I've declared 2012 as the year of home organization! You all know how it is though, city living. Lots of space doesn't come easy. There's no room for hoarding and clutter.
We're pretty fortunate to live in a large space, but we only have two bedrooms, albeit on the large side by Chicago condo/townhouse standards. And since my dream is for that room to be a nursery + guest room, I need to be creative for my current project, creating office space.
My idea is to turn our landing upstairs that leads into the bedrooms into the perfect working area. Does that sound weird? I think it's going to turn out great. Not to mention, I'll finally be able to get rid of the stupid roll-top/ancient desk that's sitting in our dining area/main room downstairs. (Inherited by marriage. Bachelor boys don't always have the best furniture, do they? Man, I can't wait to get rid of that thing!)
We already have a three of these along one wall of the landing (or the version of them from 5 years ago, anyway), so I figure a simple desk to hold the laptop, a small file drawer and perhaps a cool photo gallery above should do the trick on the opposite side.
Since I'm working on a budget (who isn't!), I chose this Avington desk from Target. It's on sale right now + I got free shipping and found an online coupon code for an extra 10% off!
I also purchased the matching file cabinet to hold those important papers we all have, and our printer (that, in all honesty, I rarely ever use).
Oh wait, I still need a chair. Well, I still have to figure that out, but you know what I'd love? This.
I feel a bit guilty about paying more for my chair than I did for the rest of the furniture though. Plus, I may want these chairs for the new dining set I'm dreaming about anyway. Guess I need to think about this piece a bit more.
Once I get my act together and put everything in order, I'll take photos of the finished project. Someday. Keep waiting though.
So what do you think, good use of space or too weird to picture an office on a landing? (Rumor has it the previous owners had an office up there too. I get it. I do!)
14 comments:
I can totally picture that! The fact alone your place has stairs and a landing means that you have a spacious place by city living standards!
I have friend's that have a landing that sounds like what you are talking about and they have an office there. I think it would work. :) I would so do it!
I have that target desk from a few years ago - it works great and is pretty low profile.
Also- I think it is a good use of space. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do with city homes.
sounds like a good use of space! i wish i had a landing, let alone an upstairs! :)
I think it's a great idea! I do live along (well with my 75 lb dog lol) but spaces are so small in LA also. It's difficult to decorate when there's no room to put anything :(
Great finds though!
Go for it! Gotta be creative with the space you have. I share my office with my dog's bed, haha.
I think it's a creative solution. I'd just make sure that you think through what you want to look at every day and where it is stored. I wouldn't mind seeing the desk and laptop (esp with pictures above), but I'd put the file cabinet in the master closet (this may be driven partially by the fact that we live in NOLA and I am paranoid about docs being out in the open - baby-sitters, housekeeper, etc). But either way, just visualize what you don't mind seeing every day and then it will work. I think people hear office and they think "paper!" but it doesn't have to be that way. My home office is in our guest room (hopefully will be nursery #2 one day...) and for now I love that, too. But I do keep it clean and clutter free.
If the space is big enough- do it! I'm picturing a "loft" style landing like we have in our house, but I'm not sure if that's what you mean. In any case, I think it works just fine! WHY are chairs so expensive?!? Ugh - I just don't get it!
I don't think it's weird at all. IKEA has great Eames look alike chairs and so does West Elm if you are into that sort of thing! So fun!
@Happiness Is...Good point. Those papers can be tucked away somewhere. We don't have many anyway. I'm all about electronic, but you know there are some!
@Johanna - IKEA. Yes. I always forget about looking at them. Mostly because I never want to drive out there. Ha!
i love the idea! perfect way to maximize your space.
I love that you have stairs and a landing - your place must be pretty big compared to mine, that's for sure:) I love that chair, too!
I love your choices. That chair is gorgeous - red leather, is it? You need something comfy so you don't hurt your back {that's how I'd justify it, haha!}.
Target furniture is pretty cheap, you can chuck it when you don't want it anymore. Your roll top sounds like it would be great for hiding papers and add some much needed landing charm.
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