A few months ago, we bought a new desk for my husband. Only once we got it home, he didn’t like it. But it had so much storage with bookcases
and a file drawer. Though I loved my white desk, the keyboard tray was too small to hold my my keyboard and my mouse. So I gave up my old desk and claimed my husband’s reject. For once, I could stay organized. But pretty soon, I realized I couldn’t write.
Since editing is a large part of my life these days, I’ve learned I don’t want to sit at my desk while I edit. I bought a comfy couch and a rolling laptop stand for editing purposes. This works great, but if I write on the couch, my neck and shoulders hurt. More and more, I ended up writing on the couch until I finally had to figure out why. Though I love my new organized desk with all the storage, it’s dark and forces me to face the wall. Slowly I realized, I’d need a new desk.
Since our purchases come largely from flea markets and Facebook Marketplace, it’s easy to swap out furnishings. But I didn’t want to give up the new desk, I just didn’t want to write at it. The solution arrived when I spotted a French Provencial cutie advertised at a Flea Market. This desk is so me and it just happened to be my birthday. So I kept my big, wood wall unit for organizing, but I write at my new desk. French Provincial is one of my favorite styles. I think it reminds me of my cousin’s bedroom suite when we were kids. Who knew, it would be sought after over 40 years later.
It’s beside the window, so I can look out and watch the birds. I put a separate chair at my storage desk with access to my laptop. The
problem was my blue, wooden couch was too long. My solution, I sold it and bought a wicker loveseat with a hide a bed I found online. I didn’t even know there was such a thing, but it’s so perfect. I love wicker and we can always use a guest bed. It’s comfy and functional. At the moment the cushions are flowered and my curtain topper is seashells, but I ordered slipcovers already.
The good news, I wrote two chapters of my new proposal at the new desk last week. It’s not dark and it’s facing the wall, but I can still see out the window, so my fingers flew. And my neck and shoulders didn’t hurt. I never knew desk arrangement could make or break me.
In the meantime, remember when I sewed the new bedspread and curtain toppers, but then I didn’t like my old curtains anymore? I finally got some new ones, so here’s the before and after. And I finally got caught up on everything enough to have time to do a new puzzle. I bought this
one several months ago.
So when you rearrange, does it mess up your productivity? When you repaint or get a new bedspread, do you end up changing out your curtains too? All comments will go in the drawing for a copy of Hill Country Redemption. Deadline: Sept 2nd.
And don’t forget to enter our Back to School giveaway with books and prizes galore: https://www.inspyromance.com/introducing-the-2021-back-to-school-giveaway/
Award winning author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter writes contemporary Christian cowboy romance and has over a dozen published titles. A romance reader since her teens, she hopes to entertain Christian women and plant seeds in the non-believer’s heart as she demonstrates that love doesn’t conquer all—Jesus does. She gleans fodder for her fiction in rural Arkansas where she spent her teenage summers working the concession stand with her rodeo announcing dad and married a Texan who morphed into a pastor. In her spare time, she loves hanging out with her husband and son, flea marketing, and doing craft projects.
I like your desk as I am a fan of French Provincial furniture too. I did buy a new comforter and than I had to get new curtains which took a long time to find. My comforter is blue and brown and I had a really hard time finding the right shade of brown. I never thought that would be a problem.
We don’t switch furniture and decor often, but when we do it almost always sets off a chain effect of wanting to change other things as well.
I do not do a lot of rearranging….like never, lol. But I was forced into making a huge change last July when we closed our office and all moved home to work… permanently! Lucky for me I had a nice library room and only needed to move a small table and chair to make room for a desk facing the window!
Usually rearranging or adding a piece of furniture doesn’t lead to me wanting to redecorate or change other things. Although, I am amazed at the difference small changes can make sometimes. I’m glad you have a solution that works well for you.
I honestly don’t do much re-arranging. Or, I should say, we never used to! However, since Mom’s passing, I’ve moved my bedroom furniture (after re-painting the master bedroom and bath) to the master bedroom and bath. Mom told me that HAD to be my room when she passed. I’m still working on figuring out how to set up the office/craft room that’s my old bedroom. Once I get it figured out and re-painted, I’m going to re-arrange the furniture in the spare bedroom, which really means moving the loveseat out and into the living room, and putting a double bed in the “new” guest room. Then, I have two pieces of furniture to get out of the living room, and it’ll be set! One piece will go totally out of the house, and I’m either keeping the other or it’ll be leaving, too!
Great pictures! Yes, I like for the bedspread and curtains to have the same color/colors.
I don’t think I’ve rearranged my working space enough times to see if it truly messes up with my productivity, but I’d be willing to try out the “facing a window” option to see if that improves it :)
Your desk looks so cute! Also I understand the struggle of finding the right place to work, I am constantly having to move and organize my things in order to find the perfect spot
Your desk is so neat. Mine is a constant mess.
I wonder how much my cousins bedroom suite would be worth now, Lori. She had twin bed frames, the dresser with mirror, and a night stand. Besides the desk, I have a French Provincial dresser, two night stands, a coffee table, and two end tables.
