Funky Blog Headquarters has moved! But not too far away.
This was my kitchen eating area last night. Anyone else that has a massive kitchen island KNOWS, you don't use the kitchen table any longer, right?!? So I decided rather than cramming everything on the island, to incorporate this area and this furniture for my office instead.
I simply opened up the doors on the armoire, removed the useless dumping ground I had inside, and made it office functional. I scooted the table closer to the armoire as well.
I may go white inside along the back wall of the cabinet, but for now, I'm doing a trial run.
The texture is rather pretty to look at!
A somewhat unique way to house a bulletin board with no wall space, no? Ohhhh I know. That board needs some awesome kinda treatment! I'm on it!
No Office Depot stuff in sight here. The accessories simply blend in with the rest of the house, making it work in such a central area.
And the best part of all?
I get my kitchen island back. To EAT on. :)
Note, I had designed my island to sit at from both sides. And am I ever glad I did! We do everything on this thing. The top is custom shaped metal, supported with metal legs and corbels freestanding overtop factory cabinets. I'll do a spotlight on the top soon as it's VERY unique.
I had fussed for soooo long wondering how to solve this kitchen office problem. And here I had the space AND furniture perfectly in place already. Sometimes ya just gotta open your own eyes. More tweaks to come I'm certain, but for now, I'm loving it!
How about you? Where's your bloggy office located?
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This post is shared with A Soft Place to Land's DIY Day Aug 13 2009 edition.
What a perfect little office. It's so neat and matches everything plus then you can just tuck it all away! I love the baskets and the bulletin board idea.
ReplyDeleteLove it! I think it's the perfect spot!
ReplyDeleteMy "office" is in my scrapbook room! I have 4 windows in here and great views of the deck/pond and the yard!
XXDenise
I love your new office!!! You did a beautiful job with everything!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE it! Pretty AND functional.
ReplyDeleteI love that you are right there where all of the action is yet, you can close it up and end the work part of the day. I will be looking forward to more on that island. Ours needs work and I need ideas!
ReplyDelete90% of my bloggy and online time is spent sitting on my bed. Don't worry, I make the bed and sit on top, it is not like I am curled up in my jammies under the sheets. I like it because I have a small bookcase for a nightstand that holds everything I might need and I look right out of the sliding glass door to the outside. I can keep an eye on the dog and get to see the occasional bevy of quail or an egret or two.
Okay, I was all set to lavish you with compliments on your beautiful office space, and then you had to ask about mine, and I can't quit laughing! My "blog office" is in this leather chair I'm sitting in right now with my laptop in my lap and my feet up on the matching ottoman. I have a basket on the floor for notes, magazines and catalogs for inspiration. Crazy, huh? Love, love, love your kitchen, girl.
ReplyDeleteLove your new office space! But the cabinet is so pretty inside I would want to leave the doors open. Your kitchen is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteLisa
Cute office...that's a great space for work! I'm currently re-doing my home office (which is our living room) but can't find a desk I like. Honestly, I'm thinking of using a large dark wood dining room table as well. Nice to meet you! When you get the chance, swing by my place!
ReplyDeleteJane
Jane, know what's really cool about this setup? If I require that kitchen table for anything, I can morph it into such in 30 seconds! I haven't lost the kitchen intact at all. Just like magic!
ReplyDeleteIncidently, it's my plan to leave the doors open. I love how the inside of the cabinet draws you in. With the doors closed, you glanced but it kind of had you being on your way without a second glance. This way makes you want to look and grasp it all. I had even thought of removing the doors, but the cabinet lost substance in that area. The doors help stabalize the unit along that wall.
Now I just have to figure out what to do with those solid doors that won't allow the natural light from the windows behind in. Ponder ponder...
Thanks all! If something has run it's course for 2 days and it's still there, that means it's staying. I think I like my new 'office'! :)
Funky Junk Donna
I love your new workspace. And I like it as is because of the organic look of the wood, although the idea of painting the inside white would probably be striking. Wood is just such a natural instigator of creativity for me. I love your space!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see more of your island too!
Ya know, I thought at first I wanted the entire cabinet white and distressed. But there's something very rustic and cool about this wood I don't feel with many woods. Most I can't wait to paint up, but this one's different.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking white distressed tongue and groove painted boards loosely placed inside vertically so I can remove them at a later date would be IDEAL. I'd get my white but still have my wood. Kind of like the concessions I've made on the other end of the kitchen as well.
Now that I've brought in just touches of white woods into an otherwise very woodsy kitchen, I'm so glad everything isn't white! I guess I like both looks, so mish mashing them together works for me. Today. Bwaha...
Funky Junk Donna
Love it.
