I’ve decided that working in the kitchen is not for me.
I booted myself out of our home office last week so I can decorate and photograph it for the project I posted about here. I used to think I would like a desk area in our kitchen, but it seems like being in the “hub” of the house doesn’t make for a very focused work spot (for me, at least). And, I find myself checking email even more than usual since it’s right there.
Do you have a workspace in your kitchen? Does it work for you?
I am impressed with people who have a desk in the kitchen. We have a extra room that is our office. Our kitchen does have a built in desk but I knew that was not practical so it is now our coffee bar station. That is much more practical for us.
ReplyDeleteNo work space in the kitchen for me, except for the kitchen table. :) How about a source for that super fun rug?
ReplyDeleteSure--It's the black and sand one: http://www.ballarddesigns.com/chevron-stripe-indoor-2foutdoor-rug/rugs/top-sellers/235870?defattrib=&defattribvalue=&listIndex=3
DeleteThanks Emily!
DeleteI completely agree with you! We are in the beginning stages of renovating our kitchen and the "built-in" desk area is the first thing to go! I would rather use my dad's antique rolltop desk in the living room as an office space. Since our actual office is consumed with toys at the moment!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, my only workspace is my dining room table and in bed! I wish I had an office.. and I'd take it anywhere!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your tree! I don't like working in the kitchen either - like you said too tempting to stay on the computer all day!
ReplyDeleteWorking in the kitchen is the only option... (also it's the one space still blocked off by the baby gates.) Pre req's for the next house defintiely include a home office & a man cave. I'll let you figure out who the second request came from :)
ReplyDeleteLove your new pic btw! Beautiful.
Thanks, Kristin :)
DeleteAnd, I do like your little corner office in the kitchen. I'm not sure baby gates would help my situation!
No, I think you are past baby gates ;)
DeleteI have the greatest work space, not sure if it's fortunate or unfortunately that it's right off the kitchen!! I went years (raising kiddos, still in college) before I finally made this room MY space and I just love it!
ReplyDeleteI had a desk built in to our kitchen- It's where I am! The family computer is there, and I really like it for the kids homework. I do all of our household things there. It is really great to be able to look up recipes as well!
ReplyDeleteThe downside? paper clutter.
In my last house that had a kitchen desk area, I found it to be a huge dumping ground for everybody's stuff. Whenever company was coming, I'd do the Tazmanian Devil and throw everything on it in a laundry basket to hide away! Ugh.
ReplyDeleteWe had our work space in our kitchen in our last house. I won't do it again. The original thought was to have the computer (that the kids would be using often) be in full view for Mom and Dad to monitor. However, it felt so chaotic, and I didn't have enough room. I still think a computer should be in a public place, but separate from the kitchen. We have a spot for an office now....still trying to manage house plans and fabric/tile/wood samples + paintings, but it's nice not to be where we're eating! Can't wait to see what you do!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to finally have my own dedicated office space - otherwise I'm a wandering gypsy around the house! Can't wait to see your tree though. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI do work in the kitchen, and unfortunately, the desk is a non stop mess! I'm trying to find a way to make it work without appearing to be such a cluster. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
ReplyDeleteJen
athomeinthenorthwestblog.com
Love your new picture! Very cute!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Alexi :)
DeleteI am lucky enough to have a downstairs guest room/home office. Its nice to have a desk out of the way and a comfy queen size bed that doubles as a staging ground for projects and purchases! :)
ReplyDeleteNO! I hate it! Actually, that's not a strong enough word! It's just a clutter of papers all the time. And the giant bulletin board looks messy. I was hoping you were somehow going to give me tips and wave a wand to make it all better!
ReplyDeleteI have had a small desk in our last two kitchens and have always used them. They work for me since the boys are usually in the great room so I can keep an eye on them. I use it only for blogging, emails, & when I'm hooked on Pinterest. For my actual work I use my office, I need more room and also there are times where I need to be away from the noise & legos. Best of both worlds in my opinion!!
ReplyDeleteI don't work at home, but we do keep our laptop plugged in ALL THE TIME at our kitchen island....and then move for parties, etc. I, too, find that I use it more because it's there.
