When I first started writing for Apartment Therapy almost two years ago, I proudly toiled away on my posts in the office closet pictured here. I loved my little office closet - in fact, it was the first of my DIY projects to be featured here on the site. Over time, my home office needs have changed ... and my home has changed right along with them.
The office closet worked out beautifully when it was being used in small doses. When I first created it, I had a job outside the home and so I only worked in the office closet for an hour or two at a time.
Over the summer, when I became assistant editor of the site, my time spent working from home while sitting at a desk increased dramatically. As a habitual redecorator, this seemed like a good time to give the home a new look while also setting up a new desk. I decided to move out of the closet (weeee!) and set up a new home office in the corner of the living room, utilizing a vintage desk that my husband and I have had forever.
So I painted the living room, started stenciling the wall, and looked for a new comfy chair that would work with the vintage desk. And that's where I ran into my biggest problem with the vintage desk. With a leg opening of only 18", it was next to impossible to find a desk chair that was comfortable and would fit under the desk. I eventually found the blue vintage chair pictured here. It has a soft seat and, more importantly, fits under the desk but it's certainly not intended for 8-10 hours of sitting. Not by me, it's not.
And then, last Friday night, I experienced Craigslist serendipity once again. After complaining to my husband about my achy back from another day at the vintage desk, I decided to take a quick stroll through Craigslist listings ... and the third item from the top was this yellow West Elm Parsons table. It was love at first sight, which was helped along quite a bit by the fact that it was 1/3 the price of a new WE Parsons desk!
I had been thinking about a similarly styled desk ever since I started redecorating the room. While I adore the vintage desk, it's really always been too dark and heavy for our small apartment. So I made arrangements to purchase the Parsons desk Saturday morning, intending to put it in the same spot as the vintage desk. When I carried it into the living room, however, it seemed to just belong in front of this window, framed by the drapes I so lovingly steamed last week. And now, instead of an achy back from the vintage chair, I get to sit in my other new-ish Craiglist find, a blue velvet wing back chair. And rather than stare at a wall behind my computer monitor, I get to look out the window.
How long will this current set-up last? Who knows? But for now, I'm quite satisfied.
Images: Jason Loper
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Love the final desk-chair combination. However, I don't think having your computer screen right in front of such a big window is a good idea, especially if you wish to spend long hours staring at that screen. Too much glare in the eyes, not to mention the distractions outside.
Great find on the desk and that's a pretty chair for sitting back relaxing or reading a book, but an awful chair for leaning forward working. Save years of back pain and chiro bills and get an ergonomically correct desk chair.
The closet set-up was more interesting stylistically. I agree with the others that your current set-up is not going to be good for your back or your eyes. Sadly, facing your desk into a wall and sitting in an ugly chair will be your salvation.
I would also say, it's really hard to believe that you could do with such a tiny surface space as the parsons desk in the picture if you are literally working from that desk all the time. There just needs to be more work space.
Well I, for one, think that your transformation is fan-tas-tic. I LOVE that blue chair.
I'd take a chiro appointment any day over an ugly chair. And I love looking out the window when I'm working at the computer. Especially because if you are working at home you are more able to take a break when you need it!
{said the workaholic that has been on her computer every moment she's been at home from 6am until now}
But I digress. love your re-do. i really do.
A computer screen in front of a window is not a bad thing. I did it for years in my old loft and it provided some nice 'breaks', fresh air and made me feel as though I wasn't working alone in my loft! I do agree with the comments of how that chair will be bad for your back if you use it long term for working. Fortunately, they do make some great looking chairs that are good for your back these days (not like when I had to purchase an officemax blue clunker on wheels)!
I agree with everything FamRad1 said.
Major upgrade! Loved the evolution and I think you will be very happy in your wing chair at your sunny desk in front of that awesome window.
That vintage desk, the second picture, I think that's exactly the same desk I'm typing on right now! Wow, what deja vu! Mine belonged to my grandfather, who bought it used in the early 1950s, when he went back to school for his master's degree. I'm doing my own PhD on it and it's the best desk in the world--I just love it.
omg what a big change. the new chair seems to be very comfortable to work in, and the yellow desk gives life to the environment. To me, all this seems like a very productive change. Great job! i also recommend to put some images or paintings on the wall that represent productivity to be motivated all the time. Maybe this? http://kaladecor.com/products-page/photography/sky-lines/ ?
"...utilizing a vintage desk that my husband and have had forever."
Sorry, but someone had to point out the typo.
@laura jayne: thanks for pointing out typo. correction made.
regarding the comfort of the chair: the chair is actually perfect at the desk. it slides under the desk far enough that i don't have to sit on the edge of it to use it. it is a little short but i simply sit on a pillow.
regarding facing the window: there are blinds and curtains for this window so if sunlight becomes an issue, i can simply close them. however, it doesn't seem it will be an issue. yesterday was quite sunny and i didn't experience any eye strain or discomfort.
Love that yellow desk and it looks great by the window! The chair looks great, too. And, of course, they are perfect with the nicely steamed drapes. And I think they'll go with the new stencilling, too.
Thanks for sharing your newest office permutation.
