1/22/09

Create Inspiration!

An inspiring office is what we were striving for.

It didn’t have to be perfect, or expensive, or even beautiful.

It just needed to be practical, convenient and fitting for my husband
.

When we moved to our 70s fixer-upper-home a few years back, we needed 2 offices - one for hubs and one for me. The house had neither – at least no space for the ideal office. We looked outside the box, err, outside the house – and discovered our 3rd garage bay would be a perfect space for him!

This particular room already had power, and the best part was that it was “away” from the house, noise, and interruptions. In other words, my husband (who is a writer) needed a space that he could call his own, where he’d have peace and quiet!

The first thing we did was spray the concrete a pomegranate red and the walls a sophisticated golden yellow! Hubs was inspired by the pomegranate red floor in a Frank Lloyd Wright book that he saw – and the yellow was a color that he thought stirred creativity!

It’s easy to take what you have, and to use every nook and cranny of the room to benefit your needs!

Cool rugs & file cabinet purchased from garage sales


Discount candles from Grocery Outlet


Hubs’ framed photography


Never enough white boards


Yep! Brown garage door


Cleaned out candle cupboard


Organized clipboards - hung by a nail


Added sky lights


Transformed broken Pottery Barn lamps with zip ties


And always - a cup of espresso next to where it all happens!


In our home, we try to use what we have before we buy new. We try to transform and create new – and new does not necessarily mean of monetary value – but new to us.

All – for a little bit of inspiration!

Do you have an eye for creating inspiration? What’s your favorite room where you've accomplished this?

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's one tall cup of espresso : )

Paul seems quite organized. How does he use the clipboards? Looks like a clever system.

My husband's home office needs a serious makeover! His "Office Office" walls are also a shade of yellow with black framed shots of New York City (his home) in the public spaces.

He recently elevated his computer to standing height and no longer sits to work. Wishes he had done that long ago!

deb meyers

The Nester said...

I LOVE IT!!!!!!

Perfectly manly, industrial but also home like! LOVE the garage door!

Now tell me, does he stay warm? I have a feeling he does.

Shell in your Pocket said...

Well, I can be inspired in different rooms but since 95% of my time is in the kitchen...that is the place plus my Mac is in there.

Love the clipboards!
-sandy toe

linda t said...

I am inspired every time I go in my craft/ sewing room. Full of color and textures and inspiration.
And like you, I love creating with what I already have. I don't like new... I like repurposing. That's where I can think outside the box. Love the whole process.
Thanks for sharing your husbands office. Such fun ideas.

Melanie said...

One of my goals for this year is to reorganize, clear the clutter and "inspirational-ize" my little office area which is in our keeping room(part of the kitchen). The other goal is to completely redo my husband's office. Since he also works from home now, he needs much more privacy than he ever has. Adding French doors to close off his office area is one of the plans.
Thanks for your inspiration room!
Melanie@Bella~Mella

Sonya --Dime Store Thrift said...

BEAUTIFUL! What a wonderful way of using that space...I want to come hang out in there, quietly of course:)

Christian - Modobject@Home said...

Great job! We do a lot of decorating that way. The garage door is great!

Enid said...

You husband an mine are either bussines partners or went to the same ole school! He have many white boards at this bussines and clip boards..oh Lord!

Anonymous said...

Very nice. Once upon a time, before children, I had an office painted light pink with white wicker furniture and beautiful pastel floral fabrics. Even a little glittery ball ornament hanging and music boxes. Then we turned it into a nursery. Lol. One day, I keep telling myself. One day.

duchess said...

So nice. What a great way to transform a space that wasn't being utilized to it's full potential.
I need a place like that to hide - I mean create.

Stacey @ The Blessed Nest said...

WOW!!! Great office space!! My Hubby's current office is a closet in the guest room that we converted. It has a 1/2 of a bi-fold door painted black and used for a desk surface. One 2-drawer filing cabinet underneath. Shelf above and Cushy office chair! It's all hidden by the closet doors when guests come! We didn't have space for a separate office, and this was inexpensive and fits the bill! :) His shredder? Under the bedside table skirt! :)

Jen said...

I dont have an eye...but I have a good friend who does and she is free...lol.....my favorite room in the house is the family room...quiet, yet lively and bright and comfy for cold afternoons with little kids to nap....I also love my dining room. So delicate....and pretty.

Biscuits 'N Gravy said...

