Blog Hop: Home Office

I really loved L's Blog Hop post this morning, so thought I'd join in on the fun! I also stole her adorable little graphic because unicorn.

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you probably recall that I lived in FL for about 13 years. When my husband and I relocated to NC in December of 2016, I brought my job with me and went remote full time. Prior to moving, my boss and I agreed on a slow transition to help work out any kinks before I went full remote. So, I had been working from home 1 day a week and occasionally if we were traveling and I didn't want (or didn't have enough PTO) to take the entire time off. 

We rented for 2 years after moving here so we could get situated, learn the area, and figure out where we wanted to live. During that time in the rental, we shared a rather small spare room as an office space (I could literally turn my chair and smack him in the head without extending anything other than my arm -- but didn't, despite the daily temptation :-P). Hubby was going into the office 2-3 times a week and working from home the other days. Not good for the marriage to be in that tight of a space for 9+ hours a day!

Anyway, in January 2019, we closed on a house. One of the things we loved about it is that all of the living space is on the first floor (a good house to age in!) -- and the upstairs is a fully finished attic, with 2 rooms, and a loft space. I keep my personal computer, printer, and my sewing machine in the loft. He has the bigger space, since it is also a game room, but I think my space is cozier!

Let's take a look! Here is the view as you enter through the French doors.

If you look left from the doors, I have a large bookcase where I keep all of my reading and design books. I also keep some knick-knacks on it.

If you look to the right, there is a weird little storage area -- I call it the cubby hole. There was no door and it's a weird size, so I got curtains and put them on a tension rod to kind of conceal the mess of storage containers. We mostly keep our Christmas stuff in there, along with a vacuum and a floor cleaner. Also in the corner is 1 of 2 floor vases we used for wedding decor. (The other is in my "sewing nook." I'll show the loft below!)

If you continue along the wall with the cubby hole, you'll see Jazzy's office bed -- she works hard at napping. And, I hung my 3 senior thesis posters there. I thought about doing a mural on that wall, but I've decided I really love having the posters there. I'm still proud of them 12 years later and like seeing them in a space I use regularly. 

Next in the corner by the windows is a filing cabinet that matches my desk and bookcase. It was really important to me to have a workspace with matching furniture. I guess it makes me feel like more of an adult or something. I bought the desk when we were still in FL, the bookcase after we moved to NC, and the filing cabinet after we had moved into this house. I really wanted a place to keep personal files vs confidential work files, which live in the filing drawer of my desk.

I love the windows in my office. They let a lot of light in without blinding me at the computer. I can also see into the driveway if I'm expecting deliveries or the bug guy. I've hung several things on them with suction cups. On the left is a glass butterfly a friend and coworker gave me a few years ago and a prism maker (which is where the rainbows on the wall below my posters come from). On the right are 2 pieces of glass fusion art I made. The red one is a bay horse with a big blaze. The orange one is a dapple grey horse. In between them is a horseshoe dreamcatcher my best friend bought for me while visiting South Dakota. Hanging on the curtain rod on the right side is a purple dreamcatcher from the same friend. I recently added the unicorn sun-activated bobble head to the window sill. Right outside the window is a crepe myrtle tree that blooms in a deep pink color.

Next to the windows, I have a photo wall with some cool horse art, a horse frame I painted for my grandmother, a goofy photo of my team looking in a "window" at me, etc.

And finally, here is a view of my workspace. I chose to face my desk toward the door so I could see my husband or dog coming and going. Also, I liked the idea of being able to look out the window while I am on calls to avoid distraction and multi-tasking. I probably don't do that as much as I should!

Immediately outside my office door, is the loft area. As you exit my office, on the right is what I've deemed my "sewing nook." It's a weird little space and I kind of hated it empty. I thought about getting a cushy chair and a reading lamp and having a little reading nook, but I think it is much better served for my sewing machine. As things need new buttons or quick fixes, I place them on the corner table and once I have a decent pile going, I fix everything real quick. The corner table was a gift from our friends who were tired of storing it and had no real use for it. It fits perfectly and has a little drawer for some odds and ends that I don't keep in the little basket.

If you look left, you see a curio cabinet with more knick-knacks, a desk my husband's uncle gave us, with my personal computer. We also have a cute little antique table I put the printer on and a paper shredder. Not sure how well you can see the little calendar my great-grandmother made that is hanging above the printer...I clearly have not changed it since March!

Closer view of the curio. A lot of these items were my grandmother's. I paired down my knick-knacks quite a bit when we relocated but these are the items I couldn't bear to part with.

And finally, to the right of the desk is my little memorial wall. It started out as just horses and dogs, but then I found the little sailboat drawing on the bottom right while going through some photos to scan. My grandmother drew it while she was in hospice, and she didn't like it and was going to throw it away but I told her I wanted it. I found a frame for it and then just added a photo of her on the top left and a photo of my great-grandmother on the bottom, as well. 

And that's pretty much it, in a nutshell! I love this house and this space I have created for working. I find the green I chose for the walls to be soothing when I am feeling stressed. But mostly, I love that it is super easy for me to separate work and life when I leave the 2nd floor, which is really crucial for me to be successful in a work from home role.