Desk Decorating

I got a couple of questions about the things on my desk after Friday's post. Most of what I have isn't anything that is available for purchase online (except the Graphic Image Crocodile Leather Small Post Flip Pad and Kaweco Fountain Pen shown below) but I thought could at least share a bit on the assortment in general.

I'm a neat freak and get flustered by clutter so I've tried to streamline my set of tools and accessories as much as possible. I firmly believe in creating a workspace that functions well and looks pretty.  To achieve this form/function balance I abide by two basic rules:

1. Only keep tools that are used everyday out. Everything else can be put away.
2. The tools that are kept out need to be aesthetically pleasing.

So with those guidelines in mind, I keep the following ten items on my desktop:

• Cup full of pens/markers
• Lamp
• Box for business cards
• Notepad
• Paperweight
• Box for paper clips, rubber bands, and flash drives
• Kleneex
• Candle
• Letter tray
• Monitor + wireless keyboard and mouse

The useful tools that aren't so pretty are put in less conspicuous places. For instance, on the trestle shelf of my desk, I keep a tea tin for storing USB cords and a huge tape measure sits on top of that. Just behind the desk there is a bookcase that holds a desktop file box (with neat looking file folders), a printer, and lots of storage boxes that contain and hide everything from paint fan decks to samples and fabric remnants. This area is about to change though...will keep you posted on that plan. Anyhow, the idea is that I try to keep it simple, edit out anything I don't use often, and hide the stuff that isn't nice to look at.

Anyhow, if you're dying to make your workspace more snazzy (and bright), I've put together some different iterations of my essentials...plus a huge magnetic dry erase board that is on my wish list:

Reactive Glass Lamp Ensemble - Anthro

Lacquer Tissue Box - Jonathan Adler

Acrylic Desktop Sorter - Container Store

Lineation File Folders - Anthro
Metallic Lacquer Box - C. Wonder

Dragon Rice Bowl Candle - Market Street Candles

(for pens and pencils) Plimpton Peony Vase - Jill Rosenwald

Russell+Hazel People+Places Tab Set-Color - Amazon

Poppin Signature Ballpoint Pens

Crocodile Leather Small Post Flip Pad - Graphic Image 

Bright Stockholm Stacking Letter Tray - Container Store

5 Days Knock Knock Doodle Mousepads - Paper Source

Color Dot Magnets - Paper Source

Glass Magnetic Dry Erase Board - Poppin

Obviously I like a little color for a workspace! I think it's fun and cheerful and can make working more of a pleasure...it's the little things, right? So, what are your workspace essentials? What do you keep on your desk? Are you particular about how everything looks?

Tech + Art + Decor Updates: Making my Office a Prettier Place to Work

Thanks to my husband's prodding, I finally ditched my old school mouse and keyboard and upgraded to a sleek wireless duo. As an Apple junkie, I got the Bluetooth-enabled Magic Mouse and the Apple Wireless Keyboard. I am thrilled with the performance of both (although I miss having the calculator part of the keyboard) and I'm deliriously happy about the cord-free zone that is my desk. I HATE cords so I'm not sure why it took me so long to make this improvement. I also got rid of our huge tower so I'm solely on a laptop + LED display setup now. Integrating technology with decor can be frustrating, so less is definitely more when it comes to the tech gear! And thank goodness Apple makes such pretty technology :)

Unfortunately I didn't take a shot of the "before" look but hopefully you can appreciate the aesthetic improvement nonetheless...

So now that I've wrangled my tech sitcho, I can move onto the rest of the room. Besides getting a new rug (the black Greek key indoor/outdoor one that I had in here before started to ripple....grrr), I'm thinking of getting tailored skirts made for the desks so that the trestle bases are no longer exposed. Also, at some point in the future, the bookcase will be replaced with a custom credenza that includes tons of storage and cubbies for my dogs' beds :)

Also, I'd like to fill the walls with artwork. All spaces need lots 'o art but I emphatically believe that a creative work environment has to have plenty of it. You can see here that one whole side of the room has no art...very sad. So I went and bought a couple of canvases and am going to attempt to paint something for the space. I used to be an avid painter many moons ago and I really want to get back into it. Nothing like a HUGE blank canvas to get me back in the saddle - yikes. Jazzy is obviously supportive and excited about the possibilities!

If I create an artistic monstrosity, Plan B is to order this amazing piece from Natural Curiosities called Silver Leaf Wave. It's massive (84" x 36") and is framed in acrylic so I'm sure it's stunning in person. Apparently Jazzy is not quite as pumped about this idea. Here's a mock-up of what it would look like in the room (at least partially)...

Have you made any improvements to your workspace lately? It's amazing much impact even the smallest enhancements can have on your working environment. Whether it's a new wireless mouse, a colorful lamp for your desk, or even a fun coaster, it's nice to reward yourself for working hard every once and a while.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Decisions Decisions

In our bedroom, there is a tall dresser and a kidney-shaped desk that were my Grandmother's. They're definitely due for a little nip/tuck, so now I need to decide on a color scheme.

 

  

Both will likely stay in our bedroom so the finish needs to look work well against dark brownish gray walls.

Don't worry...the TV will not permanently reside on the dresser! The goal is the get it mounted on the wall. We'll put it between the bathroom door and where the kidney desk is...you can't see the area unless you're in the bed (as mentioned before, I detest visible electronics).

Anyhow, here are some inspiration pics:

Orange lacquer

Ruthie Sommers

Turquoise lacquer with white trim

  

Source unknown

Flat black with white trim

  

Source unknown

Black with white drawers

  

Chest by Hickory Chair...Tobi Fairley's entryway via

Tiffany's blue lacquer

Via Cococozy

Glossy black with white (too bad mine doesn't have this cool bamboo trim)

  

Source unknown

Pale, powdery blue with white detail

  

Source unknown

Poppy...love this against the dark wall!

  

Photo from Flickr by Jamie Meares

Subtle aqua lacquer with gold hardware

  

Farrow and Ball Dix Blue lacquer, Kimberly Ayers' office. Photo by Eric Cahan

The Greatest Place on Earth - Empiric

Empiric was one of my favorite stores in LA...loved their mix of goods. I could go on and on about how endlessly cool this place is, however, I'll abbreviate myself and only show my favorite shots of the store and the amazing things inside it.

View from the outside...

Cool refinished retro dresser

 

Awesome bar cart

 

This whole set-up is fabulous, that desk is the best.

 

They had lots of metal/industrial cabinets...I like the one below since it has a feminine touch.

 

I want this badly...it's a suspension lamp, so it hits the floor and ceiling.

 

 

 

Cute chair, I just love that Schumacher fabric.

 

 So many well-priced prints...my favorites:

 

 

  Another amazing desk...check out the safe in there.

 

Shot of the ceiling and those killer chandeliers.

 

That's a giraffe skull in the middle!

I don't know what this is but I like it. Saber toothed tiger perhaps?

Darling little trophies

Store window displays...I'm dying over that credenza!

I would like to use these colored pencils here: