My Total Office Makeover: Part II – The Master Plan

Welcome back to our blog series, My Total Office Makeover! In this series, we follow Chris Gardner, Curbly’s editor-in-chief, as he undertakes the transformation of a humble second bedroom into a vibrant, functional, and inspiring home office. As a full-time design and craft blogger working remotely, Chris recognizes the critical need for a dedicated workspace where creativity can flourish and productivity can soar. Join us as we delve into the planning, execution, and creative problem-solving involved in creating the ultimate home office environment.

Crafting the Vision: The Master Plan Unveiled

(Catch up on Part 1: The Embarrassingly Bad Before Pics) After taking a long, hard look at the existing space, it became clear that while the essential software – computers, media equipment, and office supplies – were perfectly adequate, the hardware was simply not up to the task. The old desks, uncomfortable chairs, and lack of proper organization and storage solutions had to go. It was time for a complete overhaul, a fresh start from the ground up.

Inspired by the bright and airy aesthetic found in other areas of the house, the goal was to create a Scandinavian-inspired workspace. The vision included pristine white walls and fixtures, punctuated by strategic pops of color to add personality and visual interest. While aspirational design houses and high-end furniture were tempting, budget constraints necessitated a more pragmatic approach. This led to the decision to primarily utilize IKEA as the source for the majority of the furniture and storage solutions.

Before diving into the design process, a comprehensive list of requirements was essential. This list outlined the specific needs and functions that the new office space had to accommodate. These requirements guided the entire planning process and ensured that the final design would be both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Essential Requirements for the Ultimate Home Office

• Multiple, Adaptable Work Surfaces:
  • Dedicated Music and Film Editing Desk: A specialized desk specifically designed to house the media desktop computer and all essential audio and video editing equipment, ensuring a streamlined and efficient workflow.
  • General Work Desk: A versatile workspace for everyday tasks, including laptop use, bill paying, general paperwork, and even the occasional sewing project. This desk would also serve as the primary storage area for general home office supplies.
  • Large Clean Craft and Art Table: A spacious tabletop dedicated to “clean” crafts and art projects that don’t involve paint or sawdust. This table would also function as a fabric cutting surface and accommodate a light box for various creative endeavors.
• Dedicated Bookshelf Space: Ample shelving to house a curated collection of non-fiction books. Unlike the color-coded library in the living room, these books would be organized logically to facilitate easy access and research.
• Ample Craft Supply Storage: Extensive storage solutions to accommodate a wide range of craft supplies, including sewing and fabric materials, paper crafts, drawing and painting supplies, yarn and fiber arts, and photography and video equipment. Efficient organization is key to maximizing creativity and minimizing clutter.
• Flat File System: A secure and organized system for storing and protecting important documents and large format paper, ensuring they remain flat and free from damage.
• Safe and Accessible Guitar Storage: A safe and visually appealing way to display and store a collection of guitars and other stringed instruments, keeping them readily accessible for practice and inspiration.
• Large Inspiration Boards: Dedicated inspiration boards to display favorite visual pieces, fostering creativity and providing a constant source of inspiration. These boards will serve as a dynamic mood board, reflecting current projects and aesthetic preferences.
• Optimal Photography Setup: Clean, white surfaces positioned near the large window to provide ideal lighting for taking well-lit, step-by-step photographs for blog content. Window treatments to maximize natural light for photography, ensuring consistent and professional-quality images.
• Eames Lounge Oasis: A designated space for the Eames lounge, providing a comfortable and stylish relaxation zone within the office.

While not everything would be sourced from IKEA, it was deemed the most practical option for the core furniture pieces, including bookshelves, desks, and storage boxes. IKEA provides a user-friendly, free room planning software that allows users to visualize furniture placement and optimize space utilization. Initially, the software was exclusively available for Windows, requiring a trip to the local library for design work. However, the planner is now accessible as a browser plugin for Firefox and Internet Explorer, making it conveniently available for OS X users as well. This accessibility significantly streamlines the design process.

Multiple design iterations were explored using the IKEA planning tool, but one clear winner emerged. Despite experimenting with various configurations, a single design consistently proved to be the most effective in maximizing the room’s dimensions and fulfilling the specific needs of the workspace.

The IKEA planner allows for precise customization, enabling users to input room dimensions, add windows, doors, and electrical outlets, and then strategically place IKEA products within the virtual space. Even if the intention isn’t to purchase exclusively from IKEA, similar products can be used as placeholders to accurately assess size and fit. Having a recent IKEA catalog readily available greatly facilitates the search and selection process.

Despite the relatively compact size of the room, the final design successfully incorporates a significant amount of functionality while maintaining an open and airy feel. This is largely attributed to the choice of white furniture, which creates a sense of spaciousness and reflects light effectively.

Furthermore, the software generates a comprehensive shopping list that can be presented to an IKEA employee, who will assist in locating all the necessary items within the store. Users can also create an account and save an “ICF” file, which allows employees to access the design directly in-store. This feature streamlines the shopping experience and minimizes the risk of errors.

With the design finalized, shopping completed, and a firm commitment to the project, it’s time to embark on the next phase: hacking and modifying the IKEA products to create customized solutions. Join us next week as we reveal the secrets to creating two custom desk setups on a budget!