Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Your assignment: Spiff up your office space

School's almost in around here. You know what that means, right?

Time for learning... reconnecting with friends.... becoming a better citizen...

No! It's a decorating opportunity!

I re-design a furniture and home goods consignment store a few times a month and last night was all about getting back to school.

The store had about a dozen desks and we focused on them to remind people that it's time to create a quiet and organized spot for homework.

Unlike a store that sells new items and orders whatever it needs, we use whatever the consigners have brought in.

That situation is a lot like what people deal with at home so I thought I'd pass along a few tips:.

  • See that cabinet? A few weeks ago, we put china in it and paired it with a dining room table and chairs. This week it's holding books and would look great in an office, or even in a dining room that is doing double duty as a homework space.

  • Got a desk but no chair? Sometimes it's more interesting not to have a matching set. Pull in a dining room chair or even an upholstered chair from a living room. If you have to buy a single chair, they are usually a great bargain at second-hand stores because they are tougher to sell than chairs that come as part of a set or at least a pair.

  • Need pencil holders? Try a vase or a deep bowl. We put some of those to use last night.

  • Don't forget the lamp! Even if you've got overhead lighting, you really need a lamp at a desk for that close-up work. Again, single lamps are pretty inexpensive.

  • Finally, you don't necessarily need something that was built to be a desk to create a useful and beautiful homework spot. Dining tables provide lots of surface space and can be used in offices, or in family rooms. Tables that don't come as part of a dining set can be a bargain, too.

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6 comments:

Lorrie said...

Great ideas - summer's not quite over yet but I'm starting to think about spiffing things up for the fall.

Lorrie

Buzzings of a Queen Bee! said...

The dining table tip is a great idea. I am currently mulling over a redesign of my dining room into more of a library...since we use it once a year! The coming of fall is the perfect motivator!
-Carrie

Melissa said...

I wish you lived in idaho.

I could hire you to re-design my whole entire house.

Melissa

Nancy Hood said...

great ideas!

Nik said...

Nice! yeah it's hard to spiff up an area that gets so much abuse...especially in this house. We're always at our desk(s)...thanks for the suggestions!

Ocean Hammock Residents said...

I have at least a wall's full of photos, all nicely framed and matted from my old house, but I've been lacking the motivation to hang them. Now I'm ready. Thanks for sharing your excellent tips!