive green dresser inherited from my roommate, TWO army green lamps (non-matching), a turquoise green rug and an old print that uses turquoise, lime green and olive green quite liberally. How did this happen?

Anyhoo. Despite my impulse to scale back my greenosity, I am still in love with this living room, featured in an Apartment Therapy post on shades. Contributed by Jenny of The Little Green Notebook, the furniture is large without being too dramatic or fussy and I love love love the couch. It looks so comfortable and perfect for a Sunday afternoon of reading and drinking coffee. (Is there anything else to do on a Sunday afternoon??)  

Also, I am obsessed with the idea of placing a small desk in front of a bookshelf. I have seen this in numerous Domino spreads and the idea of having a random desk creating a small work area in the living room is so much fun.  That way, when I'm pretending to do work while really watching 30 Rock, I will be that much more convincing.

Image: Little Green Notebook via Apartment Therapy

AAAAAAND WE'RE BACK!

So sorry for the long break dearies. Things got a bit out of control with the state of my internet connection. Plus, all the premieres had me very busy indeed. (OMFG Kath & Kim have animal print EVERYTHING)

Now that we are back on track, I want to point out the brilliant blue carpet in Andrew Beer's home. I love it. I want RIGHT NOW.  In fact, the more I stare at the photograph, there isn't much that I don't love in this room. An entrant in Point Click Home's Happy Chic Home Contest, Beer's bold use of color is pure genius--the room somehow still seems understated despite the bright carpet, pink chair and fur throw. 

I love how the pink in the windows echos the chair nearby, the blue carpet is reflected in the steel legs of the desk as well as the  glass vase and books on the mantle, and the dark plum color in the fireplace is matched with the large vase above. All this is balanced out by the strikingly delicate mirror above the mantle and the quietly neutral books on the two bookcases. 

Fabulous!

Check out the winners of the contest, judged by my secret boyfriend Jonathan Adler here.

Image: Point Click Home.

Office Space

I've had office supplies on the brain lately and I'm not talking rubber bands and paper clips here. I mean serious business. I refuse to be one of those people who winds up decorating their cubicle with post-its and empty cans of diet coke. Since there is no shortage of stylish desk accessories, here are a few of my favorites...

Images: Calendar Canisters-Spoon Sisters, Make-up Bag- Flight 001, Mug- Amazon, Staplers- Kate's Paperie, Clock- Moma 

Vanity Fair

When I was in High School, I tricked my Mother into buying me a desk. She didn't want to. My room was too small and I usually did my homework either backstage during rehearsals for some play or in study hall the morning it was due. I told her I was unable to study at home due to insufficient study spaces and argued that our dining room table didn't have acceptable lighting and my bedroom had no seating except for my bed, which was for sleeping and therefore not conducive to efficient studying. I suspect her desire for me to shut my pie hole was more persuasive than my arguments.

Nevertheless, we set about finding a cute and not too chunky desk and matching chair which I promptly repainted, reupholstered and turned into a fantastic vanity. Soon I was spending hours looking at myself in the mirror and contemplating the merits of frosted eyeshadow instead of Milton or Eliot. I have not had a vanity since those glory days, but this white three-drawer 'desk' is awfully tempting! The drawers come fully finished in bright orange or if you are feeling especially virtuous, you could order them in a limited edition yellow and a donation will be made to help cure pediatric cancer. I am already envisioning clear lucite drawer dividers for all my beauty products and a tray containing a zillion overpriced perfumes chosen specifically for their bottles.

The company, Modern Tots, is ostensibly a children's furniture boutique but why waste all that fantastic design on children?

Also awesome:



These pendant lamps would be great in a kitchen or dining room.



This rug has fantabulous detailing but neutral colors that won't distract.



A toy chest would make a wonderful coffee table and provides ample storage for blankets and other necessities.

Images: Modern Tots

A Desk. Discuss.

I probably spend more time at my desk than anywhere else in my bedroom, including my bed. And while I am aware that most experts (Ahem, RealSimple) say you should separate your work space from your living and sleep spaces, I will probably never be able to afford an apartment that includes a home office. That said, I sorta love the idea of having a communal workspace in a common area. Even if it is only used for bills and craft projects and, let's face it, a minibar, I think it adds a lot to the utility of a living room. While perusing the new Crate & Barrel catalogue, I went cuckoo for cocoa puffs over their new Convertible Compact Desk. In a small living room, it can resemble a simple chest of drawers but slide out the top panel and Holy Bejesus Batman! It's a desk!!

It almost temps me to start saving my pennies. Almost.


Image: Crate & Barrel

Making the most of small space

Is that a hanging screen behind the desk or a small strip of wallpaper? Either way, I love the space it creates! A fun mini-office.

Image: apartmenttherapy.com