![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjIvyxmvNgvSZ7GrvbYTXIHDBOiJHJu7UkmbGgNGiaJm3hlbLm2yxiFqCAIoMqTATE665R-3smTMg4xXtGJdn8AM_NYWod9pAiwt2ajZOuEXzGJIAKRyh40WQbP3LmbI94dgN4UeSqNEm/s1600/IMG_5510.jpg) |
My New Home Office Space |
If you've been following my blog for a while, you may have remembered a post about
Creating a Home Office. It was my first post, because I launched this blog the same time that I launched my business,
Socialeyes 24.7 Social Media Consulting.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZ7tOjsr0UiHXYO-67SBgk2vi9keDYpaWYM0emijb-Dcrox0v8TVzzTTSaQiTZWjbCQ1HsCx5TgA3of_A4wkJZ3BF7HI2SAARgzAEVFKz5yLteu4LnpPcx0pzQ6XgI8L4TCPwubqfXKVr/s1600/home+office+1.jpg) |
Version 1 of my Home Office circa 2011 |
Well, a lot has changed since I started Socialeyes Consulting. My business has quadrupled, I had another child, and I have become a much better not-so-newly domestic! But what hasn't changed, is my home.
Last week, I came home to my crazy daughter and went to login to my computer and found this:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGhupcuJErYq-CoD_DDlMdbPGGFO8ZURjxNXXq0mqSbM20hyUszZT8J6wDODJ_Pl7BDs6-Ci1Y4qksuJiNnI-qsLdTHpeGxbZI4Yz8tuVt39X-IN5T4-AaJb-j8DpTbG4mjQk-QInj9Yv/s1600/IMG_5514.JPG) |
The aftermath of the iMac and the Sharpie |
Yup, Sharpie. So...that, combined with a growing business, growing file cabinet, and ever-more curious daughter, led me to search out my home for new home office space. The solution? An un-used walk-in closet in our guest room (formally my
sister's room and
second master).
The space was rather perfect. It's a 10' x 5.5' space, rarely used, in a quiet area of the house, and best of all--it has a door! So here's the before (when we were using it to store the kids toys) and after.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bmb2X-yXYTo0b9AshYrBRG-FCxpXWXtb8tVKG53Dq090UuSe7ZdUjnwbgFuUJf3Tiwtg6ShVj5QmAl7Bx_5EROkn5B_6P-Jrx-bMRlMI1aS1ivjdkLQKPXnrQcgqGrWNH3TXiyRFcOG1/s1600/pickerimage.jpg) |
BEFORE - storage closet; AFTER - home office |
First, we took out the shelving.
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Closet minus the shelves: A blank space to work with. |
Then, because there is no power in the closet, we drilled through the wall to the other room's outlet and inserted conduit to run the power through.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9EeexiXlbHpSqAeyzY2YPVANQyZQyF4AEpK-AylC-t6BrSbOriyWmxb4NuSo7EmQxhJ9INWILLltj5VXv86-jQK7eAymc3px3OErdWlq98S_Sl6RIG3x97rCplt0sm-SCN2RK-C8Eb4x/s1600/IMG_5458.jpg) |
No outlet? No problem! We ran a cord to an outlet on the other side of the wall. |
Time for the fun stuff: paint, desk, and office trinkets! I tried to find colorful and inspiring pieces for everything from paper clips to notebooks. I also tried place items that spark my creativity and house knowledge, like a a colorful magnetic calendar, a globe, a pin-sculpture that makes impression art.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjIvyxmvNgvSZ7GrvbYTXIHDBOiJHJu7UkmbGgNGiaJm3hlbLm2yxiFqCAIoMqTATE665R-3smTMg4xXtGJdn8AM_NYWod9pAiwt2ajZOuEXzGJIAKRyh40WQbP3LmbI94dgN4UeSqNEm/s1600/IMG_5510.jpg) |
An open-concept desk from World Market plus a plant, some storage boxes, and creative, personal items. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsI_D_1HeAO_pFrt8CdALanYPLlqyzinE1NmA-T43xrO01S8s_JuXAtmMA0XKI-IioQ8z129g0haKPF079s-sG6RpR2J4N2LQxw9e-4UMmbJsL2wt2XarDW6WdxaxXHuTop8FRyqNNu4O/s1600/IMG_5511.jpg) |
I love fun storage solutions. These are pieces I found for less than $10 at Ikea. |
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After staging the office, I realized there was still not enough storage for files, media, and supplies. I found this amazing piece at World Market, but the $329 price tag was a little rich for my social media salary, so my husband took $20 and built me some shelves reminiscent of World Market Bookshelves instead. I think it turned out amazing!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwFS6swMXzsWgCBIHLQk9RKkPWAiFqK-gVHQtnJSi4_pACTE1HNFoMPQhqBBxlOySp7wBM8Ob90pSg_iKMaGgp0GwGM2AXz78ZARF0jh_3DXF1ZMt8YUcCzCU4iDOQkhiEX0cEBgvUKbd8/s1600/pickerimage(1).jpg) |
$329 World Market Shelves vs. $20 Handmade Shelves |
Finally...the room needed something more. The grey paint, though neutral, made it fill institutional and dingy. So, I took an old $10 mirror, had my husband make a frame and shelf for it, then painted it yellow. But it still didn't work with the space.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0z__0ycON0f6CQ4HhLoApud7eGxQOe7PlEkHn-Mar3CAJq6hhHNBuWjgs-DKcAmxvO01n4IwX9NV2aY-FceZgc4uE1wILPM-i1s-xaMuWDK99nDAp0p-4coQif5MNyHdw27ayLNAZX4O/s1600/IMG_5490.jpg) |
Too yellow! I often make mistakes when visualizing a room, and this was one of them. But... |
Inspired by a craft box I picked out for the space, I decided to mute the yellow by placing a lighter coat ontop, then sanding it down for an aged look, and then my husband created some art on the corners to draw in the entire space. It's just what I needed: a splash of color and creativity!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwuswqABzgup9NIjPkqBaSRBy94kkJeXHarR8g9HezhG7cawJXoZJPHDtvtIWpsuM6QMYbfhuMXarL3stUtRR-miUzZDr0yTl9xSaKhuSSFVDH0XViGu6aNyERYeYReEFJbQMyRtGFFQp/s1600/IMG_5512.JPG) |
A small detail goes a long way! |
My space is a perfect reflection of me and my business now: colorful yet safe, sophisticated yet creative, and more than meets the social-eye!
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