I wanted to share a great article and two awesome tutorials with you today.
First up, Real Simple published a lovely collection of 21 home office spaces that are carved out of other rooms–from bedrooms to kitchens to entry ways. I do wonder about their suggestion to tuck an office into a nursery, though! But the photos are full of great ideas and hints for making the most of the space you have. And I love the idea to use acrylic furnishings for a “disappearing” office!
Yesterday, when I was looking for knobs for Ana’s secretary plans, I came upon a set that fell into the “cute idea; ho-hum execution” category for me. I loved the idea that they were monogramed, but didn’t love the typeface. So, when I ran across this charming tutorial for making your own drawer knobs, I had to share both with you. I have a tall chest here in my office with five drawers and I think it’d look really cute alternating letters and clip art for the knobs to help me remember what’s inside.
And, finally, who couldn’t use more storage? These fabric cubes are easy to make and I love how customizable they are–from size to fabric, you can make them exactly the way you need them. I save cereal boxes for the cardboard, too, so I had some stashed and could get started right away.
Any links, articles or tutorials that have caught your attention so far this week?
In junior high, my very favorite class was wood shop, second only to metal shop (where we made cooler things, but the machines were louder). So, when I came upon Ana’s blog, Knock Off Wood, I was thrilled. A chance to dust off all those long-forgotten skills and save a bunch of money making pretty furniture? Sign me up.
But, there’s another benefit to building your own wood home office furniture that goes way beyond saving money or getting to use the saw… You can customize it. I don’t know about you, but when I spend a pretty penny on a new piece of furniture, I’m always afraid to change it (the same is definitely not true of the pieces I pick up from the thrift store–stay tuned for a tutorial on faux gold leafing a chair to see just how irreverent I am when a piece isn’t brand new and pricey). Plus, often times the size is just off enough to be annoying–like, when you have 32″ for an entry bench, but can only find a bench that’s 18″.
So, being able to choose all your own colors, modify the size to fit your space, and getting solid wood furniture for the cost of materials? Sign me up!
What’s more, Ana regularly features projects her readers have made which means you get to see just how doable those projects are (especially since many of her readers are first-time furniture builders).
And she has a wide variety of plans perfect for your office space. Here are my favorites. (All images from Pottery Barn or West Elm.)
Secretary
A secretary desk is the perfect solution for small offices (or offices that are on display, like those in living rooms or bedrooms), and this one is no exception. Though I love it in PBs white, I think it’d also look smashing in navy or eggplant, with a brighter color on the inside. Though the PB hardware is lovely, it would also look sweet with something a little fancier.
Get Ana’s plans and materials list here.
Project Table
In Ana’s plan, she adds a drawer to the desktop so that you can easily store pens and other desk stuff, which is such a smart idea. See, building it yourself lets you make sure that your home office furniture suits your needs perfectly instead of having to compromise.
Get Ana’s plans, including materials list, here.
Apex Bookshelf
This bookshelf is lovely with its sleek, modern lines, but what I especially like is the way it’s so airy looking–it won’t overwhelm a small space the way a more solid bookcase might. Plus, I priced the supplies at my local Home Depot and it’s really inexpensive to build–well under $50. (Though that’ll vary by market.)
Check out Ana’s plans here.
What’s your favorite?
Beware: you’ll spend quite a long time on Ana’s site if you have any interest in building home office furniture. So, now that I’ve warned you, why not visit Knock Off Wood and choose your favorites?
I know–it’s been way too long since I posted here. I’ve been crazy busy with requests for custom mood boards, and personal life planning stuff, and, also, there’s the day job… But I’ve missed you!
While I can’t yet share the boards (though, trust me, they’re good and include a really yummy patent leather ottoman), I thought I’d pop in with a round up of some of my newest favorite blogs.
At Spring, they’ve got some crazy-gorgeous pdfs for planning out your adventures, like the charming “Goal Game.” Plus, the four lovely bloggers behind the site all record themed videos which are both inspirational and motivating. It’s an all-around delightful hangout.
Just One Week chronicles Erin’s efforts to implement new habits which is such a terrific idea. Of course, what gets measured gets done and all that, but more than that, it makes for really encouraging reading, to know that most of us are working steadily to improve our lives and ourselves, one day (or in this case, one week) at a time.
I’m no Penelope. Though I aim to be organized, my desk is almost always messy (though I do straighten up before calling it a day). But the awesome thing about the site Meredith is creating is that you don’t have to be an impeccable planner to feel welcome. She shares awesome tips and strategies, and so much of herself, on this really lovely blog that it makes it a delightful read with a cup of tea.
So, those are three of my favs, do you have a blog you adore that you’d like to share?