ReplyDeletePlease don't touch that cabinet/armoire with a brush. It may be a personal style thing but the look of wood never goes out of style IMO. I like the simplicity of everything you put inside. I might cry if you do paint any part of it. ;-)
Unpainted wood is simply underappreciated in home decor right now. It works for certain pieces of dated furniture but a classic like that...
(Love your blog BTW, been reading it for a while.)
Donna, I just had to comment on this…
ReplyDeleteNO NO NO STEP AWAY FROM THE ARMOIRE :~)…
it is perfect. Frame out the bulletin board with wide trim paint the entire thing black, add a sign on the top of the easel, in white with black lettering, add some white below…Becca
What a great decision and it looks unbelieveable! I can see you creating in that space. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteOhhh oh oh thank-you for your advice! I promise not to paint the armoire permanently! I know exactly what you mean. It's not an ugly piece of 70's wood. It looks like the inside of a rustic wooden carten from waaaay back. Since my kitchen was so woodsy already and it works, that's why I hesitated. I know I can accessorize it to make it work as is, especially if I do something temporary to the back/inside to lighten things up some.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I ALWAYS do a trial run on stuff before reaching for a paintbrush, saw or hammer. Try it out, fiddle, see if I can make it work as is first, then implement changes if needed. Thanks for the kudos that I'm on the right track!
Becca, cool idea on the bulletin board! I had visions of painting out the frame of the stand in black or white, finding the right stamped burlap to cover the board and beef up the frame. But that can change too, depending on what I find. I gotta get some white on that end of the kitchen to brighten things up some so I'll figure it out.
Also had thoughts of doing a temp wood covering on the wood table top too. Was dreaming of white tongue and groove pine, glued together, cut in a circle, distress it like the wood boxes in my windows. Ever want wood top again? Just remove the works.
Too bad it needs brightening on that side of the room. I'd love to roughly plasma cut a sheet of metal in the circle and place it on top to hook up to my island. It's an amazing work surface, thin and easy to store if you don't wish to use it. Or maybe make it look like it's patched in sections, add a few fake rivets here and there and spray it out in white... hmmm
Thanks for helping me brainstorm!
FJ Donna
It looks beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteI have a craft room/studio/office that faces the backyard and that's where I do my work. I can look right out the window and see the kids playing which is wonderful!
So to say I was inspired by you today is putting it mildly! Check out what I did, and it is all thanks to you, I used to blog from my couch and always had a mess around me, I am so excited about my new space!! Thanks for the inspiration! www.maluukkonen.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteMissy, that totally rocks!
ReplyDeleteHere's the direct link to Missy's changes... check out her neat old window chalkboard.. with SECTIONS!
http://maluukkonen.blogspot.com/2009/08/inspired.html
I love it! Happy new blogging digs! :)
FJ Donna
Love the new 'office'!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to have seating on both sides of the kitchen island. We use ours every morning for breakfast, but I have to admit that the 'dining' area only gets used when we have company. It's not formal either, we just never sit there.
Awesome! Love the open doors, they seem to draw the eye in.
ReplyDeleteNo tidy little laptop for me yet. We chose a new computer with flat screen for the family but the greatest part, we changed the keyboard and mouse to wireless. Fewer messy wires. Our computer is in the family room/kitchen end of our home. I can keep an eye on the kids and help with homework as needed. I would love to find a great deal on a large cupboard or armoire with character (for more office storage without the 'office' look.) Your new office has inspired me to keep looking. Thanks!
I love your kitchen! And the idea for the office is perfect. The interior of the armoire is much prettier to look at than the closed doors! Super cute!
ReplyDeleteI love your office... In fact, I drool over your blog almost daily:) It's beautiful! ~Whitney
ReplyDeletePerfect! I love your home. My blogging is done from my office. From a desktop. My laptop is on my night stand...but I just find being in my home office (which is feminine and pretty) more comfy. :)
ReplyDeleteI love your clever kitchen office! Ours isn't remodeled yet...so I steer clear. lol
Roeshel
OH this is so great! I absolutely LOVE the checkerboard for a mouse pad. Ingenious! I think I have to re-create my own take on that one.
ReplyDeleteThat is seriously brilliant! I know you must feel like you have a whole new room in your house. It's inspired!! And inspiring! You'll do your best work ever in there. Great job!!
ReplyDeleteI just found you a few days ago, but I love your ideas and your blog! And I stand up and commend a gal who knows to take over space that isn't being better used! OUT with the formal living rooms and useless spaces. TAKE THEM BACK and make them yours. A dining room doesn't have to be a dining room and a kitchen space doesn't have to have a blender and mixer in it. You make us think outside the box, my new/recent blogging friend!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Love it! I have a cabinet with two small drawers over two doors. Opens to reveal two shelves and three drawers. It's in our breakfast room.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice way to use your kitchen furniture as a home office. Good post.
ReplyDelete