Curating Your Perfect Workspace
We always see those dream workspaces over on Pinterest, and while some are more attainable than others, some just flat out aren’t. I used IKEA tables my entire life and the lack of quality was definitely noticeable. They scratched up, the drawers drooped, and they caved in the center due to “heavy” computers. As someone in my mid/late 20s, I definitely wanted to start collecting better quality furniture pieces. When I moved out I decided that I would splurge and treat myself to the desk I'd been eyeing for a few years.
When I moved home from college, I quickly sold the desk that I had used to another student. I came home to my old desk from middle school/high school which was a large conference room style glass table. In short - it was hideous and I hated it. My boyfriend convinced me to just pick up another cheap Ikea styled desk and we sifted through the "As-Is" section and found a nice white table top for $5 - steeeeal. We bought a pair of legs for the base and that was that - a quick desk under $15. I used that one for the last few years since I moved home but it was a tad small and it quickly drooped under the weight of my computer. So when I moved out, I took it upon myself to buy myself a nice quality desk.
For the last few years I've been eyeing up desks from West Elm and was debating between the two mid-century modern desks from West Elm: the mini desk & regular desk. In the end I decided to go with the larger full-size one. One reason in particular is that Kate from Kate La Vie recently got this desk and in a little work space tour she mentioned how the side drawer was the perfect size to store her camera and all its gear. As I was trying to figure out where I'd store all my gear in my new space, I thought this was the perfect solution. I could easily make one of the drawers my tech gear drawer! In addition, I had wanted a desk with drawers to help cut down on the amount of clutter that sat on top of my desk. While I still have a few things sitting on top, it's still vastly less cluttered than my old desk used to be. It's mostly just a few books I'm reading, some little skincare goodies that I'm using, and a plethora of candles and plants.
Never underestimate the power of a good work space. When I moved home from college I said I wouldn’t need a work space - I figured I didn’t have homework anymore and almost always did my internet browsing on my laptop in my bed. But then I started working from home and then started up this blog - and a functional work space was more than necessary. As with purchasing any furniture, it’s good to take your time to add pieces in. Find what you truly love and what you know will stick around for a while. If you want something temporarily or purely for aesthetics, go with a cheaper alternative as you won’t feel bad about replacing it or letting it go later on. I've been in the works of finding myself a good desk lamp and think I've found the one. I’ve had a few desk lamps previously that were purely for function and a bit of an eye sore, so I had been searching for one that ticks both of my boxes in function and aesthetics. I wanted a simple yet stylish one and ended up choosing this Minimal Task Lamp when Anthropologie was having a sale. I've had it for a short while now and just picked up a lightbulb - I fear I got the wrong wattage even though I checked the maximum on the lamp / bulb. It started smelling like melting plastic (terrible) so I had to shut it off. I'm on the search for another bulb but I think I may need to return it. If so, I think this little beauty from West Elm is next on my list.
I’m also on the search for a good work desk chair. I’m contemplating on getting one of the Eames styled shell chairs, but I’m not sure how comfy those would be after a few hours of sitting. I do see tons of those chairs styled with a pillow / blanket to add a little plushness to it - so that's also a possibility. I'm also super interested in these mid-century styled chairs from West Elm (I'm clearly a huge fan of West Elm), but just can't justify the cost right now. However, I just decided to use my old chair until I find the perfect one for me.
I've had the desk for about 2 months now and am loving it. It's big enough to keep little trinkets on top without feeling or looking overly cluttered. On the left side of my desk closest to the window I have my baby Monstera leaves (that are splitting and growing!) and a baby succulent. On the right side I have my notebooks, planner, bullet journal, and mini Muji drawers that house some quick to reach items. I have a few candles sitting atop my desk, partially for aesthetics and partially to give off a beautiful scent (hello, Diptyque Roses & Overose Indasmin). I also love having a desk with drawers again as it means I can tuck away my pens and little knick knacks. It definitely helps everything look neater and allows me to keep my space tidier. I have two wire grids that sit on top of my desk that I picked up from Daiso (Japanese dollar store) and I love that I can feature fun postcards, prints, and photos on it. I also have my mini Rifle Paper Co calendar that I hang off it too! I'm gonna miss this floral one because it is absolutely beautiful! I picked up another 'Maps of the World' calendar as the city sketches by Anna Bond are my absolute favorite. It's a tad bigger than my current one so I think I'll need to just hang it directly on the wall.
I'm planning on doing a mini desk tour once I have everything better situated. If there's anything you'd like to know / see in particular, please let me know!
What are your favorite staples to curating your perfect work space?
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Also! I plan on doing Blogmas this year which means I'll be posting every single day up until Christmas! It won't necessarily be Christmas content, but I figured since I haven't posted a ton this year it'd be perfect to catch up on posts and publish content out. If you have any posts you'd like to see in particular, please let me know below as well :) I'll be putting up some gift guides in the next week or two so keep your eyes peeled for those too.
