DIY...Organized office area!

There's several gals who host these awesome DIY days where folks like me can go and post our crafty projects as well as get tutored on lots of other creative ideas. The Shabby Chic Cottage is hosting one today, and I thought I'd add my first DIY project.

I don't have any tutes, as I didn't have the camera handy as I was putting everything together, but I'll try to describe what I did (and learned the hard way what not to do!)

I don't have a designated room for an office, but I did overtake this one wall in our family room. I have 4 kids in 4 different schools, so paper clutter is always a problem. Also keeping schedules straight and having everything I need at arm's reach at the computer was a challenge. So between last night and today I finally think I have something that will work! I'm sure I'll be tweaking the space and changing seasonal decor, but for now I'm thrilled to have a stylish space to manage my household.

So let me tell you a bit more about this space and what when into it. This area is just off the kitchen nook along a wall in our family room, which we use for reading and visiting. Our tv is actually in the smaller 'formal' room at the front of the house, so this is where we do everything else. I'll do another post on the makeover I'm working on this room overall later, but for now I'll just tell you I've painted those panelled walls 3 different colors...finally settling on Laura Ashley Taupe 4. It's a true neutral, and in this north facing, low-ceilinged room, it keeps things bright during the day, and cozy at night.

Ok. Projects.

First we have the desk and chair which I got off Craigslist and painted Heirloom White and added glass knobs. Recovered the seat of the chair in the same fabric as the pillows on my aqua sofa (that matches that thar star hang'in up thar). Shelf and frames were clearanced items I also sprayed with HW. Baskets were Martha Stewart and house my stationary and extra envelopes, which, let's say it together, I sprayed HW. Thank you. Storage files and boxes on the lower shelf were IKEA purchases hold miscellaneous power cords, office-type supplies, run of the mill junk that procreates around spaces such as this.

This little jobey below I found at a secondhand consignment shop and painted (yes) HW. Then I got crafty. Went to the local office supply store and picked up 4 foam boards that I then hot glued some linen fabric around. At Michael's I got those big honkin' clips, some of that divine Martha Stewart aqua twill ribbon and her scrapbook labels (wedding section). Then I used bitty little individual stamps to put each kiddo's name on the label. There's a big shelf at the bottom for incoming mail for the day, so hubby or I can just grab it on our way into the room.
Above the boards I hung this calendar doohickey. The frame was a cheesy gold, and I dry brushed some more HW over it. Then I took the board where the original picture was attached and cover that with some batting and more linen. At the office supply I found a fairly neutral academic desk calendar that I attached with more foam stickies than should be allowed, and added the cork strips at the top with even more foam stickies. I'm prepared to use my hot glue gun if they rebel. The little blue tacks were on the clearance rack. A whopping 43 cents! and there's pale pink and green too. Now I have a central message board where everyone can see everyone's schedules. I also use small post it's for when the squares get too full to write anymore appointments and such.
So, here it is again. The rest of the knick knacks I picked up here and there over the years, a conglomeration of thrift sales, garage sales, hand-me-downs, etc. Everyone must walk past this area all the time, so hopefully I'll get this fam all on the same organized page....

Thanks for stopping by. I hope to build this blog a bit more each day, and fill it with inspiration and fun.