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27th April 2017

Interiors inspiration: Home Study

Life - By Alexandra Stedman

Image via Pinterest

Building work for our home study will commence at the end of the month (fingers crossed), and it couldn’t come at a better time.

We’ve been eating, relaxing, working and living all in the same room for a few months now. It has been fine and totally manageable but this year I made a conscious decision to work from home more to reclaim my work/life balance. I miss having a ‘work’ room, which I can separate from ‘me’ time.

Image via Pinterest

The room we’re going to use is what I currently call the ‘dungeon’. A warren behind the stairs with a dim corridor leading to a galley kitchen and a shoddy ‘lean-to’ with uneven flooring. We’re hoping to knock down the lean-to (as it’s already leaking and causing problems), and reclaim the outside space. Whilst allowing more light into the room with a large window at the back (the only light is currently a small window into the alleyway).

At the moment it’s still all just a thought process but there are a few things we have contemplated as our criteria:

Desk space that allows for 2 people

Enough plugs for computers/lamps etc without using extension cords

Extensive storage space for our work equipment

Plugs with USB sockets 

Natural light for photos

Keep existing features where possible – picture rail, skirting boards etc

Instagrammable (!)

Coffee table and chairs for an ‘ideas’ area

The ideas area is something I’ve wanted for a while, to make it a more creative space rather than just a desk. The digital world is one that moves that so fast. if you don’t take time to stop and reflect occasionally, it can get on top of you. Plus I like the idea that I can get up and move around, not chained to a desk.

The colour palette will be the usual – neutral with a hint of dark. I love the idea of wood panelling too with cupboards across one wall. The boiler has been installed in this room (it needed to be on an external wall) so this will be incorporated into the cupboards somehow.

Parquet Flooring

And I think we’re going to go with parquet flooring – obviously none of our rooms are as big as these, so we’ll have to manage expectations somewhat, as well!

Also bearing in mind that this will be potentially our ‘forever’ home, so we don’t want to scrimp too much – but still save where we can!

Image via Pinterest

I’ll keep you up to date on Instagram Stories, of course, but meanwhile here is what we’re looking at for the room:

1. Metal trestle legs: £60, Habitat (great for sourcing your own worktop)

2. Brass lamp: £125, French Connection

3. Rug: £155, French Connection

4. Marble table: £169, La Redoute

5. Typography print (you can choose the year): £29, Atelier Big Jon

6. Lamp: £29, Ikea

7. Black USB plug socket: £13.59, Amazon

8. Chair: £225, Ikea (there is actually one I prefer for £150 here but no cut-out imagery)

9. Aurelie Lecuyer NY print: £58, Tea & Kate

10. Eucalyptus and lavender candle: £12, Ohros (hand poured in Hackney and if you recycle the jars, you get 10% off your next order)

By Alexandra Stedman

Fashion Editor, Blogger, Realist

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Comments

  1. Shloka says

    27th April 2017 at 2:20 pm

    Omg this sounds so amazing already and all your pins are giving me so much inspiration! I am waiting till I have my own study!

    Reply
  2. Danish Pastry says

    27th April 2017 at 7:00 pm

    Love your inspiration images. The angelpoise lamp in one of those pics is one of my must haves – works well as a bedside lamp too.

    Reply
  3. Lucy says

    28th April 2017 at 6:56 am

    I have the French Connection Brass lamps and the La Redoute marble tables in one of my bedrooms. They both look great but the tables are much smaller than I expected before they arrived (they’re full with the lamp and a book on them). It’s also anonyingly hard to angle the lamps because the only bend at one point. Just small things that I wish I’d known before I’d bought them, but they do look fantastic!

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      28th April 2017 at 4:40 pm

      Oh good to know – the table will probably just got next to a chair for occasional use so think it’ll be alright x

      Reply
  4. Jovita says

    28th April 2017 at 9:53 am

    I love these images! It reflects to your style that you have at home and I love it a lot! After seeing your bathroom I was like..omg I need to do something similar to mine 🙂

    Jovita from Black Vanilla
    http://www.b-vanilla.com

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      28th April 2017 at 4:41 pm

      Thank you…..sometimes I think I need to do something different to grey but then i think ‘but I like it’!

      Reply
  5. Claire says

    29th April 2017 at 7:04 pm

    I have just converted a leaky lean-to into part of our kitchen. I can highly recommend a roof lantern bring light into your ideas area. It’s an apex/prism shaped window in the roof. Our kitchen is now a warm and sociable space to be enjoyed. Not a dingy galley just for cooking!

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      1st May 2017 at 12:59 pm

      Great idea, think we will definitely do this in our kitchen!!

      Reply
  6. Jo says

    9th May 2017 at 10:29 am

    Will you be choosing an ergonomic office chair, Alex? I’ve been finding it hard to get one that looks nice, as well as functioning to support the back and suiting two people of different heights. Apart from the Herman Miller Aeron of course – ahem.. £1,000 .. ahem.

    Reply
    • Alexandra Stedman says

      9th May 2017 at 12:45 pm

      So I’ve had an Aeron chair for about 6 years….and love it. If I ever have a bad back I actually just sit on it in my living room and it sorts it out! As some who sits on a laptop/computer all day my back is not something I mess with. That said, we definitely can’t afford 2 (!) – so have been looking at this for the husband (still pricey though!) http://www.westelm.co.uk/slope-leather-office-chair-h2113

      Reply
      • Jo says

        9th May 2017 at 11:51 pm

        Wow, thanks for that info – we were thinking we might spring for one as the step-daughter has some back issues, and – as you say – we don’t wanna mess with the spine!

        Reply

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