There are so many things that I love about our new house, but one of my favorites has to be my office. It’s so wonderful to just have a space to retreat to when I need some alone time or to focus. When we were house shopping this kind of space wasn’t even on my list as something I wanted. Those feelings came from wanting to have a smaller, simpler house and not feeling like I needed (or deserved) my own space. Now that I have this space though I never want to be without it!
I have a closet for all of my craft supplies and home decor, plus all of my camera and lighting equipment. My desk is just for me. I can leave my computer and planner out at all times and no one will mess with it or need to move it. I can also stage photos and videos and leave everything out until I’m ready to clean it up! No more setting up and then rushing through so I can have everything put away by naptime. But the absolute BEST part is decorating my office space however I want.
This post was written in collaboration with Decocrated and contains affiliate links. I receive affiliate income for boxes purchased using my affiliate links and codes. Thank you for supporting my blog and sponsors!
Decorating My Office Space
When it came to decorating my office space I knew that I wanted a balance of pretty and functional. My desk is actually Jesse’s old desk that used to be in our bedroom at the old house. It’s the perfect size for me to have a place for writing and planning. The few shelves also provide some storage space and an area for decorations that make me smile. The shelf under the desk have a few cardboard magazine holders that house Mara’s homeschooling books, notebooks and other random papers. The decorative shelf is for plants, my wooden tabletop calendar from Decocrated, candles and photos. The desktop is small, but I don’t need much space for my planner, a notebook and my laptop. I have a small tray that holds my cup of pens and pencils, plus other random knickknacks. I’d love to paint the light wood of the desk either white or a dark color in the future, but that’s definitely a warm weather project.
Office Gallery Wall
I created a gallery wall of my favorite art and quotes over my desk. These are a few of my favorite pieces that I’ve collected over the years. From top left to right: my rose gold sequin Minnie ears from one of my trips to Disney World last year, an abstract print from the Decocrated Spring 2019 box, and a gorgeous Society6 print called Natural Beauty.
I’ve had the Gone With the Wind quote since 2012, it used to be in our bedroom but I like it better for this space. The print of the woman is actually something I won in a giveaway that a friend entered. She tagged me, so we both received prints. The back has a beautifully written paragraph about a woman that pulls her hair back and just creates. Knowing what the piece represents makes it perfect for hanging over my desk. I found the Stop and Smell the Roses canvas at HomeGoods when I redid our old closet and just loved the sentiment and the font.
The little black box is actually from the Laduree in Georgetown. I started saving Laduree boxes after our trip to Paris in 2014 because they are usually so pretty. This one fit in with the gallery wall so well! The WWII era woman putting on lipstick is a postcard from the Churchill museum in London. I actually have a BA in History and took a special interest in studying WWII specifically. Most of my research papers were on women’s involvement in the various Allied nations’ war efforts, so this postcard jumped out at me in the gift shop.
The chalkboard is another Decocrated piece. I stick reminders, cards and pictures of the kids here usually. The last piece of art is actually one of Jesse’s pieces from his year of being an abstract artist. It’s one of my favorites and I feel like it really anchors the gallery. All this wall is missing is something Star Wars or Marvel and a print that says “Everyday I’m Hustlin'” as an ode to my love of 2000’s hip-hop!
Home Decor from Decocrated
I mentioned Decocrated several times in this post about decorating my office space, so let me explain what it is. Decocrated is a seasonal subscription box full of beautiful home decor. Each season a box arrives at my door full of home items ranging from pillow covers and blankets, to art and trays. The box is an amazing value too!
It’s $79.99 (billed quarterly) for a box of 6-9 items to decorate and refresh your home. The code ASHLEYR15 saves you $10 off a subscription! You can also sign up for a full year and save $15. I’ve loved almost all of the pieces that I’ve received and use them year round in my home. Obviously. Decocrated boxes for the current season are now available for pre-order! **Codes and links are affiliate**
I haven’t had my own space since I was in high school. For the past 14 years I’ve shared a room with another person at all times. Now, I have the luxury of having my own room, full of the things that I love and enjoy. I feel relaxed, motivated and inspired when I spend time here. I hope that continues to be the case as I add elements to accommodate guests and experiment with decorating my office space in the future. My office is where I can truly retreat and I’m so lucky that we ended up in a house with an extra room just for me.
