Home Office Revamp

A few months ago my office space had a revamp! For about 5 years my desk space was solid top fold up picnic table and a fold up picnic chair with 2 low Ikea Billy bookshelves I shared with P. This year my desk kinda expanded as I ‘borrowed’ the twin fold up table for desk extension. Things got a little cramped at times, the top wasn’t always clutter free and a trip to Ikea last year got me thinking maybe it’s time for a new desk.

I fell in love with their white faux leather Skruvsta 1950/60’s inspired chair that’s super comfy and said my name as I sat swivelling in. Okay, that it was similar like Katrina and Karena’s of Tone It Up office chairs that stood out. None of the desks said hello. One said hi, not not enough to say okay. Pricing wasn’t right either, I could make do with what I had. It wasn’t broke, a piece of cardboard under one of the stands helped keep it from being too unstable. P however had enough of Billy shelving units this Spring. 4 moves they looking like they like they were ready to collapse (does any one else get guilty or have feelings for inanimate objects throwing them out?). Shelves were bowing, collapsing under the weight of books, folders, trinkets. When he announced he’s off to Ikea to get replacement bookcases of course I had to go along to give approval! 

In then end we got 2 large Billy units without doors. P was right when he said the tallness of them would make the spare room or office/storage space feel bigger. I didn’t want cupboard doors as you can easily hide stuff in them with junk building up. No cupboards or draws equals less junk as what you see is what you get, what you deal with, making it more manageable. Plus they can close off a room. I also liked the way you can choose the height level of the shelves themselves creating a shelfie feel. One of the Billy display units reminded me of Chriselle Lim and Mr Kate’s collab interior design video, 5 Ways To Transform A Shelfie. This was my moment to put that inspiration to use! The units themselves were quite cheap, €39.99 each and having a big gap behind me doesn’t make me feel boxed in. 

I wasn’t expecting to find a desk I liked. The one that previously caught my eye didn’t do anything this time around. The chair, yes. Still as comfy! Just when I was about to give up trying to find something that didn’t scream traditional office colours or too expensive I found the DIY desks section. You chose the trellises, the desk top size and colour for a fraction the cost of the pre designed desks. I went with all white in keeping with all the other storage cupboards and shelfs (all Ikea) and to give the illusion of space and to act a calm background. I’d love to be an all white interior person however colour pops up no matter what and it’s not always the most subtle colours which I’d prefer. P initially wondered why I didn’t any desk drawers. My response drawers get filled with crap. If it’s all out on display, you have less junk as you have to deal with it as you’re looking at it on a daily basis and like the all white, gives the illusion of space. Any drawers would make the room look smaller blocking the feeling of openness. Anything that needed to be tucked away would be in white cardboard storage boxes or in the cupboard that was opposite already sorted out by the KonMari Method. I’m trying to reduce crap, keeping things that only give me joy as per The Life Changing Magic Of Tidying and having less storage options forces you to deal with the belongings you have. I try not to have much clutter. 

The total cost of the desk was less than one tall Billy bookcase. The trellises were €6 each and the medium desk top €17.99. The industrial velcro pads to attach the trellises and desk top were about €5 each and we used 2 packs to stop the counter top sliding everywhere. The chair was the most expensive item €139. There wasn’t another I wanted. I saved on the desk right?!

It took a while to get the folders not feeling top heavy. Creating space between the tops of the folders and next shelf added a more open feeling. Arranging the folder colours from dark to light helped lessen the top heavy feeling. 

Sometimes I wonder my age as all my trinkets are of cute animals. It’s their faces! I’m okay if I don’t touch them. If I do their sad faces are please let me come back with you. Hopeless. I should probably have more ‘grown up’ trinkets. Inspired again by Marie Kondo in your own personal space you can decorate/personalise the tidiness, hence the trinkets. Some however should be packed away. I tried to keep the middle of the bookshelf units open to create a shelfie feel rather than them being bookshelves. And yes, no cupboards helps keep the energy flowing. 

The squirrels are actually pens. 3 squirrels for the adventures of 3 squirrels whose antics my Dad made up for bedtime stories. The Russian doll just peeking bottom left was a present from a TELF student. The tray a stocking present from Mum that I like but still deciding where it’s home is. The blue box a present from one of my girlfriends. 

It’s not always this tidy. It’s usually covered in empties, labels as reminders to repurchase (it saves paper by not making lists), taking up desk space!

I’m still looking for a more permeant home for these 2. Zara Home lanterns and an owl my sister made for my birthday this year. The broken trinkets I should really recycle as I’m not very likely to repair them.

The chair! So comfy and love that it’s big enough I can sit crossed legged which I occasionally do or sit hugging one leg. I know not proper posture but hey I make sure I have good posture while doing so. It also has brakes to stop it moving while swivelling as I do a lot. 

The trellises also act as a shelves. You can just see my ‘reading box’ in one of the photos above. Magazines and books on my reading list which will take me 2 years to get through the amount I read now. And yes a kids lion step as a foot stool. 

In the linen chest of drawers opposite Diesel has one of his beds. Underneath is his cushion bed and by my chair one of his cool down summer spots. Do you have a home office? There are changes I’d like to make, less clutter and more of a colour theme. I’d prefer the books someplace else, however sometimes you have to make do.

Please excuse the quality of some of the photos. It’s not always the best light in this room. It’s either full on sunshine or not enough light and I’m not quite there with my photography skills.