Our office looked like this the first time we saw the house.
And this is how it appeared on moving day.
About a week and a half after we moved in, it looks like this.
On one hand, it doesn’t look completely wild — there isn’t, say, a llama sitting on the rug eating popcorn — but it’s clear this room still needs a lot of work before it functions as an office for two working adults. Right now we only have one desk and the furniture is mostly pushed against the walls with a small round rug in the middle, which feels odd and inefficient.
Our long-term plan is to create a double-desk arrangement, likely a floating desk or a peninsula attached to one wall, with plenty of storage and smart organization solutions. A few inspirational images we’ve been looking at include built-ins and a window seat under the bay window, staggered shelving instead of perfectly aligned shelves, glass-fronted cabinets for visual interest, and architectural beams paired with fun lighting and graphic curtains to add character while maximizing storage.
While we’re still brainstorming the exact layout and features, I enjoy taking in the smaller details that already work. For instance, this cozy corner with a chair where Clara likes to read, and a big leafy plant in the low bay window—simple things that make the room feel welcoming.
On the opposite side of the bay window we leaned our large chalkboard, and Clara has already started drawing on it. We like the idea of carving out a few kid-friendly zones in this room while still fitting two functional workspaces for adults.
This room is the brightest space in the house, which makes it perfect for an office and a place for Clara to hang out with us. It was originally a formal living room, but we don’t need both a living room and a family room. We prefer a cozy family room in the back of the house, out of street view where the TV glow won’t be visible, so the bright, somewhat separated front room felt like the best choice for an office.
On the other side of the room is where our current storage and function live. An Ikea bookcase that used to be in our sunroom is now helping replace the built-in cabinetry we lost when we moved. A small filing cabinet houses the printer and files, and it’s still a practical, functional corner even if the room as a whole needs more planning.
I finally organized my books by color, which took about ten minutes and was surprisingly satisfying. I used to worry color-coding would make books harder to find if they weren’t arranged by author or topic, but realistically I never kept them organized by those methods either. Color makes it easy to spot a book when I remember its cover, and it gives the shelf a pleasant, orderly look.
Mixed among the books are file boxes, notebooks, sticky notes, receipt storage, and small desk items like a speaker dock, pencils, and a tiered inbox organizer that corrals printouts and work materials. A small cork board leans against the wall for now — I’m considering framing and hanging it later to better integrate it into our workspace.
There’s charm even in the imperfect moments. Get close enough and you can crop out the chaos and focus on little details that feel sweet and intentional.
My favorite shot so far captures Clara playing in the bay window. The light was harsh and the photo a little crooked, but the moment was perfect.
That close-up detail showed how cropping can hide the rough edges; stepping back reveals more to tackle — more blue trim to repaint, more wallpaper to remove, and old carpeting that needs to go.
It’s an evolving project, but we’ll get there someday.
P.S. Last night we shared our favorite video on Young House Life — it made us laugh out loud. That kid is a gem.