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This is my sad, sad, home office. The cabinet is too small for that wall, and I hate the little shelves of crap that sit beside it, all of it seems too small. I love the cabinet because I am not a neat person and this hides my computer, printer and paperwork and it has to sit behind the desk, which is centered in the room. The wall opposite the desk (not shown) is a wall of glass-door bookshelves from IKEA. With all the bookshelves in the room already it seems redundant to add extra book shelves to either side of the cabinet to give it more 'weight' but I don't have any other ideas. Ballard is having a sale and I thought I would pick up something from the outlet, maybe http://www.ballarddesigns.com/...ture/bookcases/10383 or http://www.ballarddesigns.com/...ture/bookcases/11779 or even http://www.ballarddesigns.com/...ture/bookcases/12035. Any ideas you have would be SO appreciated! Thanks!

Hmmm...It seems a little cluttered...

I love the Ikea chairs though...

Side note...what is the name of the gray paint color?

Sorry I wasn't much help.

Sorry, can't find the paint color, I'll ask my husband when he gets home. Yes, it's cluttered, maybe also why I hate it. The computer tower is ugly, the extra printer on top needs a new home, I think maybe extra shelving to either side might be the answer. Thanks for your thoughts!

Does your chair have rollers, if it does then why does the cabinet have to exactly behind the desk, can't you just roll a few feet more?
Here's my idea without seeing the other side of the room.
Actually what I really wish is to be there because I could make this room a freaken knock out with what you already have.
Take everything but the clock off the wall, move your cabinet about two feet to the right, keep your desk centered and put the rug in front of it and the two chairs sorta on the rug facing the desk. Put your swing arm lamp between the two chairs.
I can't really see what is stacked in the corner but if you could get a better pic of it...Put your floor lamp either right by your desk on the left side or on the other side of the clock. Trash the fake flowers.
Some of your pics from the wall stuff that I asked you to take down...two on the desk one on the table between those cool chairs. I'd like to see that table by the window but I'd probably leave it there. Add a plant.
Straighten that crap up on your desk.
In that corner where the picture is could you put something to hold your printer and computer stuff and take all that stuff off the cabinet.
If you ever paint again do something warmer, it's to cool for your woods.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: CER,

I had to change a couple of suggestions because I had my right and left mixed up if you have read that.

Hmmm, I'd actually advise moving the cabinet to the left (as you are facing it), basically centering it on the wall (I actually think that's what Cindy means). Maybe move your desk so it's more centered in the room also as it seems quite close to the French doors.

However, the first thing I think you should do is declutter. When I don't like an area in my house it's almost always because I've allowed it to get cluttered up and clearing away unnecessary stuff always helps. Remove everything from the top of the cabinet and everything except the clock and that large picture from the walls. Little wall shelves with small things on them always look like clutter, not decoration. Ditto the small stuff on the half round table, in fact if you move the cabinet you might find another place for that.

Once the space above the cabinet is empty you might find one piece of artwork that's long and narrow for above it - maybe about 2.5'x5.5' or as long as the cabinet to almost fill the space there.

What's on that hidden wall across from the desk? Is there space there for the 2 chairs and table? Maybe switch them out with what's there now if possible because if you move the desk there won't be much space for the seating area where it now is.

Get a larger area rug that extends out from the front of the desk. It's just another factor in the clutter when it splits the room like it now does.

Really not sure what your color scheme is but IMO it needs more interest from color, pattern, or texture. I agree the wall color is too cool and too pale.

More bookshelves would help with the clutter but I think there's already too much furniture in the room. More furniture should have doors to hide the stuff. Are there items in the cabinet and that other cabinet under the picture that don't need to be there? Clear out anything that you don't need. Better not to see the tower, printer, etc., etc. I know it's an office but even offices look better with the electronics hidden.

I think a few changes will make a lot of difference in how you feel about this room - it has so much potential.

Last thought - replace your PC with a Mac and you won't need a tower!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: joyluck,

I like all the big peices in there...I agree with CER get rid of all the small stuff on the wall except the clock. That little table underneath with the flowers doesn't really look like it serves any purpose..I'd take that out too. Find something for your printer/tower unless it would fit inside that cabinet.

Otherall I think your office looks good,except all the small cluttery stuff and just straighten up the desktop. I think you may like your space with just a few tweaks.

