- by Sally
When we moved into our new house over a year ago, one of the first places I worked on setting up and decorating was my home office. I function best when I have a designated workspace where I can put my schedule, computer, calendars, etc. I had lots of time to plan how I wanted this space to look, because it took 10 months to build our home. And because my office is in our bonus room, which is also our homeschool room and playroom, I knew I had to be intentional and creative in making the space work for all those purposes.
Before we moved into our current home, we rented a house in which my office was a small, walk-in closet. I converted that space into a tiny nook which I absolutely loved!
Whether you have lots of space or a tiny corner or closet in your home, you can create a sacred space that you love and where you experience peace and productivity. Here are a few suggestions for creating a space you love:
1. Choose a Color Scheme
One way to begin decorating your workspace is to choose a color scheme. Do you like calming, serene colors? Or do bold, bright colors excite you? When I was choosing a color for my office, I wanted something soothing yet fun and inspiring. So I chose Sherwin Williams Breaktime, because I loved the hints of blue, green, and turquoise mixed together. I chose accents of bright white, gold, and pink, because they made the wall color pop (and because I love those colors!). By choosing a color scheme, you’ll make it much easier to find decorative accents that will look beautiful in your space.
2. Surround Yourself with Items You Love
You want your workspace to put a smile on your face every time you walk into it, right? Surrounding yourself with items you love and that represent you is the perfect way to do that! I love to read, so I made sure to create a reading nook in my office. I included a comfy chair (from Ikea), cute throw pillow (from Lilly Pulitzer), good lighting (lamp from Kirklands), and of course, plenty of books! It’s what I love! I also have pictures of my family placed throughout my office.
I also love beautiful and inspirational art as well as Scripture art. I love to look up and see a verse or phrase that inspires and motivates me.
3. Combine Functionality with Decor
Who says something can’t be useful and decorative? I love combining the two! My bulletin board has become a decorative piece on my wall, yet I still use it for planning, projects, and To-Do lists. By making a few tweaks to a plain bulletin board, it’s now a beautiful and practical piece that I use daily and love to look at! I simply covered the cork board with contact paper and then glued pink ribbon onto the frame. Easy-peasy and so cute!
4. Organize for Success
Make sure to organize your desk or work area for maximum productivity. Keep everything you’ll need nearby – planner, computer, bills, pens, scissors, etc. When everything is within easy reach, you can get more done in less time!
I love these customizable Kallax bookshelves from Ikea! I chose to have a row of drawers (because I needed more drawer space), but you can leave those out or choose different squares to put them in. They also have insertable doors as well as storage boxes that fit into the square spaces. I love all the options to choose from!
5. Keep Your Goals Front & Center
I learned about creating a vision board years ago. It’s essentially a visual representation of your goals and dreams. Being a very visual person, I love to have my goals right in front of me every day as a constant reminder. It really helps to inspire me on those days when I’m feeling discouraged!
You can find pictures in magazine or print images from the internet to correspond with your dreams and goals. It is such a fun project, and you can constantly tweak and add to it as you accomplish goals or create new ones!
My office is a place I love to be. And because I love to be in it, I’m ready to get to work each day. Whether you have an entire room, a corner of a room or a small walk-in closet, find a space in your home that you can make your own and where you love to be. Surround yourself with items you love and that put a smile on your face. I guarantee that you’ll find yourself more excited about getting to your work each day and a joyful peace to accompany your productivity.
I would love to see pictures of your favorite space! Tag me on social media with your pictures or you can email them to me!