apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

They should've build out the desk too. It looks mismatched.
If they made the effort to do the beautiful bookcase...they should change to desk to white or grey to match.

The shelves are great, but I have to agree with elai - my first reaction is that a corner desk should have been built in as well. A lot of effort went into the bookcase - it would have taken little more to complete the job and build in a desk.

Shelves look good but I agree with having a built in desk as well and keeping everything white. Other than that it's a great idea!

Ditto what elai1231 said; it looks a little awkward now. It would have been a simple enough matter to mount matching white boards in that corner to make a built-in desk that matched the shelves.

I don't mind the desk; it looks practical, sturdy and handsome, though plain. No need for matchy-matchy in my book.

What I would change is that I would have made the built-ins go up and over the doorway, as shown in a post from last week or so. I think this would have made for a more integrated look. As it is, there's that narrow strip of wall between the bookcase and the doorway. If these are indeed 'built-ins,' it's not a very custom look, to my eye.

I bet the desk part is still in progress. My favorite thing, though, is how they moved the light switch from the wall (where it would be behind the bookcase) to the bookcase itself. Well done.

Oh, I see it's not in progress. But I think it looks okay.

I have to agree with the posters before me about the desk. A built-in version would look a lot less cluttered (Psss. It's not too late!).
The bookshelves are beautiful. I love the crisp white contrasting the orange paint. I am jealous of the moldings around your window and door.

I agree about the desk looking out of place, but more because of its size than its colour. I suspect the owner loves that desk and there is no way they are getting rid of it. But if they could have gotten the second work-surface in the same colour, or another similarly toned piece of freestanding furniture, I think it would have looked much better.

I actually think if the whole thing had been done in white it would have cheapened the overall look. But since the bookcase clearly is custom-made I'm surprised they couldn't also have sourced a better worktop match for the desk.

I love the orange though!

I have to agree with the others - the desk needed to be built-in with file drawers and shelves for that massive printer beneath....
...and I'd have liked to have seen some doors on the lower sections and the backs of the shelves painted a contrasting color - such as a pale blue?

But overall, I think it's an excellent start.

Love the orange walls!
I think the bookshelves look fantastic and I think the desk is fine and probably is a favorite. I would rather have it this way than perfect match that looks like it belongs in the latest magazine and might not be the best working surface.
The only thing I would change would have been to move the desk to the side somehow so my back wasnt to the room, maybe I wouldnt get as much work done, but I would enjoy the view more.

Wow, that desk area is just a nightmare. First, it just looks cheap and used in comparison to the new white shelves. Like they started a project and ran out of money and ideas to finish it. Why would you build such nice shelves and then put that mess of mish mash in the middle of it? How did this become a feature on this site. It looks like a college kids dorm room in the middle of nice living room. Just doesn't work at all.

It's a good way to use height, but I'd feel like that shelving would eat me alive!

Thanks for all the nice comments everyone!

To address the desk/built-in issue:

I did consider doing a built-in desk, but as some of you guessed, the wooden desk is a favorite of mine. The white 'return' for the desk is an Ikea place holder until I stumble upon exactly what I need. I looked into getting a matching return built but it was a bit out of reach $ wise.

I also don't want to do a built in desk because I need the room to be more versatile than that would allow. If I build in a desk there's no way this room could be changed into a 2nd bedroom if necessary.

The photos also (as usual) make the room seem bigger than it is. It's really a pretty small room - when the couch is pulled out the foot of the bed is only a foot or so from the desk. So again, being able to take the desk out if necessary is something I want to be able to do.

One other thing: my contractor and I intentionally decided to leave a gap between the door and window and the shelves. It really helps to make the shelves seem 'lighter' and not overpower the space.

Must know the name of that wall color. Pretty please brand and color #.

Thank you!!!

I don't have the color swatches near by at the moment, but if I remember correctly the lighter orange is Behr 270B-5 Melon. The darker orange I'll have to check on - I will comment again once I get home.

Lovely room!

I'm not a fan of the idea of a built-in desk for two reasons. The first is that it really limits what you could do with the room in the future. The other reason is that I think the white shelves are just enough. A matching desk feels like it'd be the tipping point that'd make the room look too much like a showroom.

This is fortuitous; the colors shown here are almost exactly the colors I just picked up swatches for from Home Depot at Lunchtime (Behr Crushed Orange and Orange Spice). I was thinking kitchen colors. I love the shelves, but must agree that the desk is awkward. I would have taken the shelving across the door and put the second tall bookshelf down the wall on the other side of the door. I think that would have given the whole room a more built in feeling and the desk wouldn't feel like it's crammed in a corner.

There's no space on the other side of the door.

here's a shot that shows the door.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cate1234/4018062534/

I've said this a dozen times on AT, but open overhead shelving makes me really nervous in LA. Having all of that stuff fall on your head would be bad - and on your pets' heads would be worse. But maybe I worry too much!

I meant in an earthquake, BTW.

I love the wooden desk and appreciate that you're taking the time to find the right companion piece. color me jealous!

This one should be in the Color Contest!!!! :)

Okay I've not got the colors for you medusa12120!

3 walls - lighter orange: Behr Melon 270B-5
1 wall -darker orange: Behr Crushed Orange 250B-7

Hope that helps.

Now, rather.

Yaaaaay Thank you so much, Cate. I love this shade of coral-orange. It's very optimistic. I am possibly going to paint my own office this color. I hope you aren't upset that I'm copying you :)

I can see that there is "no space on the other side of the door." But I said that I would prefer to see the bookcase go "up and over" the door, NOT "up, over and around." There certainly IS space OVER the door. "-)

Mirandabee I was responding to cliokitty, who posted just above where I said that. She said "I would have taken the shelving across the door and put the second tall bookshelf down the wall on the other side of the door".