Creating Workspace In Your Home - 13 Inspiring Ideas

Where we work in the confines of our home varies based on who we are, the type of work we do, and the available space in our house.  Let's take a look at 13 rooms for ideas on how to get the space we need.

Traditional Home Office by Seattle Cabinets & Cabinetry Warmington & North

This is an arrangement that could work as well in a corner of a living or family room as it does in a room of its own.  The desk and chairs could do double duty as intimate dining.  Notice the storage surrounding the window seat.  Free standing furniture could accomplish this look.  Imagine two matching armoires on either side of a window with a storage bench underneath. 

Traditional Home Office by Mckinney Interior Designers & Decorators JDS DESIGNS

Most of us dream of a craft room like this one, but even if that's not possible we can glean organizing ideas from the photo.  This room is packed with inspiration. 

Traditional Home Office by Norwich Architects & Designers Smith & Vansant Architects PC

Have some attic space available?  This craft room under the eaves boasts built-in storage, skylights and a clean up sink.  Maybe you can't go that far with your attic, but this may encourage you to turn that attic storeroom into a much needed work area.

Traditional Home Office by Pasadena General Contractors Reaume Construction & Design

This home office is small on space, but large on charm.  The good-looking work table placed at an angle lifts it out of the realm of ordinary.  If you have a home office that needs freshening, consider a new placement for your desk or work table.

Traditional Home Office by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Tres McKinney Design

This room is a  home office, but imagine if it were a  living room.  A pretty desk and shelf unit could provide minimal yet very useable workspace.

Traditional Home Office by Tulsa Architects & Designers Jack Arnold Companies

Here's another home office that could just as easily be a living or family room.  A beautiful desk like this really makes a statement and acts as a divider to separate the functions of the room.

Contemporary Home Office by London Photographers David Churchill - Architectural Photographer

 

Installing a glass wall in the corner of a large room creates a home office with privacy.

Traditional Home Office by Richmond Interior Designers & Decorators Kirsten Nease Designs

If it seems there's no space in an existing room for a work area, think vertically.  A secretary might just do the job.

Spaces by Boston Interior Designers & Decorators Amy of Maison Décor

Another vertical solution.  Although this room is designated as a home office, the desk and hutch could easily be part of any other room.

Farmhouse Home Office by Phoenix Interior Designers & Decorators Palm Design Group

This small room barely resembles a home office.  The small chest paired with large floor baskets provide stylish storage. Placing a mirror against the wall gives the illusion of depth.

Contemporary Home Office by Rockwall Design-Build Firms Modern Craft Construction, LLC

What to do if there's no available space for an office anywhere in your home?  Consider converting a closet.  This workspace can be hidden when not in use simply by closing the doors.

Eclectic Home Office by Bel Air Media & Bloggers Whimages

This built-in office was created by bumping out the wall into a garage. 

Contemporary Home Office by North Vancouver Interior Designers & Decorators Maria Killam

Dead space under a stairwell can become a home office, too.

Have you solved your own work space problem? 

Consider sharing any home workspace post at Every Room In The House between now and the end of the month.

I'm sharing at these lovely parties:

Every Room In The House at A Joyful Cottage

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

You're Gonna Love it Tuesday at Kathe with an E

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life
Share Your Cup Thursday at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

#BringBackOurGirls - What If She Were My Granddaughter?

NIAMEY, NIGER - DECEMBER 09: Student writing in her exercise book at a Nigerian school on December 09, 2013, in Niamey, Niger. Photo by Ute Grabowsky/Photothek via Getty Images)***Local Caption*** via Adotei Akwei of Amnesty International Nigeria: Bring Back Our Girls! 

On April 14 more than 230 Nigerian girls were abducted from their Chibok boarding school by the Islamist armed group Boko Haram.  A man claiming to be Abubaker Shekau, leader of Boko Haram, said in a video that the schoolgirls were "slaves" whom he planned to sell in the market.  "I will marry off a woman at the age of 12. I will marry off a girl at the age of nine," he said at another point in the video.

Chilling, isn't it? 

I've spent most of today reading up on the horror of what happened.  I won't repeat the details here.  If you're interested in learning more,  Adotei Akwei of Amnesty International has blogged Nigeria: Bring Back Our Girls!  You can find out more there.  Or do a search on Google and check the news services for reports of the abduction.

The above photo of a girl bent over her school work is on Akwei's post.  She appears to be my granddaughter's age.  That could be my Emma -- young, bright, focused.  Dedicated to her schoolwork and hopeful of her future.  There were 200+ girls like Emma ripped from their beds and thrown into vehicles the night of April 14.  They vanished into the forest with their abductors and haven't been seen since.  Their families are sick with worry and overwhelmed with fear. 