Your post came at the best time for me! I have an office that I need to makeover. It's very sterile and I want to jazz it up while keeping with it's multi-purpose needs. You have inspired me...AGAIN! I'm going to get started on this today. Thanks Sandy!

www.biscuitsngravymama.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Very inspiring post Sandy. I love the transformation you did for your husband's office. Mine isn't so nicely decorated, nor does it have any candles but it is pieced together in the same frugal way. And I love it.

Donnetta said...

I don't know if I'd call it my place of inspiration, but I do have a room that is full of practicality!

We converted a large area of our unfinished basement into a playroom for children.

A large piece of carpet big enough to cover the cement floor.

A craft area with tables. An old computer for educational games. (no internet access). Shelves of puzzles, games, and different age variety toys. Old furniture and an assortment of movies for video entertaining.

I love it because I can send children down there to create, play and be kids without any worry of damage.

It's hard to destroy cement walls and old furniture. :-)

Elizabeth said...

Sandy,

Not only do I love the look of your hubby's office, but I am so impressed with your new blog look and exciting links. Wow. I thought that I'd come to the wrong place at first.

I am so happy that you are expanding your ministry.

God bless you in all you do!
Elizabeth

Anonymous said...

Hi Sandy ~ I just wanted to tell you I really like the new design. CLASSY!!

I'm hoping to claim an office space of my own this coming summer when we do a little rearranging of the kids' bedrooms. I'm really looking forward to a dedicated work space vs the dining room table!

Lulu and Co. said...

The office turned out great. love the idea. I am really into repurposing items in our home to feel new again, switching furniture around ...Right now I am trying to redo our living room -For our family we need this room to be our everything room- office, curl up and read, talking, homework...lifestyle room.
LuLu

Sarah said...

Yah I love organization, it makes life sooo much easier! I turned our 4th bedroom, former nursery, into my office/entertaining room. A friend of mine who owns a orginazational business came and we pulled all my entertaining items and organized them in the room. It makes it so much easier to entertain having all of it in one place. Lowes sells wonderful organization items for very reasonable prices!

Laura said...

Wonderful use of space Sandy! I would love to see a whole picture of the room. Very inspiring!

Betts said...

I love the colors. It's so warm and inviting. Historically, I've been afraid of permanent color in a room like, walls and floor, and I'm trying to be more open to it.

I love our family room. We opened two rooms and created a large "L" with areas for TV watching, game playing and a working space for me and my husband.

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

Hi, Sandy, I didn't know you are going to Blissdom too! I'm so excited and can't wait to meet YOU and lots of others that I've been talking to for so long in blogland.

Love your new look! Great looking makeover. I have such a hard time keeping up with all the blogs I want to visit. What a great office space too, it looks so functional & pretty.

Looking forward to Bliss!

Half Gaelic, Half Garlic! said...

You know...I was just down in my basement looking at A LOT of old antique furniture that has been passed down from both of our families, and thought...I really need to work on trying to use these pieces in our home. Here is the problem...I am NOT good at repurposing things...I need help.

Your office looks great...very organized and inspirational!!

Lisa

Kimba said...

It's perfect! That red floor is inspired!

I wonder if I could convince my hubby to let me paint our garage floor. ;-)

~ ~ Ahrisha ~ ~ said...

Very nice job. I like working with what I've been given rather than putting lots of money into a project like that. You did that wonderfully.
Since we moved in August I have been doing the same. Come on over and see for yourself. You'll have to look for the older posts though for pics of the house.
I have been visiting your blog for some time now and this is my first comment. I very much enjoy stopping by for a visit!

The Blissfully Happy Housewife said...

Very cool post...thanks so much for sharing! I am working on the "inspiration" for my living room at the moment. We built our home about a year ago. When we moved in we said we weren't going to rush to decorate it because we only wanted to decorate with things that we LOVED and that were important to us. The living room is my next project. I love clean and simple lines. I love photography. I love bright colors mixed in with monochromatic tones. Hmmmm....we'll see what I come up with (and I'm sure it will be a blog post).

Again, thanks so much for the inspiration from your office. I loved it.

Jamie

Ms. Tee said...

Love your hubby's office space! I think most of my inspiration comes in the kitchen, probably! :)

Susie said...

I love looking at the ideas for your office. I would love to do this for Skip(my hubby)when we move back to our home in July. I've got to create a space that was previously a dining area. Thanks for the tips! PS. Beautiful framed photography!