I’m bringing you into a part of my world today that I don’t typically talk a lot about. I’ve been open about owning a business, but I’ve mostly kept my company separate from what I do and share here. I’m bringing you into the other part of my world to share with you some plans for a new office.
My shop/studio/office is connected to my home. In fact, our home, while not zoned fully commercial, sits in the business district of our small town. It’s a great set up for me, but I have outgrown the space and I feel like I need to make a number of changes to make it both function and look better for me and my clients.
The storefront consists of three rooms. The main shop area, a powder room and the back office which also leads out to the back yard. In addition to the official shop area, I have also overtaken one of the bedrooms over on the house side which serves mostly as a storage room.
While I’m working mostly on my own here in the shop, I do now have a part time intern / work study student a couple days a week. I’m also starting to make preparations for some potential hires next year so I’m seeing more and more that some things need to change before I have too many more people working in this small space.
While I’m working mostly on my own here in the shop, I do now have a part time intern / work study student a couple days a week. I’m also starting to make preparations for some potential hires next year so I’m seeing more and more that some things need to change before I have too many more people working in this small space.
I also saw signs of fall in my August Stitch Fix. This time around, I forgot to provide my stylist with a note but I’m not sure I would have known what to tell her anyway. I did make a few comments in my review for July’s Fix that I’m open to trying whatever she thinks will work from new patterns to even some new styles that I may not know of or know if I’ll like.
To start things off, I’ve been feeling very uncomfortable sitting at the high counter in the main shop area, and think it’s time to set myself up at a real desk and a proper chair. I can’t really do that in the main shop area because there isn’t room, so I’m planning on moving back out to the small office in the back of the shop. This room needs some finishing before I can move in and decorate but I’m excited about having a real office again.
New Office Planning
I’m not really dreaming of anything super special for my office but to be able to address other issues in the shop and storage room, I really need the office to function as more than just my office.
Purpose of the Space
The tiny room will obviously be my office but I also want to take advantage of the height of the ceiling and use it for storage for supplies for the shop. Right now, most of the papers that we keep in stock for our stationery and invitations are kept upstairs. While it’s a great space up there for storage, it’s really a pain to trek up and down steps all the time carrying boxes of envelopes and other supplies. It’s kind of dangerous too. I’d like to move what makes sense to tall shelves in the back office but find a way to keep it looking clean and organized so my office doesn’t look like a storage room.
The Look and Feel of the Space
The Office is quite small so it won’t take long for it to start feeling cave-like and cluttered. I’d really like the keep the feel light and airy, comfortable but creative with a touch of feminie by taking advantage of all the natural light that comes in.
For now, I’ve made a running list of all of the tasks I’m planning for the office, shop and storage area with the goal of getting a lot of this finished up before January.
Shop /Studio Changes
- Clean out back office
- Finish wall to the dining room and under window
- Paint the room
- Paint the trim
- Paint the door (inside and out)
- Redo the ceiling
- Replace fan with pendant light
- Add wall-mount fan
- Add bookshelves to back wall
- Set up small cube shelf on “door” wall
- Add rug
- New Desk
- Accessories / decor
- Move into new office
- Set up new bookshelves with inventory from storage room
- Buy organizers. Bins. dividers, as needed
- Empty back “shop” shelf and organize papers
- Finish painting back bookshelf
- Refill bookshelf
- Accessorize bookshelf
- Organize front bookshelf with bins, dividers, etc. as needed
- Clean out under counter area
- Finish painting built-in counter
- Clean out two side closets and reorganize
- Add curtain or cover to coat-closet top area
- Remove large work-table from upstairs storage room
- Get rid of old computer equipment and anything else that’s no longer needed or that doesn’t work
- Remove old black shelving
- Rearrange room to make room for teacher’s desk
- Add rug
- Set up desk / refinish desk
- Add curtains to windows
- Accessorize room
Later this week, I’ll be sharing with you my simple design plan as well as the first bit of progress on this small room.
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