Work with What You’ve Got!

I’ve lived in so many different places. The mildewy basement of a dormitory, the cloak room of an old hotel, and a run-down builder grade ranch, to name a few. The spaces that I’ve called “mine” over the years have varied from nightmare to dream come true. What I’ve learned over the years, is that the difference between whether a home is a place where you want to be or not is what you make of it. I’ve been in 20 million dollar mansions that were cold and stark, and I’ve also been in very humble spaces that were so inviting and inspiring that I didn’t want to leave.

Something about the creative muscle required to beautify these slightly homely spaces, make them among my favorites! So, currently, I find myself living in a beautiful historic townhouse. We pinch ourselves, after all the dumps we have suffered through, that we get to live here. Part of our story is that 2020 we decided to start schooling our kids from home. Our rentable space in the garden level of the house became our school. I suddenly found myself being a teacher/principal.

A seat for a little person to practice their spelling words with me.

This week, I’m doing a reveal of my office. My office is actually the closet of the original service quarters, between the two rooms we use for school. The room is spacious enough, but it is a closet! It has various pipes running through it and the hanging racks remain, but it also has epic original built-in cabinets that are now filled with craft and school supplies.

Though obviously not as grand as the other rooms in our home, I love this space! It’s just for me, so I’ve felt at liberty to make it as girly as I want. My mom, Julie Headland, is an accomplished artist and her gorgeous floral paintings cover every inch of wall space. I also have a huge bulletin for my vision board, and a new gorgeous rug from Anthropologie (thanks hubby). With no windows in here I’ve strung an oversized string of bulb lights over my desk, which creates the perfect mood lighting I want. This space is youthful, and reminds me of all the dorm-esque spaces I’ve lived in. Sometimes I put my yoga mat down, workout, and honestly feel like I’m back in NYC with all the other people living in closets.

Here are my practical take aways:

Lighting is key. Even without windows, I can create a glowing atmosphere through bulb string lights. I hand-painted the string lights for a “La Vie en Rose” effect.
Keep it tidy. Wow, am I learning this lesson. Before you let yourself purchase anything for a space, make sure you have decluttered and cleaned out the space. I hold myself to this standard. When my office is clean, I want to work there and even enjoy paperwork. Decluttered and clean is in itself luxurious.
Keep it simple. Simple elements speak to your greater vision. Even if you can’t do big renovations, adding a few pieces (the coordinating paintings and the small gorgeous rug) will connect you with the mood of your ultimate dream space.
Don’t get discouraged. If you’re not in your dream home, remember you’re on a journey! This is not your final destination. We are all probably going to move again! We can, however, make the most of where we are with faith that we are always going from good to better to best. Try some of these strategies, and let me know if the magic happens!

This speaking tube is right outside my office. It was originally used by the cook to take orders for the residents upstairs! Speaking tubes were not uncommon in Victorian Homes.