Carving Out My Own Little Work Space.

Collage of fun pieces to provide some whimsy and inspiration while I work.

Recently I went back to school to earn my Bachelor’s degree  {I have since graduated} and wanted a quiet place to do my homework.  Since we bought the house many moons ago we had converted the downstairs bedroom to the computer room.  When my husband started his new job working from home the room became his official office.  Because his office had a door that could be closed to ward off the noise and interruptions from certain little nuggets and puppies, I decided I was going to try to carve out my own little corner for my work space.  Because homework can be sooooo boring and unpleasant, I wanted my space to have some fun pops of color and an unique look all my own.  I also wanted this makeover to cost as little money as possible.  With the help of my local thrift store, some items I had on hand, and some handy dandy coupons for Jo Ann Fabrics, I was able to create an inspiring and fun work area all my own.

Clockwise from top left: My workspace, little pieces of artwork to tie in the fabric used for the room’s curtains, found these pieces at a thrift store to create a fun and unique holder for my writing utensils, art piece layering burlap, fabric, and top of a can, entire look, a font doodle I did a while ago that I finally made good use of.

The first thing I did was look through my house for items I could use. I had many unused frames that just needed a good coat of spray paint. Next, I was able to score my nice wooden desk from a friend of mine for $20. {Tip: It never hurts to ask around to see who has what that they want to get rid of!!} The chair I found at Goodwill, a long with the shelf, bucket, jar, and decorative can holder. At Jo-Ann’s I used my coupons to score some fabric to reupholster the chair cushion and the letter “D”. I also found the cute buttons on sale there as well.  I was able to buy the three cans of spray paint from Walmart at less than $4 each!!

I managed to pull together this look in one kid free afternoon. A lot of the artwork was pieces I designed on the spot. I wanted simple ideas and layered looks. I even found a good use of a font doodle I had done weeks previously. I used to think wall art had to be complex to look creative and unique. As I have grown I’ve realized just how unique a simple idea can look. Just gluing buttons in rows on scrapbook paper really made a big impact. The buttons themselves were cute and decorative all their own, they didn’t need to be among other decals to make an impact.
I also like the idea of a place where I can clip pictures and other important notes without having to deal with tape or thumb tacks. Stringing up some twine across an open picture frame with small clothes pins provided me this option. I like that I can easily switch out pictures and rearrange them if needed to fit more. I am really proud of this spot. It is so bright and cheery and really showcases my eye for design. I just can’t help but give myself a pat on the back for this one. I hope you like it and are inspired to take chances and design your own unique little space where you can let your creativity shine.