Workspaces in the living areas has been on the brain lately and it sounds like it may be on some of your minds lately as well! Let’s talk about it! Do you have an office in your home or a desk out in the living room? Or do you just do most work on the dining table or wherever you can find a spot to sit and work?
Well, here’s my little story. In May, we will be living here now for 2 years, and one thing that has not been working is having a separate office in the back room to work regularly in for day-to-day things. The office stores all our home school stuff, where the kids do part of their school work, has our desk top computer, crafts and things, but I found that it’s not really convenient to do the day-to-day things (like mail sorting, replying to emails, etc.) back there. For the last 2 years, I have moved this desk around, in and out of the office and bedrooms, and into our living spaces but just couldn’t shake this feeling that it just didn’t feel right. I would throw it in a corner, try to make it a little cutesy, convincing myself that this time it’ll work, but still not feeling at ease about it.
Sources all found at the bottom of this post. Affiliate links are included but as always, all opinions are my own.
Then recently I realized I was kinda just throwing it in and hoping it would work instead of really evaluating the overall space and flow of the whole room as a whole. So I decided this time I would do that. And honestly for the first time, with just using 30 minutes to sit in the room, consider it’s flow, the space available and accessibility, I was able to figure out how to actually feel at ease with a workspace out in the open. FOR ALL TO SEE. Haha. I know it sounds trivial, but for me, I don’t like when a room feels choppy or looks like it was just thrown together. It feels more comfortable when it just feels natural and everything has a nice flow. I found that it wasn’t hard to figure out but it did take some time to think and consider some things.
Here are some tips to create a little workspace in the living area that both makes sense and is easy on the eyes!
1. Consider how much space you actually have!
Don’t force a super large desk in a tight space. It will stick out like a sore thumb and that’s the opposite of a workspace that has a nice flow. I love how Chris Loves Julia has a desk that fits perfectly in a little corner of her reading room.
2. The workspace needs to feel like it’s a part of the room!
Use a desk and chair that aesthetically flows well with the overall feel of the space. You want the workspace to still feel like it’s a part of the room. If you already have a desk that you want to work but it doesn’t look good with what you have going on, sometimes we just gotta get creative! Maybe a little paint will help. Or maybe even adding some accents to the room that would tie in the workspace with the rest of the room. Do what works best for your family!
3. Keep it simple and uncluttered
If your desk isn’t tucked away in a hidden corner of a room, this is especially important! It can easily make a room look messy if it starts piling junk. You know yourself. If you are a paper stacker, it’s probably best to have some storage near by to tuck papers away to keep it neat and orderly. There are some pretty awesome secretary desks out there which is amazing for hiding all the work, for those that need a little extra help! Check out Nesting With Grace for a pretty cool secretary desk idea!
4. embrace the work space!
Though we want the workspace to flow with the room, don’t be afraid to give it some style. Add something above the desk like a piece of art work, a mirror, floating shelves, a little gallery. As long as you are considering numbers 1-3 in the process, it’ll work!
5. Convenience is key
The 2 most common reasons people have a workspace out in the living room is one, there’s no space for a separate office and two, for easy access. Choose the best spot that you can easily get to and is most convenient. Our desk is very convenient and easy to access. The kids do part of their school work at the dining room table which is right next to this space so I get to sit here and get work done and still be able to monitor their work. I have a rattan cabinet on the other side of the desk space which holds papers I need close by.
I hope this post helps some of you in figuring out your workspaces. And remember, these are just tips that I found helped me as I figured things out in here. I know seeing a desk from the front door when you enter might not sound ideal, but this is what works for me and so far feels like it makes the most sense in here. Hope you do the same in your home!
Thanks for visiting today and letting me share these thoughts with you! Have a great day you guys!
Sources:
Brenda Nicholson
March 8, 2018My desk is tucked into the corner of our living room and I think it works well there but the filing cabinet and the printer that sits on it are eyesores. Any thoughts?
Ranch Office
August 27, 2021Wow! Your working space looks so lovely!
Wayne W Walls
October 31, 2021I really like that dark blue wall!
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