New offices finished

The new offices for the pediatric clinic are finished ...

To really appreciate it, let me remind you what we started with:

The main room was an empty box space when we started and we needed to turn it into a conference room with a small seating area. Unlike the clinic, we were not able to paint the walls in this space, so I used colorful art from Modern Digital Canvas to brighten it up and brought in some inspirational artwork as well.

 

To help the client visualize the design I put together an inspiration board. (We switched out the chairs for different ones then I had previously selected).

There wasn't much space and every inch had to be utilized. This room will be used for parent meetings and workshops. 

The first thing we did was place the furniture and hang the artwork ...

And then I came back in with a new rug and a few accessories to pull it all together (thank you HomeGoods!).

Everyone is happy and all they need are a few fresh flowers and they are all ready for their open house tomorrow.

Office work

It's the end of the month already ... how is that even possible? I am working in my office today catching up on all of those end of the month things.

Ed Ritger Photography via pinterest

{ Home Office of Monika Hibbs of The Doctor's Closet via }

Happy Monday everyone! 

Working from home

Do you work from home? I do. I have a separate office in my home - a space designated just for working. I love it. It is very convenient and thankfully clients are not aware that often when I am working with them on the phone that I am sitting in my pajamas with my dog at my feet. I don't have children at home any longer so distractions are not my problem. Working endlessly is. It is hard to set good work boundaries (ie. normal office hours) when you are working from home. Or that is what I find anyway. It seems I live in this always accessible, always available, always working mode.

So here are a few tips I have read lately that I am going to try to implement into my work routine:
1. Take breaks. Get up and stretch. Go outside for at least 30 minutes everyday (huge health benefits I hear with going outside - including helping with better sleep).
2. Do not work long into the night. Set a regular work routine and stick to it. Get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Really HUGE health benefits on this one and I am not very good with this at all.
3. Be careful with your eyes. I spend HOURS in front of the computer either working on invoices or research (well yeah, and reading blogs, haha). Try the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Like these tips? I found most of them here. There are 30 altogether if you want to read the whole article!
If you have the opposite problem I do and find yourself distracted and have difficulty staying focused here is a great tip for you:
Keep 3 lists of 3: Three things you will get done, three things you would like to get done but aren't essential, and three things that need to get done at some point. That way you stay focused and aren't left with idle time at the end of the day.

I hope my sister who is the illustrator is reading this. She works crazy hours and sleeps very little. And today is her birthday. So I hope she will take heed and go outside for a while today! 

Did you love all these home office images? I found them all on pinterest here but they are all from Morgan's PepperDesignBlog originally. Check it out - it is a great blog and Morgan will surely inspire you - take a look at her chevron napkin DIY project -wow!
Okay people. It's Monday. Now get back to work! :D
Happy Birthday Deb!

image

Telling time

I tried to find a way to download a large clock screensaver for my computer yesterday. I searched and searched and never found what I was looking for.

And then tonight while I was searching for images with black painted walls I found not only this amazing office  (it belongs to Alaina Kaczmarski who writes the blog, Live Creating Yourself. She has a beautiful home - well worth checking out) ...

... but also the download for the clock. (I seriously searched forever yesterday ... and then when I wasn't even looking...) Ah! The beauty of the internet. Thank you pinterest. Thank you Twig & Thistle. You can download your own clock screensaver here. It's free!

I originally saw the clock in Jen Ramos' office. You know, Made By Girl ...

Made By Girl

I'm so happy to have my own ...

Also, I got an email confirmation today for a purchase I made yesterday (a surprise present for my daughter) and this was at the bottom of the email (so lovely!) ... I will leave you with these words:

"The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do." -Sarah Ban Breathnach

Office work

`

Emily Henderson

I've been spending a lot of time at my desk lately. Between 3 projects in the middle of major construction, various other small projects, reading blogs ;.) the new wedding biz, keeping up with invoicing, tax records and emails, I can spend hours and hours in front of the computer. 

Victoria's office via Apartment Therapy

Most of my hours at my desk are at night. 

Late. 

Sometimes very late. 

And my chair had this squeek to it every time I moved. And it wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world. And it was brown. Not that brown is bad. But it isn't white. Oh, how much I wished it was white.

This is the chair where I spent hours and hours working late at night

Last week, as I walked through Staples to pick up a 2012 calendar (weddings are booking up!) I spotted a white leather chair. It is not the one I have been coveting (sleeker and much more expensive) but it was very comfortable. And the price was right. And I had a coupon.

My ultimate chair - Charles Eames ribbed white leather office chair

The instructions said "easy". Which sounded great because I am tired of complicated instructions with drawings that take a rocket scientist to comprehend. And they were. Just three easy steps.

Now you know where I spend most of my nights (this exciting life that I lead!). 

The brown chair with the squeak has a new home. 

Next door in my husband's office. 

It looks great with his white desk :)