When we moved into the current location of Chez Big Daddy, I was so excited to have a dedicated office; something I had never had in any previous house. My office, prior to our current home, was an IKEA table and chair, strategically positioned in the family room. When we lived in the Midwest, I shared an office with the children in their play area. Neither of these spaces were exactly conducive to working but, it was either office where I had space or not have an office at all.
With 2020 throwing us a pandemic curve ball, so many of us now find that we need space to work from home. AS if that wasn't enough, now we need space for the kids to distance learn. It's enough to make us assume the fetal position and never move, right?
Let me help you with this challenge by giving y'all a peek at my office.
For the first 2 years after we moved in, my beautiful office was a storage area.!!!!! Yes.....a storage area for stuff that have a home elsewhere. We don't have a basement and the attic is REALLY small so, this is what my office looked like:
Did I mention that this space is right inside our front door with a large window facing the front of the house? This means that EVERYONE who visited our house saw the mess!
Finally, out of obvious necessity, we rented a storage area and had some office furniture delivered so that I could be uber productive at my gorgeous desk in my pretty office. Here's a candid snapshot of what my workspace looks like now: (yes, that is a giant Christmas mug sitting on my desk....it's the Pfaltzgraff Winterberry pattern on a 20 ounce vessel to hold my massive morning oat milk latte. Don't judge me)
Doesn't that chair look super comfy and completely, ergonomically correct? I know, I know....it's both appalling and reassuring to y'all at the same time, isn't it? Appalling because I am, after all, a designer so my chair selection is not "designerly" and yet, it's reassuring because it's exactly what you would do. That's why y'all follow me on social media and why y'all subscribe to this blog and email, right....because I am just like y'all. As hideous and uncomfortable as my folding chair might be, it is my only option until wholesale furniture places resume business as usual.
But wait....there's more! In March, Big Daddy started working from home. One day he was still going to the office like he has always done and the next morning, he received a call that he was to work at home until further notice. Can y'all relate? I had big plans for the rest of the space....a sofa sleeper, some pretty tables, lots of great accessories...but thankfully I hadn't ordered any of it. We didn't have an extra desk just sitting around for him to work at, unfortunately for him. But, what we did have was a folding table and another sexy folding chair that would fit perfectly in the empty space where fabulous furniture would someday reside. So, this my current view when I look up from my laptop: (Note: he is usually sitting in that incredibly uncomfortable chair but he didn't want to be included in this photo)
I could be angry and frustrated that COVID put the kibosh on my gorgeous office plans OR I could be grateful that we have space for us to both work, regardless of how un-designerly some of the furnishings might be. I choose the latter because, at the end of the day, what matters most is not what the space looks like, right?
Of course the designer in me cringes every time I set foot in the office and view it's current state. Of course it drives me bat-crap crazy to stare at 3 large, blank walls that are screaming for something pretty to be hung on them. Of course my brain is full of incredible ideas for the perfect touches to finish the space and elevate it to HGTV-worthy status. Of course every inch of our lower bodies ache each hour when we get up from our lovely folding chairs to work out the kinks that said chairs have created. BUT.....we have so much to be grateful for that, at least for now, I can put all of those things "on the shelf" and just be grateful for my glorious office as it shines in all of it's COVID-19 splendor.
So, there you have it....told y'all that my office would not be what you thought it would be! Are y'all surprised? My hope is that this blog post encourages you to have grace, patience and perhaps to wear blinders right now (proverbial blinders.....literal blinders are not encouraged! haha) when you walk through your home. I absolutely desire to continue helping y'all with making your home a sanctuary but right now, this process looks different than it did the beginning of the year and that's ok. We can work around our plastic folding tables/desks and our metal folding chairs because, this too shall pass. (and if it doesn't, I will be creating some DIY videos on how to dress them up! LOL).
Until next time, remember that y'all are so loved!
-Sherry
P. S. As school starts for the year, if you're finding you need space at home for children to learn AND for the adults to work, I have a FREE guide to help! Just use code "guide" in the coupon box at check out to download your copy here