I have always had my command central in the kitchen of our home. That is where I seem to spend the most time and no matter how big your house…the kitchen is where most people gather. So as not to miss a beat and to be at the beck and call of my family when I am working, I have kept my post…until now! The constant interruptions, papers ending up all over the floor and the kids using my computer and putting silly faces of themselves on my profile etc. became aversive to getting anything accomplished UNLESS I was working at 3am. Although the quiet of the house is wonderful at that time, my aging mind and body seem to not be able to comply at will to that work schedule like it used to. Plus cleaning it all up when we were having company became a little old as well.

Being that part of our house is over 200 years old, we have some small rooms upstairs that are too tiny for a bedroom or lack closet space. They evidently were used as maid’s quarters because they are close to the laundry room and there is a little black box on the wall with a bell that lists some of the rooms of the house. Only a few bells work anymore, unfortunately one being in my 13 year old son’s room who promptly said when we moved in, “That is for when I want something? right? I just ring the bell and you come up to see what I need?”I think I burst his bubble a little with my response.

Anyway, since the maid has long since moved out, I moved in…although we seem to be confused as one another.

I have to confess that I am a maker of piles…I like to call it organized. To alleviate some of my piling habits, I tried to find other ways to organize the paper that is generated on a daily basis. A place to keep all of my vendor catalogs, sources and design ideas in easy accessible places was my goal. I found two old farm bins on one of my treasure hunting trips, stacked them on top of each other and put some organizational wooden magazine holders and a wooden box in the large space where the units were stacked. I still have to attach the metal bin holders to slip the labels in where all the white tags are but it is very functional.    

The narrow closet also became the perfect area for functionality as well. My good friend and artist (jack of all trades) Jennifer installed these shelves about two years ago for that is how long ago I had wanted to do this project! All good things come slowly…I added more magazine files, storage boxes and crates and I now have a place for everything!

Even with all that space, I still needed the traditional file cabinet so I moved this one upstairs that I had in a closet near the kitchen. My husband and I had made this bulletin board years back with plywood and decorative molding and it looked perfect above the cabinet.

I use the bulletin board as my inspiration board. It looks all nice and neat now but you can check back with me in a couple of months to see it’s status. I topped it off with three diminutive oil paintings that I found at an antique store years back.

I do believe that with function, you have to have aesthetics. The room you work in should reflect you. I do have a penchant for blue and I find a very pale blue very peaceful. Thus that is the color that I chose for the walls. I also love gardening so I tried to implement both of those elements in this room. These handmade wooden frames with the garden topiary in them will be available at our Spring Sale! I just love them! I hung two different scenes in the room and mixed in a more modern metal light from Ikea.

I used an old wooden table in the room as another work surface.

There is nothing like topping off a project with some beautiful paper products! I absolutely adore (I know that is a strong word) but I do Love decorative papers, notebooks, file folders, calendars, stationary, etc.  Every time I pull out a folder that has a beautiful image on it…I am inspired. Every time I write in a beautiful notebook…the same! Heavy card stock and papers with lusciously illustrated images on them  makes me feel good…they speak to me.  I know that we live in a digital world but I am drawn to the “written” word, handwritten letters, handwritten file folder tags, handwritten calendars. I know that it takes a little more time but makes things so much more personal. Your writing reflects who you are…even if it is scribble. How many times have you looked at a letter or recipe written out in the handwriting of someone you loved dearly but is no longer with you? Doesn’t it bring back a little of who they were? Call it memories, sentimental or mushy but it does make you “feel” their presence a little more than a computer generated piece. 

We will have some luscious file folders and stationary products at our Spring Barn Sale so you can bring some beauty into your life everyday! Cannot wait to work in my new space…although it is 3 am and I am typing this on my computer in the kitchen. I do not think that I will be burning the midnight oil up there… for “good spirits” are known to go bump in the night up there!  

What was that????????????