Accessories To Liven Up My Workspace
So I've been working away, most of the time very sporadically, on giving my workspace a re-design and new sense of purpose. Very little had changed since I first moved in the furniture 18 months ago and it was becoming a drag to work in. Tired of staring at four bland, utterly uninspiring Magnolia walls (what is it with landlords and that colour?!) I threw down my laptop in a dramatic act of defiance (I didn't really) and vowed to make it the one room in the house I really wanted to spend time in. A place for me.I'm very nearly ready to share it with you now. Last weekend Rob dutifully put up the shelves and I'm spending time slowly rediscovering pieces I already have as well as some of the new to bring the whole look together. Following my recent post, 'Decorating With Plants', and with a healthy population of green friends growing like triffids downstairs, I realised what was missing was the presence of plants to give my workspace a lift-it's pretty boxy and needed some softening. I find the majority of my plants in Homebase-they always have a brilliant selection of succulents (the mini pots are my weakness) and with a few left needing repotting on the kitchen windowsill, I hit the store running. With an impatient one year old in my trolley it had to be a dash and, 30 minutes later, we emerged with a jungle, pots and a few accessories.
Billie the citrus tree (I name my plants you know) has been desperately seeking a bigger pot of her own since I acquired her in the summer and in her new black pot, her "strange fruit" pop vibrantly against the black. Behind her sits one of my favourite floral graphic prints from my 'Artful Walls' Great.ly boutique, by Becky Lord Designs. Earlier in the year she sent me a beautiful selection for my new space and sitting proudly in sleek, white metal frames, I love their splashes of colour. Just a little bit of 'girly' to soften up the bright white.
The fern was a compromise, I'd hoped to find something to trail softly over the edges of the shelves, but in the absence of anything I felt its shape would be perfect in drawing the eye up and giving the room a sense of height. I love how it explodes out its white pot.
Remember these amazing wire cloches I picked up from my local Oxfam? Well, I thought I'd try planting them with some Sedum which is really an outdoor rockery plant, but I think they'll do well hanging in the window and will start to trail out as they grow. I even managed to macrame the twine at the top, I've not done that since primary school!
I'm always on the look out for new and interesting way to house my plants; the pots for the cacti are actually candle holders but I couldn't resist the marbled effect of that soft green, handblown glass. Aren't they beautiful? Using coloured glass votives is a great way to tie in with your colour scheme and add a little of the unexpected. The wooden Taoka box with black graphic print and coral inside is a new home for my tapes and trinkets, as most of the decor in here is black and white, I enjoy that vibrant pop of colour.
Despite taking three months to reach the end of this project, I feel as though I've really accomplished something in this room and over-come the hurdle of renting. I thought I'd be stuck in decor limbo here, but I've changed the things I can, brought in some beautiful decor and the results are amazing. Can't wait for the big reveal!This post is in collaboration with Homebase.