"Home office" is a bit grandiose when referring to a miniature desk. Looks like a comfortable place to surf the web though.
did seeing a desk with a computer in front of a window make anyone else think of carrie bradshaw's apartment on sex and the city? okay, so maybe it's just me.
anyway, love your new workspace. I for one love being close to a window when I'm working.
LOVE the new desk....have you thought about using the chair that you had in your closet office? Looks like they would work great together.
i had a home office epiphany last night. we had been using 2 pieces of a 3 piece l-shaped glass desk. they had been side by side in the living room, but my desk always ended up covered in my husband's school books. i decided to move my 'half' of the desk into the bedroom and created a cozy vanity nook, and left his in the living room. it opened up the space to move a side chair and table (with our record player) into the living area and now we have more space to entertain.
i love re-decorating, even if my husband hates it.
@mitcheaven - i will now speak and write with an internal monologue, always ending with a poignant question. :-)
@loucee - that chair was a knock-off and it didn't age well. i sold it on craigslist months ago.
oh how I love before and after pics (ironic that I rarely take them...).
1st: cute closet office, but it would drive me crazy to work in it for too long. Maybe that's because essentially that is what I have...
2nd: skipping ahead to that stencil job - what? ca-razy, and i love it. the blue chair is super cute, but i know those springs aren't kind after a bit. but it is blue!
3rd: Love this table, love it in front of the window, and if the chair works, awesome. I would personally have a hard time working in it, it looks so cozy I think I'd fall asleep, or at least daydream a lot... Great color combo. Don't you miss that stencil, though? ; )
Love the new setup! I would LOVE to have a window to sit near. I think what is most important is that you find something that works with YOUR work style. Everyone has different requirements to suit whatever they do every day. It is so awesome that you have had the flexibility to try so many different options. I'm stuck in this cubicle with almost no room for change in position, scenery, etc. Good for you! :)
Yellow desk in front of window=Happiness. :) My previous desk was in front of the window and I loved it. Birds and fresh air, sunlight and energy.
The colors and window are pretty, and there's so much variety in body types that this arrangement may prove comfortable for you. If it turns out not to be ergonomic, then you'll be the first to know, and can just change things again a bit. I much prefer a desk with a view of the door and the window. I used to work facing into a corner and it felt like punishment, so a closet office wouldn't work for me, although yours looked good.
I had my computer/desk in what seemed to be the perfect place, the closet under the stairs. But after a couple of years I moved the desk to in front of a window. VAST improvement. You'd think, if you're just going to be looking at a computer screen a view isn't important. But it is.
For me, a wingback chair like that is TOTALLY ergonomically correct. I have a remote keyboard I can keep in my lap so that raising my arms up to type doesn't kill my back and neck. The straight back of a chair like that is very helpful, and if I want to sit cross-legged, the armrests support my knees while the nice wide seat allows me to stay balanced. Granted, I'd miss something on wheels but what I came up with in my current situation was to have the DESK on wheels! It's an unusual setup where my back is to the wall rather than the desk being against a wall. Then, to the sides, I've got files, paper-recycling and trash, and tabletop space for the stuff that inevitably accumulates - a candle, my binocs (for looking out that nearby window!), tissues, a coaster, etc.
Your changes are nice. And having your desk at a window is a good idea, nobody wants to look at a wall while working. My own desk is built around and under a large window.
@Annie-O, How interesting, I was just wondering to myself whether a castered desk would work!
Beautiful! very serene.
I have a white full size parsons desk as you do and I disagree that at 4 feet long it's too "small" as some have expressed. The mini is small (which I also have in another room) but the full size is pretty generous. Especially if you are primarily just on the computer, loading pictures etc, not everyone needs a ton of room to spread out paper. The (clock?) above the vintage desk looks amazing. I think the vintage desk would also be quite lovely as a vanity or in a bedroom (old fashioned spot to write cards, letters, etc.).
If I hadn't read your post I would think that the first and the last desk setups belonged to 2 entirely different people. The first looks very techie and masculine, the last very modern and feminine. To me. I like both, but I love the blue chair with the yellow desk. Nice work!
Love to see the decorating confidence grow and the look get bolder and more sophisticated. The yellow desk and blue chair are absolutely gorgeous together.
It looks very nice. But I've noticed a trend of having less and less storage with each of your solutions. Even with all electronic based communications, I still seem to end up collecting paper stuff I need to file. The closet looked the most practical, but the final is the nicest looking.
The third pic seems more relaxing and nice environment to work in. But the first seems to make more sense because of all the needed items and storage space all in one placeto get the job done. I would be torn. I need a combination of both to work
I, too, go through constant re-arranging phases, especially with my home office. It's been a closet office - a little larger closet than the one shown above - nice to close it up and forget about it when not in use, but not enough surface space for construction drawings. It's also been on an antique writing desk - also not enough surface for drawings but prettier to look at and positioned by a window (with curtains to close on sunny days) it was definitely a happier layout.
I need to select a room and commit it to home office activity alone and re-home any existing furniture not fit for that purpose, but it's hard to part with the coziest chaise lounge ever, my husband's mongo TV, and 2 full bookcases. Parting is such sweet sorrow...