Too many days it's easy for me to detach myself from the reality of evil like this.  To say "It's terrible, but there's nothing I can do."  Today is different.  I can't go and rescue those Nigerian girls, but I can pray and ask God to do so.  I'm a woman of faith.  I believe in the power of prayer. 

Today I think:
What if one of those girls were my Emma?  What if she were my granddaughter?  Wouldn't I want someone to care?  Even if it was someone on the other side of the world, wouldn't I want that person -- that grandmother -- to pray for my girl? 

Today I'm praying as if all those missing girls are my granddaughters.  I'm praying that God will crash the gates of Hell and save those precious girls.  That He'll bring them back home to safety and the freedom to see their dreams come true. 

And this will be my daily prayer until my granddaughters are free.

I'm sharing this with

Every Room In The House Party - #5

Hello my wonderful Cottage Friends and happy May Day!

 

I hope this photo of roses makes you smile.  I snapped this last year on our trip across Oregon. 

 

The entire month of May we'll be partying in the Home Office/Studio/Craft Room/Study/Den.  

 



Thanks to everyone who linked up at April's Every Room In The House party.  Let's take a look at the bathroom posts you shared last month. 

Here are the top three most viewed posts:

Creating a Pretty Cottage Bathroom - DIY Renovation  by Anne of Design Dreams by Anne.  If I was to give an award for The Most Amazing DIY Accomplishment by a Blogger, this would be it.  You just have to see Anne's fabulous work, which included taking the walls all the way down to the studs and rebuilding them herself.  Huh?  Yeah, you read that right.  She taught herself how to use power tools and do the remodel herself.

 

My Master Bathroom Update! by Terry of Forever Decorating.  This bathroom is so romantic,  so very stunning, that it's no wonder Terry uses an exclamation point in the title.  I'm doing cartwheels, and it's not even my bathroom.

Perfume Bar by Penny at Penny's Vintage Home.  Penny just keeps coming up with great ideas.  Honestly, how much fun would it be to be a guest in Penny's home where you can "try on" perfume in her guest bath?  Would you ever want to leave?  I know I wouldn't.

Are you starting to feel inspired?  Me too, but let's see what else was shared last month.

JoAnne of A Pocketful of Blue showed off her kid's bathroom in New Bathroom With All the Fun Stuff.  The bathroom was enlarged and decorated age appropriately.  I love what JoAnne did with color, some industrial touches, and fun wall décor. 

Along with being a savvy decorator and crafty crafter, my friend Kim at Exquisitely Unremarkable is a remarkable writer.  She's a little Martha Stewart and a whole lot Erma Bombeck.  Her post Irreconcilable Differences about "proper colored tissue boxes" in the bathroom had me in stitches.  Seriously, Kim keeps me from looking at life (and decorating) too seriously. 

Terry at Forever Decorating gave us a look at her Updated Guest Bath Reveal.  Terry's eye for design really shows in the details of this bathroom.  I know you'll love it.

If you're a fan of farmhouse style, then you won't want to miss Jann's Basement Bath Reveal at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson.  In typical Mrs. Olson fashion, Jann does a smashing job of using an old dresser for the charming vanity, and fills the bath with one-of-a-kind accessories.

Jann gives us another glimpse of her extraordinary decorating skills in her Birdie Bath.  I love her granddaughter's comment "Grandma, if you have a theme you go all out."  Yup, that says it all. :)

Diana at Adirondack Girl @ Heart joined the party with her master bathroom reveal in Master Bath Tour with a Focus on Vintage.  From the gorgeous archway over the tub to the delightful print on the wall, this bathroom is classy; like an expensive spa.

Diana gives us a closer look at that pretty bathroom stool in Giving New Life to an Old (Vintage) Stool.  This is a very nice makeover.

Debbie at Lakehouse provides a look at her very pretty upstairs' bath in Bathroom Redo. . .Done.  Love her shabby chic bath curtain and vintage hamper.

I shared the bathroom cabinet my husband created in DIY - Bathroom Cabinet.

And we toured ten charming Welsh cottage bathrooms in my post 10 Real Cottage Bathrooms.

Please, only pin the features from their original site and not from here. 

Thanks to each and every one of you who partied with me in April.  You are all the best!

If you were featured this month, please grab this button.

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Every Room In The House is a monthly link-up party that has a theme room for each month.  This month we're partying in the Home Office/Studio/Craft Room/Study/Den.

 

Right now there's no limit to the number of posts you may link up, and they don't have to be recent posts. But they do have to be about your home office or studio or craft room or study or den.  Hey, maybe your work space is in the garage or basement, or a separate building.  That's okay.  Share it!

Room reveals, decorating, DIY, remodels, furniture redos, thrift finds, organization  --  whatever relates to this month's theme room, we want to see it.

The party will be open all month.  Bring a friend!

 

Please remember to put a link in your post back to A Joyful Cottage.  That's necessary to be featured.

So. . .let's party!



An InLinkz Link-up