When we moved into this house in late 2020, I imagined we’d tackle the office/library spaces quickly.
We got the studio ready and functional, and have redone it a couple of times, but pretty much left the office at the barest bones and life happened….
It just seemed like I needed to sit with the house long enough to know what it needed. I originally wanted to use the (soon to be) library as the studio, and the smaller room as the office. The light in there is dim and not ideal for painting or shooting, so we swapped it up.
Now, the studio is in the smaller space and the office has been in total transition/in progress mode.
Most days, the studio serves as the dual role of office and creative space and it is TIME for the two to be separate. I want the dang printers out of here for crying out loud. This is what the studio desk looks like most days:
A mixture of computer work, podcasting equipment, flat lay photo studio, and I paint over in my corner you see from time to time.
The Current Space
When we moved in, this is what the office looked like. It is technically a dining room, but we have a large sitting area off the kitchen and we just don’t need another dining table for everyday use.There is an off centered window to the right in the photo above, and for a while It has just housed random furniture from my old house. It functions as shipping station and drop zone and occasional office space.
When you enter the house, the studio is the room to the right, and the library is the room on your immediate left.
This was the space when we first moved in…I just can’t part with my huge antique workbench, and it would fit literally nowhere else. The rug and vintage desk were my grandmother’s. I was okay to let the room be in transition until I decided exactly what we needed.
Now, the workbench still sits in the same spot, and this dresser joined it on the other side. Not ideal to say the least, but you know how it is. I’ve learned to enjoy the space as it is now, knowing we’ll tackle the rest soon. The opposite wall has held this smaller bookshelf in the meantime…
Office/Library Redo: The Plan
So what’s the plan for the office/library? In short, it won’t be a huge transformation, but it will involve more appropriate storage and moving out the non-functional pieces. This is our punch list so far:
- Move bookshelf upstairs to loft
- Create a shipping/shooting zone in the garage
- move the blue workbench & storage dresser there
- Move Ava’s huge bookcases downstairs & paint
- On the opposite wall, create a cozy reading & conversation nook with chairs and ottoman.
- Leave the rug? Find a new home for it? Layer it over a neutral, larger rug? Not sure yet. (P.S. the rug is more faded salmon than it is in the photo above)
- Move my bamboo desk chair in.
- add new hardware to shelves
- find library ladder
- eventually, add more pieces to the shelves to make them appear built in.
Remember Ava’s huge bookcases?
They are about 8.5 ft tall and four feet wide each, so they will take up most of the library wall. We’ll eventually add extra pieces to them to make it feel more like true built ins. P.S. I also see how blurry this photo is from the blog all those years ago. 😂
The Inspiration
First things first: I will find an old or affordable library ladder if it’s the last thing I do. I’ve wanted one ever since I saw Belle sing her heart out surrounded by thousands of books.
We’ll eventually add some gallery lighting and new hardware, but other than the ladder, my plan is to paint first and wait on some fancy things for later. What color you say??
I vacillate back and forth between white because I have so many different colors of books, but my heart just keeps screaming this deep forest green or green/black. I originally planned to paint the upstairs built ins this color but have decided I would rather make a statement in the entry of our house. Those can stay white, and the library will feel cozy and moody and a sharp contrast to the bright white of our tall ceilings in the living room.
That’s the plan for now! Baby steps, one day at a time. I’ve really learned to enjoy the process of letting my home unfold and don’t have much interest in overnight or week-long transformations. I’ll sure keep you updated on our progress along the way!