That’s funny, you’d think brown would be brown. But it’s not and gray definitely isn’t gray. I actually hung my old taupe curtains behind my new ivory ones in the bedroom. Even though the new ones say black out, they’re not. The taupe ones did the trick, so I doubled up. I like a dark bedroom.
You’re probably smart in not changing things out, Melynda. That way no chain reaction happens.
My mom never rearranges, Paula. I think maybe that’s why I do. And I have matching issues OCD. Everything has to match and be balanced. This flowered couch and seashell curtain topper might drive me buggy before my solid colored slipcovers arrive on Sept 4th. I may have to take the curtain toppers down before then.
That’s handy that you had a good place to set up your office. I’d love to have a library.
I’m always amazed at how much difference paint can make, Jessica. It seems like the only time I don’t do a bunch of changing is when I paint, as long as I match the paint to everything I already have.
Wow Trudy, that’s a lot of rearranging. I’m sorry about your Mom, but I’m glad she wanted things nice for you with her gone. You’ll enjoy your office/craft room.
Though it’s kind of exhausting and I always strain my back, I like the end result of rearranging. I so totally love my new desk and couch and I love being by the window. Before the wooden couch, I had a wicker daybed, which I loved. But it took up too much space in my office. With the couch, I’ve got my wicker back, but it doesn’t take up so much room and it’s much more me than the wooden couch. I may be more productive than ever before with this arrangement.
I don’t know how I ended up with those taupe curtains, Susanne. They really didn’t even go with the old bedspread I had. I think my husband liked them and they blocked out a lot of light. The new ivory curtains don’t block enough light, but I hung the taupe ones behind them, so it’s nice and dark. Back when our son was a baby and I often slept when he did, I learned to like a dark bedroom good for sleeping any time of day.
I thought it might be distracting to face the window, Priscila. But it’s not. When I get stuck or just finish a scene and contemplate what needs to happen next, I watch the birds for a bit.
Thanks Angeline. I really love it. And you make me feel good that I’m not alone.
Ha ha, Merrillee. I cleaned it off for the pictures. But since I have a work desk and a storage desk now, I try to keep my workspace neat.
We bought a house and moved a year ago. We have re arranged because of that. And have added a few small tables . And goody for me more bookshelves! This place needs new paint. It is kind of dark inside.
We are still looking for a curio cabinet and china hutch. And til we get them, pictures on the walls are on hold.
Love how you can adapt! Love the desk.
Paint is definiteky a game changer. I painted a room last year taking it from a sage-y green to a beachy aqua and it is day and night. It always interests too how paint can affect how you feel in a space.
Hi, Shannon! We haven’t rearranged our living spaces in a long time. I have, though, redone the computer room a couple of times to accommodate new equipment and such. Even with the changes, everything winds up going to pot, lol. A while back, we had to empty out a storage unit and bring everything back home. We are still living in that wave of chaos!
We still have the same white curtains that we got when we did the major decorating just after we got married. Some of the smaller windows have blinds that are color coordinated with the room but those, too, have been there for ages. The only thing that seems to change is the amount of stuff we try to shoehorn into our little townhouse. (Sigh)
I love the pictures of the changes. I agree that that large unit is very dark for your decor. Even if you keep using it for organizing, maybe a paint job to a lighter color would lift your spirits even more.
Glad you found a happy place for writing. Here’s to more to come!
I like redecorating too. I usually start with paint or changing the curtains and then go from there, sometimes I only change one or two things and other times I find other things need changing after I’ve just made the one change.
I rarely rearrange, but when I do I find it invigorating.
Hey Paula, check out flea markets and Facebook Marketplace for your curio cabinet and china hutch. They’re usually a steal of a deal and good quality furniture like they used to make. More bookshelves are always a good thing :)
Sounds like you have the same problem we do, Lincoln. Too much furniture and not enough space. I have thought about painting the wall desk. But I can’t bring myself to do it. It’s a nice piece and solid wood. And I keep hoping my husband will change his mind. I don’t know why he can’t see it’s the perfect desk for him :) He likes a wider space to sit. But I can see all his Bible helps and commentaries lined up along the length of it. I’m good with the way it is though. Light on one side of the room and dark on the other. It’s a nice contrast and less mismatched than it was.
You sound like me, Megan. I start with one thing. But then everything seems to look old and faded. I’ve got scuffs on the walls and nail holes to fill. Again.
Me too, Mary. I feel like I can write a dozen books now before the year is up.
I love beach aqua. And sage. If it’s light greenish blue, I like it.
I think if I rearrange things it gives me motivation because everything looks fresh & new and energizes me. Which I don’t rearrange very often in the first place :-) I also think if I were to change paint or bedspreads or whatnot, I would probably want to match other things to it.
We moved in our house a little over four years ago & loved the interior paint. It’s a very light neutral color so you can pretty much add any color to your decor or furniture to go with it. Which was one of the “perks” in purchasing the house we did.
Hi, both your desks are beautiful, and so are your curtains. Whenever I change my bedspread, I get matching curtains to go with it, I also love to change curtains in our living room pretty often. Your book sounds like a great read and I love your book cover , it is beautiful!