Joyluck could be correct by saying move your large cabinet to the left off center. I'd then put what ever print you have on that corner wall on the right side of that cabinet. I'd keep the table by the window though, it's purpose would just be pretty. Now do what I tell you to do!

wow, awesome, great ideas thanks. In answer to some of your questions...

In the far corner beside the french doors (under the picture) is a really nice two drawer wood file cabinet that I got for a steal at the Ballard outlet. It has my 'good' printer on top of it (I am a photographer).

Agree, moving the tower and cleaning up the top of the cabinet would be a plus.

I am attaching a few more pictures. I tried putting the two cream colored chairs across from the desk as CER suggested but there really isn't enough room, they look cramped.

Agree that there seems to be too much stuff in the room already!

Thanks all for the help, this is great.

The 'other' wall...

The mystery corner...I LOVE that a-frame lamp.

I see why they would be cramped. I imagined your space a bit deeper.
Let go of one of the chairs, put it someplace else in your home. Now let me look around at your pics again.

get the green one out of there also...ok wait

your print is wasted in that corner, it looks cool, almost like a tapestry sorta thing. Needs to take up space where it can be seen...like to the right of the dresser that your still going to off center left.

agreed. It's a great picture, actually a guilded leather shadow puppet from Indonesia. Does the a-frame lamp stay where it is?

put one of your white chairs infront of the desk angled toward the opening of the room. Still use that swing arm lamp beside it...it looks to have a little table.
You can also get rid of that floor lamp over there by the green chair. And I'd still put the rug in front of the desk.

cool floor lamp goes in the spot left over from the green chair that you just took someplace else.

don't smash the cool floor lamp against the wall though, bring out a bit.

forgot about that floor lamp. That was it's 'storage' space lol so it can go. The 'table' in front of che cream chair is a footstool.

personally I love the low table over there by the windows.

ok I'm done making my demands.

I love demands. Is this what you had in mind for that corner?

I can't move the cabinet yet, it's too heavy. Plus I want dh to see if he can stash the computer tower which means unhooking everything.

so this is where I"m at. Definitely an improvement.

Ok, if you MUST have both chairs in there...it's looking very good...now get that rug in front of the dang desk. and can you put the other chair in front of the desk angled toward the door? Not enough room?

I agree about the rug but can't move it yet without another set of hands. Also then we will have to get something to protect the floor from the rolling office chair (or get a bigger rug?).

Not enough room for chair in front of desk, but that's okay because I put it back where it was, flanking the other one and like the feel of that. So all that's left in that corner is the a-frame lamp...Idea: what if I pushed desk and cabinet to the RIGHT, opening up the 'sitting' area in front of the windows? Indonesian framed puppet could go to the left of the cabinet beside the clock..clock might have to move to the right of the cabinet instead...thoughts? Wish I could do this right now...

Quick and dirty photoshop of what I was thinking in my previous post...

No one has mentioned this,so maybe it won't work. Turn your desk into an L shape with your armour....you would be facing the windows when seated at the desk and you should still have room for your sitting area in front of the windows/desk.

I know you have gotten a lot of advice, which I didn't read through. Just wanted to say that I LOVE the desk, and the armoire and the glass front cabinet. LOVE those items. LOVE LOVE LOVE. LOVE.

The pair of white chairs might be too modern, and too large scale for the room.

You might want to get a more stylish desk chair that goes with the desk style wise.

The more you declutter the better it will be. Don't be afraid the have empty spaces on your walls.

Just another thought for you...

Move the file cabinet with the printer and put right next to the armoire. Looks like there is room for it on left. (Electric plug is there too for it).

You can even bring the tower down and put on floor. There are roller units for towers. Something like this.

cpu holder

Hang the clock over the printer. The red pic might work better on the left of the bookcase. I don't like it hanging up "higher" than top of armoire. It's distracting imho. Like the angle-shelf lamp moved to that corner. Perhaps a different shade for it; shorter and burlap? Also it should be centered on that wall space. Looks a little squished for space with the leg sticking out.

Good Luck!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Beau's Rose,

Alpha is probably sore and tired from all the moving around. Anymore suggestion her head my start spinning.

Alpha if you need the rug there to protect the wood try turning it length wise under the table so some sticks out on this side.

u guys are awesome, thanks for all the feedback.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) the desk and cabinet are too heavy for me to move, thus not so sore - inspired!

Thanks, CER, for the concern but head still firmly attached. Well, as much as it ever was :-)