Is there a window in this room? Is the tea cup collection in the black cupboard?

Will you have a monitor on the desk or just a laptop?

Do you care if the desk faces the wall or into the middle of the room?

How frequently do you raise and lower the desk or does it mostly stay in the standing position?

Hi Kendrah,

Thanks so much for your response and great questions - sorry I should have thought to add them in the original post.

Sadly, no windows. I dont mind facing the wall as I do have a larger monitor that I will be staring into and I use my laptop as a second monitor sometimes as well - just to the side usually. If the desk is oriented in the middle of the space it will be facing the little narrow hallway wall anyways if that makes sense.

You cant see the teacup collection in the photos - its in the little cupboard space below the printer. I would love to have them displayed maybe with some bookshelves somewhere. The black cupboard is really an Ikea file cabinet where my papers go to die.

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond!

Sorry - just saw your last question: I dont raise my desk at all to be honest. I find reading standing up makes me nauseous! I just like that the desk has a decent width and easy to clean.

Divide the space into thirds - the left wing can be used for storage, you could add a metal storage rack to stack your items. Drapes can then be hung on a spring tension shower rod to screen out the clutter.

The desk and monitor can go on the right side of the wing, (the printer may need to be moved to the storage section) leaving the center section to create a vignette with your decor. One possibility is to leave the antique writing desk where it is and add shelves above to display your tea cup collection. A rug in the center can help anchor and soften the space.

Some small offices. Keep the teacups! Put them on floating shelves with small art works around them. I like the table lamp on the desk to cast a glow. This setup would be lovely to walk into. Use the side "wings" for storage cabinets of supplies, files, and stuff from other rooms.

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This is basically a slab of wood all the way across. The floating shelves with a few treasure above add coziness as does the half painted walls in a non-office-y color. Note the rug, which also adds coziness. Use side "wings" for storage cabinets.

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Thank you all so much these are fantastic ideas! I love the notion of splitting up the space and softening it with a rug - never thought of that!! Desk lamps are needed as well, and I'll be looking into bookshelves that I could possibly mount and have my teacups all there. I love the idea of a little chair, too, just to give my poor back and brain a bit of a break now and then!

Your desk will take up most of the space in one of the wings.

I would get some chrome shelving and leave space for the file cabinet in the other wing. Printer can go on top of file cabinet or on one of the shelves. You will need to leave a small space to put the vacuum/broom- between the shelving and the wall.

Shelving comes in all different sizes 36,42 or 48 wide, 12,15,18 and 24" deep. I would go as wide and deep as will fit with your file cabinet and space broom as you can get into the space.

The chrome shelving will last you a lifetime and can be used later in a basement or garage or closet - whereever you need storage.

(6" squares)

I set up a home office room with half chrome shelving and the other size a nice desk. The shelves were fantastic but I never ended up working in there because it felt like a garage or storage room. I tried covering them with fabric and still, it was kind of wonky.

All of my dissertation writing friends and up with BIlly bookshelves with doors. You can find many on craigslist. And there are tons of hacks online for how to dress them up.

Damn - I have chrome shelving in my guest bedroom, my bedroom and had chrome shelving in my kitchen in my last home.

Some advantages the metal racks can provide are adjustable shelf heights and sturdiness for heavy item. Some come on casters and can be disassembled for moving. However, I wouldn't want to work in a room full of clutter. Using a heavy duty shower tension rod to hang drapes covering the section could be a solution. It wouldn't be unlike having a large window with drapes closed and the drape fabric can be selected to go with the style you want to achieve.

Am I the only one puzzled about the size of this space? Kotlet, your written description states 112 FEET x 67 FEET (caps mine for emphasis). Your drawing doesn’t have size marks - “ or ’. I might not have had enough morning coffee but that seems huge unless it’s attic or basement space over or under the entire house! The flooring seems too pretty for that. The suggestions for set up are all great - but if the size is really that large - well - the sky’s the limit!