I like to rearrange when I can to help with creativity. I’ve changed curtains and bedding a few times. I try to keep the curtains somewhat neutral so I don’t have to do it as often.
When I rearrange things I always get better motivation to do the things on my to do list.
We very rarely rearrange anything in our house but when we do it doesn’t make us want to change everything like if it’s a bed spread then just for the bed nothing else.
I like never change anything unless needed.
White and light furniture seems to motivate me, Trixi. And window gazing. The living area of our house is neutral. But the bedrooms, bathrooms, and office area aren’t neutral. I did choose colors I really love and don’t get tired of and that easy to match.
Thanks Alicia. I’ve sewn all the curtain toppers in our house. I can do curtains too, but the only room we have them in anymore is in the bedroom. Everywhere else is toppers and blinds. I like black out curtains in the bedroom, so I buy those. Thanks on the book. I’ve been pretty pleased with my covers.
Hey Denise, I’m glad I’m not the only one. I like neutral curtains too. That way I can change bedspreads and toppers and not worry about curtains.
Me too, Abigail. I’ve gotten so much done since I rearranged and got the new furniture.
I wish I could be like you, Amy. It’s a lot of trouble to rearrange and change stuff out. That hideabed weighs a ton. My husband has such a way with words. He said it’s heavier than sin.
I think even if I didn’t want to change things, my husband would, Sylvain. He’s always wanting to rearrange our great room.
Let there be light!! I have to sit where I can see out the windows!! Creativity stalls in a dark place!!
Glad you were able to finally get everything to your liking, and it’s so important for your posture for your body to be in good alignment.
I rent so don’t have much say in the colours of walls. I do like the colours here. I had some curtains in my old bedroom which don’t go with the room this time but had some from the spare room which go well in my room. I got a new bed so had to get a new quilt and its a blue with flowers. Most of the other furniture doesn’t match that well. but I do rearrange things at times. I like your new desk. I also don’t have transport so a bit hard to pick things up from FB or garage sales.
I definitely understand being more productive by a window and in a lighter area. How lucky you are that you can find and switch out furniture so easily!
I love the gumtree/harbour views from my living room window (walls don’t equate to productivity for me). Unfortunately the large windows mean boiling hot/freezing cold for placing a desk there, it’s a work in progress. The bedroom, mmm when I find the other cream curtain it will replace the navy blue fitted sheet, which ironically does complement the blue sheets/blankets, lol!
Agreed Margaret. When I’m writing, I sit at my desk for my posture. But when I’m editing, it’s mostly reading, then making comments with one hand, so I like sitting on my cozy couch for that. I have a rolling laptop stand for editing, but it doesn’t work for writing.
I have two comforters with matching toppers that I made, Ausjenny. The walls in our bedroom match both, so I change them out back and forth. I’m always thankful I have a willing husband and pickup truck to back up my whims. Luckily, he likes to rearrange and change things out. But even if he didn’t, he’s really good to do whatever I want with the house. I’m thankful for him.
I usually end up not spending extra money, She S. Usually I sell something, then find something new for the price I sold for. Or sometimes less. I’ve made a few deals where I got things cheaper than I sold them for. So I might even be ahead a bit.
I have a vent right beside the desk under the window, Dianne. And we also got a new AC unit about five years ago. It actually gets so cold, I put a vent diverter where the air hits the wall instead of my feet. It works really good because it hits the wall and then comes up behind the wicker couch, so if you’re sitting there it’s nice and cool. I’d rather have my couch facing the window instead of in front of it. But I usually sit sideways on it with a pillow on the arm and I can see out that way. We have a really big tree in the back yard too that provides a lot of shade.
Pretty puzzle.
Thank you, Lucy. I love the church and stain glass windows.
That’s a good idea, will investigate for here. Thanks :)
My dad just installed new flooring throughout the bottom of my house. Well, that led to repainting the new half bath and, while we are repainting the half bath and stuff is off the walls why not add a new mirror and lighting fixture? I’m thankful and blessed he is able to do and install all of that. Necessary and needed? No. A nice change after 11 years? yes!
Yep! The color scheme should match 😁
We’re do it yourselfers too, Jessica. We probably wouldn’t do as much if we weren’t. It always seems like one improvement makes everything else look faded. I think we’re done with our house except I want to repaint the bathroom. The aqua I painted it is too bright. I have a more muted shade already bought.
I’m glad I’m not the only one with matching issues, Natalya. It’s truly a OCD thing with me. Years ago, a lady at church brought two silk trees and put them on each side of the stage. One was a foot taller and had yellow flecks. The other had white flecks. I sat for 2 Sundays incapable of hearing the sermon, thinking about snipping a foot off one and adding white flecks to and yellow to the other to make them match. The next Sunday, I moved one to the back of the church.
Since I became handicapped, I cannot say much about productivity. We painted last year. We replaced the curtains in our room because they were dry rotting. They were about 30 years old. We did not change the bedspread. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you.
I’d say you’re exempt from productivity, Debra. I had some curtains like that. I finally retired them a few years ago. I loved them because they were a pretty color and they had the heavy insulated backing. But they finally had to go. God bless you too?