Social Distancing and Design.... how interconnected they really are!

In my lifetime I never could have imagined we would all be here today, where we need to think about every person we are in physical contact with, who we saw in the last two weeks and how to keep eachother safe....  scary times!  

I am thankful that I have been working from home since December.  I had been in and out of the city up until last week, when I went for one day to see friends ... thankful I now have the luxury of working from home; yes luxury!

When I made this change I had to re-think the "space" I would be working in, what would make it feel like an office, not just a desk in my dining room. It had to be a place I could feel good in, and look good to fit my home aesthetic.  Not to mention that I would be video chatting more often so people would see it, lol! See my photos of the room I changed to my home office at the end of this post!

For most who now find themselves having to re-think their day, their meals, their space, it is new and not so easy - I first had to deal with the isolation, no other people to laugh with, to talk about projects as they happen, tv shows or just to have social interaction.  

A friend sent me this article;  in the Washington Post that really hit home!  So much of it spoke to what I had to go through when I started to work from home, and now what so many other people will have to deal with... this one statement :

"When a global pandemic shrinks your world, you can’t help but notice its imperfections. The uneven lighting. The ho-hum paint."

BOOM!  The connection back to my world, design and your home and how you need to feel good in your space! They are talking about your space, having to carve out work space at home,  and all the issues you will see now that you spend so much more time at home ... what you notice!

I often talk about inspiration in my posts.... don't let the things you now see become that thorn in your side... because, let's face it, you are spending a lot more time home then you did before and will see things you let slide because it wasn't "in your face".

It is difficult to deal with this Coronavirus (Covid-19), "forcing us" to stay home, to take a look at so many things, (for those of us lucky enough to have jobs where we can work from home), this is just the tip of the iceberg:

• how to structure your workday
• your space
• the need to communicate with your associates, clients, etc.

Nevermind the fact that you are now staring at your four walls and starting to see all of the things you would want to change, fix and improve.

So many people think, " I don't have any idea where to start..."  That is what I hope to help you with here.

On your breaks, (oh, don't forget to take breaks!) look for ideas online, in magazines you didn't have time to read before.  Make a pinterest page with ideas for your office, or any other room that now stands out as needing a fresh look ....

Start to gather your ideas, changes you want to make and consider these small suggestions that might also help to lift you up.... today and tomorrow and in the weeks to come. In a time where we have to give up control of so many things, this is one area that we can feel "in control".. where we can make a difference in how we feel everyday.

Look at what you can do NOW to make you feel like you can affect your space.  

Changing, fixing, improving and the ever so simple .... "re-arranging".  This alone can make a huge difference! 

Here are some suggestions:

• Take down the art in your house and see how you might re-arrange the pieces together, place them in different rooms or create a gallery wall, arranging your favorites, in your most lived in space.
• Look to see if you have any paint in the house, or order paint to pick up ( I know local stores can use all the help they can get to stay in business and would be happy to have it ready for you to pick up curbside) and start with the room you will spend the most time in.
• Move your furniture around for a new layout; take a chair or ottoman and use it in a different room, drape it with a throw.
• Take decorative pillows and throws and use them in new rooms!

New perspective, new day.... Spring is coming and as time passes, hopefully this will too; sooner than later.

For now - be good to each other, to yourself! 

Here is my before and after of my home office 
Everything out and ready for painting - it really was a dining room with a desk. 

Now it is my office,  a space I really feel good about!  I  painted, added new drapes, a desk and bookcase, some decorative items, wall art  and baskets for files. There are still things to do, organizationally and more... so little by little I add a touch here and there, adding the finishing touches that make it feel like "my space"!

**Also loving this desk.. it has a lift top feature!