ReplyDeleteI'm still trying to figure out the best place for my office. I tend to write and work mostly on the couch. But I do like a dedicated work space. I'm thinking of doing an office/dining room combo, sort of like yours. But I also have been known to use the guest bedroom and the kitchen. I just float, I guess. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree. It's a great place for your purse, mail, charging station, etc, but for actually sitting down to work, I prefer a separate desk in another room. Would love to see your solution!
ReplyDeleteI really like the idea of a nook in the kitchen for mail, a quick email being sent from a laptop, etc. but I would never honestly be able to put in a full days work in the kitchen. No way! I would get so distracted.
ReplyDeleteXo-L
simplylowcountry.blogspot.com
We don't have an extra room for a dedicated home office, so we move the laptop back and forth between a desk in the master bedroom and one in the kitchen (and of course, on the couch in front of the tv!). Despite having the same issues as everyone else (clutter magnet, messy memo board, distractions), I still like having a desk area in the kitchen. Ours is off to the side, out of the main kitchen traffic pattern, and it's become the prime homework spot for one of my kids. And when they're all at school and the house is quiet, it is a good place to work. The family computer is in the living room, a little out of the way, but near enough for supervision when the kids are online.
ReplyDeleteWe just booted ourselves out of our old office - it is not going to become the kids playroom. I am also a mom of twins, who are about to crawl, so a totally baby-proofed area with their toys that is gated was important. I just painted a desk that I can now see the TV and the kids play area without moving :)
ReplyDeletehttp://nate-and-megs.blogspot.com/2012/10/desk-after.html
I feel like it's just too loud in kitchen areas, and, unless you have a real desk you can pull up under, it's uncomfortable as well.
ReplyDeleteI have a built in desk in my kitchen. I love it! I'm close to the living room and the computer is out in the open when the kids use it. I have certain times of the day when I get on to check email or read blogs otherwise I'd get sucked in too much.
ReplyDeleteNo I don't have a workspace in the kitchen. But then again, I don't have little children at home anymore.I like having more compartmentally designed rooms. I've never been one to like the idea of a home office in the kitchen, living room or bedroom unless that's the ONLY space available.
ReplyDeleteWe do have a designated office space because with home based businesses the IRS is a lot happier that way ;-) You really can't claim a home office deduction if your laptop gets moved from room to room.
We included a built-in desk in our kitchen when we built our home 32 years ago. I thought we'd pay bills there and the kids (when they came along-they did -three daughters)would do their homework there one day. Not. We rarely used the desk. When we remodeled the kitchen two years ago, I replaced the desk with a cabinet with shelves behind doors underneath. I had a granite top put on it to match the other countertops. I use that area for serving when we entertain. We had bookshelves for cookbooks above the old desk but they always looked so messy. During remodeling, the shell of the bookcases were left but the shelves were replaced with thick glass and a light was added. The shelves now hold my blue and white dish collection. Beautiful. Now that area is used!
ReplyDeleteI do have an office space in the kitchen of our new home but so far all I use it for is to dump reusable shopping bags that I forget to take to the car
ReplyDeleteI would be like you checking e-mail all the time...It would not work for me at least not at this time...But, I do love you desk area in the Kitchen ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe kitchen table seems to become my office most days. I'm homeschooling, so the fact that it's "the hub" of the house, and right off the kitchen, makes for unfocused work, but also helps me be doing 10 things at once. Maybe someday life will be sane enough for me to spend time semi-alone in an office. lol
ReplyDeleteI use the desk space in my kitchen constantly. It is the only way I can get to a computer with three very young children. The biggest challenge is organization, the space has become an endless catchall. However, I love the recent facelift I gave it. The cabinets of the desk area are set out a little from the rest, I painted them with Annie Sullivan Chalk paint and added hardware, looks more like a hutch now, really love it.
ReplyDeleteYeah...bad idea. Mine is in the laundry room. Another bad idea.
ReplyDeleteGreat looking desk! : ) The colors mix in with the white quite nicely. Rearranging the office gives it some new life. This displaces the stale work, and keeps the area organized and clean. It also makes the “work-feel” energized, much like zen in your office.
ReplyDeleteBlake Mitchell
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I can ever commit to an office space in the kitchen. The paperwork is definitely going to be a victim of coffee stains and food scraps endlessly and I reckon more eating would probably be achieved as compared to real solid work. Furthermore, the kitchen is continuously requiring more and more storage space to store both food items and other necessities and having an office space in there will definitely further make that issue a difficult one.
ReplyDelete