Having worked from my kitchen table for the first couple of years of my business, moving from a one-bedroom to a two-bedroom apartment finally allowed me to have a real office! To say I was excited for this upgrade would be an understatement. I've taken this past year to continue working on the space (read "rearrange a thousand times") and so I thought in the midst of these odd days of covid-19 quarantine, I'd share where I got some favorite pieces and how it all came together. Consider this some inspiration for your own affordable shopping (online of course for now) as you too may be creating your own at-home work space for the foreseeable future.
I am a big fan of the white-minimalist style for a modern and clean ambiance but too much white is also a thing, am I right? It can often turn into a stark space with no character. So I wanted to pair the white furniture pieces (expandable desk from Ikea: unfortunately no longer available but this one's a close smaller version and cubed storage shelving unit) with pops of color and texture in the decorative accents. The wicker basket, terra cotta pots, and midcentury desk chair help contrast the white-minimalist look for an overall modern-bohemian feel. With regard to the office chair, just a heads up that it is very firm so I don't recommend it on account of comfort but I do like how wide (lets me sit cross-legged) and trendy it is. The sheer curtains and bistro lights strung across the window also add an overall brightness and warmth to the room.
You'll see a lot of natural earthy elements in my office such as the bamboo hanging lamp (because it looks like it's discontinued, this one has a similar feel and is also from Ikea like mine) and those wooden beads on the cube shelf. I strung these with twine and originally made them for Christmas decor around the apartment and now they've become a favorite year-long staple. These type of neutral pieces create a timeless feel that will go with anything when I inevitably rearrange the space again.
Fresh greenery and plants (read ALL the plants for this aspiring "plant lady") were the perfect touch to add some life to the space. Shades of rust, peach, and a splash of mustard were of course a must when it came to pops of color in all the knick-knacks, most of which I already had around the house. I encourage you to pick a color scheme you want to stick to when it comes to accessories so things feel a bit more intentional and consistent.
A large part of putting together an office space is simply getting organized and figuring out the logistics like where the printer goes (for me it's the closet) or how to hide the not-so-cute but necessary supplies - two words: Target baskets.
When it came to "organization meets aesthetically pleasing" I found the perfect
functional piece that met both requirements; this pegboard pictured below allows for me to hang all kinds of things such as ribbon, scissors, even a violin that's doubling as decor! It's great for all you fellow crafters who are tired of scouring your drawers for those smaller every-day supplies.
For the wall space above my desk, I wanted to find a creative way to have the perfect backdrop to draw lots of inspiration for my design work. After all, I stare at this part of the wall all day! So I put together a life-sized mood board on the wall by perusing all the magazines I could find to rip out my favorite collection of words, photos, designs, etc. that I wanted to represent the Heritage brand. I then just put them on the wall with some good ol' masking tape. I love the natural texture it has for those spots where it's showing AND it works so well without doing any damage to the wall. I originally started out using washi tape but it was constantly peeling off and making the pages fall down. This collage has already proven to continue to grow as new inspiration hits! It makes a big impact with very little work or expense.
I am not much of a reader but my newfound hobby may be spotting cute coffee-table books. I've collected a few with such beautiful covers (and when they're more plain, I turn them around!) that they double as perfect decor and make me feel less guilty when they don't get read...
I'm a big fan of the little details in life and believe they are also what make a space. It's these little knick-knacks or special trinkets that spark joy (hello fellow Marie Kondo fans) and make the blank slate of a room feel personal.
To wrap things up, here are some of my favorite miscellaneous decor pieces below: large plant stand and pot, velour pillow, white throw pillow cover (I just love this whole set I have around the rest of the house), and dip-dyed plant stool (snagged this one on sale). The colored taper candles and terra-cotta bud vase were Target dollar-section finds!
Anything I missed you'd like to know more about? Do let me know in the comments or find me on Instagram @heritagecreativeco.
Until next time, friends. Cheers!
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