40 Reader Space: A Brilliantly Bright Office

Today's reader space is another one of those "Power of Paint" success stories.

Wendy emailed me photos and the story of her recent office makeover, and I just sat and gazed at my screen in awe.  I was having the hardest time getting over how amazing her new space looked, especially knowing that her biggest investment was her time and a little paint.

Before I get into my Q&A with her, here is a glimpse at what she started with:

Intriguing right?  Here she is now to give us all of the details!

What is the main function of the space?

"Our home office is one of the first rooms you see upon entering our house.  It is also one of the most-used rooms in our home, which means, it not only has to look pretty, but it also has to be functional!  We use this space to study, read, surf the Internet, pay bills and do the occasional craft.  I keep a basket of toys in the corner so our 18 month old can play while I escape reality surf the net.  For the most part, this space functions as a place to get away from the chaos in the rest of the house, as well as a place to think and create!"

Any superstar tips for keeping it organized?

"I like to follow the advice that "everything has a place and everything is in its place".  Once you give your possessions their own home, putting them away and keeping them organized is much easier and efficient.  Labeling drawers and bins is also helpful, especially for my husband and kids!  

Although there are a lot of ways to style books, my preference is to group them by category.  This makes it so much easier to locate our books, which in turn, makes them easier to put away."  

What items did you find were essential in organizing this space, and why?

"I love the Kassett magazine files and storage bins!  Before we redid this office space, my magazines were stashed in a drawer in the kitchen.  Now, they are much more accessible in the file holders on the top of the bookcases.  My craft supplies had been previously stored in the basement.  Removing the built-in desk from our bookcases gave me three previously unused shelves to store them on.  I used various sized Kassett bins and polka-dot washi tape to label them."

 

What did you do to go the extra mile and "Make it Pretty"?

"Basically, I just did the opposite of what I did four years ago!  Instead of going for a dark, formal, elegant office, I opted for a light, bright, cheerful look that would better reflect our family.  I painted the walls a soft gray, gave the furniture a makeover and purchased a pretty white desk chair.  The curtains and accessories bring in most of the color and pattern for the space.

To keep the bookcases from looking to heavy with books, I tried to be intentional with their placement.  For the most part, shelves that were full of books were surrounded by shelves that were heavier on accessories.  Laying some books on their sides helped break up the space."

What items did you DIY to stay on a budget?

"We were on a very tight budget for this project, so we did a lot of DIY'ing.  The once 'L' shaped desk was removed from the bookcases and given a new 'x' base, so it could look pretty in front of the window.

Then, I repainted the bookcases and desk a fresh, crisp white.  I also used some leftover blue paint to add some color and pattern to the Kassett magazine files on top of the bookcases.  I brought in a little more pattern with a DIY'd memo board behind the computer."

How has this space impacted your life for the better?

"Before, the space didn't seem to reflect my family.  It was dark, dated and depressing.  Now, it is so much more lighter, brighter and more like us!  It also functions so much better.  Separating the 'L' shaped desk created more space in the middle of the room and allows both my husband and I to work together.  Removing the desk also gave me three deep shelves for storing my craft supplies.  Crafting is so much easier now that I don't have to tote my supplies up and down the basement steps for various projects."

Crisp, simple and fresh is such a great combination for a workspace.  Gosh, I just heart it like crazy!

• The office before was clean and elegant, but the after was a WOW room.  I love how she tapped into her family's brightness and translated that into her new space.
• I couldn't agree more, those Kassett boxes are such inexpensive yet versatile storage items.  Of course, I totally dig that she added stripes with paint.  
• That fabric memo board really finishes off those bookcases and is functional as well.  Lovity love the fabric she selected!
• Can you believe that is the same desk?  They created a new base for it and now it looks like a high end designer piece.  I am blown away!
• By going white with the furniture, she was able to bring cheerful color into the space through accessories.  She has created a space that will be versatile to update with a few small changes if she ever tires of things in the future {however, I don't see that happening}.
• I love that she didn't settle for the 'L' shape layout.  Just reconfiguring that setup provided her with more storage and a better flow within the room.  Plus, now she can face a window which is a prime spot for working away! 
• Washi tape labels for the win!

A huge thank you to Wendy for stopping by today to share her story and brilliantly bright office space!  You can snag more details on her blog here.

ATTENTION!!  Want to be featured in a Reader Space edition?  Have an awesome organizing story to share?  I am looking for projects that have made a positive impact to your life.  Please submit your story and photos here and I would heart to feature them right here, on the blog!!  Photos should be high resolution and unedited.  Please include a description of the project, including any costs, inspiration, and how it has changed your life and routine for the better!  Oh, and no worries my friends, we will NEVER judge "before" pictures because that just wouldn't be nice!  Only love goes on at this blog!