@Jennifer Hogan - Is your space contemporary? Do you have particular kinds of bins or containers on the shelves. I love that chrome shelves are working in your bedroom and guest bedroom. Would be great to have info on how you integrate that look. The sure are handy, hold a lot, and last forever. I was thrilled to live in a home for 8 years that had a basement and I could organize the hell out of my belongings and place them on big Metra shelves. I also love that even with my very low talent for DIY and building, I too can put them together.

I bet someone could make a fortune off of creating wood face fronts and shelving to mask Metra systems.

I have seen the Metro style shelving in green these days.

Omg yes you are so right - massive apologies!! I did the measurements in inches. If only the space was that large! Sorry, I am a social sciences major and my maths is not at all strong! :D

Thank you everyone for your wonderful suggestions! Last night I moved the desk over to the left wing of the space and moved all my storage stuff to the right. The vibe is already different and I think its working! I think now though I will need more creative ideas for how to make the space inspiring!

I thought long and hard about metal shelving and while I totally get the practical elements, I feel like if I had it behind me I would always be fretting about keeping it organised. Curtains are an excellent idea as well. But then I went onto IKEA and did the design a closet thing there and I was thinking about having just two cabinets with doors to throw things in and not have to see them. That means I can get rid of the little cupboard and the file cabinet can go somewhere else or be hidden away. I added the photos of what I had in mind below. The walls are a bit weird so one cabinet has to be shorter than the other. What do you think?

I also went on TikTok to see what the girlies were doing with their walls. I love the idea of a gallery wall of gold thrifted frames. I have lots of antique and vintage prints that I would love to frame and display. And then I also discovered peel and stick wallpaper in toile de jouy and I thought what if I added a half wall of the wallpaper and then put up frames? I could do a brown or red wallpaper to go with the floor? I can buy peel and stick moulding so it looks fancy going across the wall?

Is that all a little too much? In the centre of the room I could also add floating shelves or perhaps to keep the holes in the walls to a minimum I could get another bookcase or will that make the space too crowded?

I cant tell you how much better I feel thanks to you all! I am now so invested in making this space my own and so looking forward to writing! Thank you!! I hope you are all having a lovely day!

Check Craigslist and yard sales for nice office furniture that people no longer want. Sitting at a lovely desk is more inspiring than “just any desk”. Same with your storage. Look for armoires and hutches that are practically free.

I’ve worked from home for decades and always appreciated my desk being a lovely antique - as well as my “office closet” which is an armoire with drawers and shelves.

Many times what people want to dispose of is not only inexpensive but a lot nicer than what you would buy from an office store. Worth taking a look. Good luck on your thesis!

Different storage options on the left (Ikea Billy Collection), work space on the right with the filing cabinet. A nice large canvas on the wall when you walk in, something you like and find inspiring... The plan is to scale.

Oh yes, love the curio idea! I would love to find a canvas as well or perhaps an ornate mirror. Thank you!

@Kotlet00 Thanks so much for clarification on space size! Restores my confidence in my focus on details 🤣 So ”office box” space is roughly 9.3’ long X 5.6 ish’ wide & entry into space is 4.8’ long. I like the idea of eye catching decor on the wall space seen as you enter or pass by in hallway? outside this space. Also a runner rug in that hallway of closets. Your cute small vintage desk might be too big to be in center of that 112” wall so it can be seen when looking in to space. Your work desk chair & the storage set up might bang into it. But, you might be able to hang shelving for your teacup collection. The idea of vintage prints is great too. Not sure about the wallpaper peel & stick or not.

Thank you so much! I've moved my little vintage desk to my bedroom! I've affectionately named her Jane, and she brings me a lot of joy, so I am happy to see her every morning! Much better than waking up to a computer monitor and heart palpitations.

I love the idea of a runner! I'll look into that for sure!

A runner is a good idea. I think a canvas would be better for the entrance to the room as the mirror will only reflect an bare wall.

Good point about the mirror and bare wall! Thank you!