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Reader Space: A Wow of a Workspace!

One of the reasons I look forward to Reader Space days, is because it allows me to live vicariously through many of you in new ways.  Sometimes I get to virtually move into your larger pantries, other times I have the opportunity to see how you smartly organize an awkward nook and frequently I daydream about design styles and colors that I haven't yet utilized in my own home.


Today's home office made me say, "WOW" out loud.  In fact, my husband asked why I was gasping at my Instagram feed.  Expecting to see that I was gaga over a photo of Ryan Gosling looking back at me with his magical eyes, he was a little surprised that an office space could create such a reaction.  But for me, they can!  Carmel's crazy awesome home office is another amazing story of making the most of a wall, creating the feeling of a "room" where there once was none and taking the time to create special moments that make you feel good about where you work.  I know that Carmel will be singing a new tune as she writes posts for her blog, Our Fifth House.  As soon as I spotted her new dreamy hot spot, I had to know more!


What is the main function of the space?


"A couple of months ago I decided to carve out some space in our basement for me to use as a work space. This is the only space in our home that is just for me! This is where I blog. It's also where I store all of my gift wrapping supplies and most of my craft supplies."


Any superstar tips for keeping it organized?

"For me the only way to keep things organized is to give everything it's own home. Every item in my work space has an easy-to-access designated spot, so I have no excuse to let things pile up on my desk. I'm also a big fan of baskets and vintage suitcases that help to corral things in an eye-pleasing way."


What items did you find were essential when organizing this space and why?


"The pegboard really helps to organize all the little things that can tend to get lost in desk drawers. Also I find that having a visible calendar in my work space really helps me to stay on my game. Working from home is such a blessing but the days tend to run together a bit, and I find that having a big visual calendar helps me to manage my time much more efficiently."


What did you do to go the extra mile and "make it pretty"?

"Adding a frame to outline the calendar really gives these inexpensive chalkboard panels I purchased from The Home Depot a lot more visual bang for the buck. Adding the frame really helped to marry form and function. I also used scraps of fabric to make a pennant banner to add some fun color and pattern to this little space."


What items did you DIY to stay on a budget?


"To visually separate this space from the rest of our basement I painted just this section of the wall white and used inexpensive chalkboard panels attached with command strips for art. I painted the pegboard with chalkboard paint to match the panels so it would look like one giant piece."


How has it impacted your life for the better?


"Having one place to keep my office, craft and gift wrapping supplies has been so huge for me. They were previously all stored in different places, and I felt like I was always running all over the house trying to find things. Having a designated work space has also helped me to better organize my work time." 


I agree.  I couldn't love having a designated place to work from more.  It is where I spend such a large amount of my time, and it really keeps me much more productive.

Carmel created a "room" by painting and paneling a portion of a larger wall.  It looks incredible and really allowed her to claim her personal space.  Her chalkboard calendar is decorative and functional at the same time.  I always believe in making our organizational systems beautiful and encouraging them to act as beautiful home decor when not in use, and Carmel completely nailed it here.  And what about that black pegboard?  I know so many people instantly think about pairing color with white to make it shine, but look at how the black does the same thing so beautifully!  Not to mention, the character added with each organizational bin, basket and tool.

A giant thank you to Carmel for bring us an amazing home office created with heart and a beautiful color story.  I took away a lot of big ideas from her dynamic small space.  You can read more about her home office here, as well as her pegboard storage here and her DIY chalkboard calendar here.