AE Projects In Progress | The Office, Part III

The office is coming along and we are loving the updated space.

Right now I've got some projects I have to focus on that are keeping me from getting it all put together - most specifically about 36 new layouts for my 12-week online workshop at Big Picture this summer called Hello Story (more details and registation coming soon).

I'm also the kind of person that likes to be in a space for a bit to "feel it out" and in this case I'm really trying to avoid bringing in anything that I don't really love or that doesn't add specific functionality. There are already a few things that have crept in here out of necessity (and just to keep other stuff off the floor).

Two weekends ago we got the desks delivered from Ikea. We picked the Galant corner desk in both a left and a right (with the straight legs) so they could be back to back - we like sitting across from each other. These desks were super easy and and fast to put together - especially compared to the kitchen islands.

Right now we are working with simple chairs that I already owned (also from Ikea). Dreaming about and considering this office chair from Crate and Barrel but I want to sit in it first.

Under the desks you'll see my big printer. It has the ability to be wireless but we haven't been able to get it to work just yet that way (hoping the tech guy can help with that). Once we get it to work wirelessly it will move from under the desks to another location to be determined in the room.

On Katie's side of the desk she's got a rolling cart and a metal rolling cart with the cursive typewriter sitting on top. Not sure that's a permanent location just yet but it's working for the moment.

I've only brought a couple things back in to the office from my bedroom so far.

The first was that large white file cabinet (Bedford file cabinet from Pottery Barn) that's to the right of me in the photo above. I'm a fan of files and not having a place to put all my personal and business papers from the last few weeks has made me a little crazy. I'm slowly catching up on that as I want to re-do how I've been doing in in the past (and go through all the files that were in there before and transfer anything that can be in "deeper" storage into file boxes that can go in a closet).

Along the wall is a white 1/2 shelf that I've had for a few years that looks like an Expedit from Ikea but it actually came from West Elm (totally unsure at this moment why I bought this one since it looks exactly the same and is significantly more expensive). I'm thinking about getting a couple of the 1/2 Expedits that are on wheels that could be moved around but mainly just stay along the wall. I like that the top can be a working space.

Looking from our desks back towards the door. Over on the right we've got a long table that I'm not planning to keep in here but we needed to bring it in as we sort through the products and figure out how we want to store things on the kitchen islands.

That big tall black thing in the corner is my camera tri-pod. It's out and being used to film the process of making layouts for my workshop.

The biggest thing that hasn't come back in yet are the lockers. I'm considering spray-painting them (maybe yellow or white) and need to make that decision before they come back in but they will definitely be coming back in the room.

Completely loving the islands - they ended up being larger than I planned in a good way. The drawers are deep and wide which is allowing for all kinds of things to go inside (not in a "now-I'll-stuff-you-full" way but in a way that is allowing for storage of often-used items in an accessible but hidden fashion. I'll share more details on the inside of the drawers in another post in the future.

Along the middle between the two islands we've got some of the most used things that Katie and I both reach for: inks, rolling stamps, pens, washi tape, etc.

The sewing machine is currently on a rolling metal cart. Probably not a permanent home but I'm not sure just yet.

Looking in from the doorway. Shelves to the right hold all my 12x12 albums.

I definitely hope to get some things up on the walls and I'm excited for when that actually happens. We've got a plan for some white clipboards, some pinboards near our desks, and potentially some oversized photos.

Super happy to walk in here each day. Super thankful and honestly, more than a little inspired to get back to making pages again.

You can read more posts about my office overhaul here.