A Multi-Purpose Room Without Clutter

It’s been a long time coming and after a few weeks of planning, putting things together and decorating, it’s finally done: my home office make-over! What made it all a little more challenging (and also more fun), is the fact that I actually work in a multi-purpose room… it’s the space where I work, create and live. Which is not very uncommon, of course, but considering I work from home 95% of the time, it does add a few set requirements as to how I make use of the space. It’s all about form and function. I easily get distracted by the prettiness of a space and don’t regard the functionality all that much, but after living for nearly 2 years in my current apartment - and freelancing all the while - I have come to learn that both aspects play an equal big role in my overall well-being (working from home can be challenging, really), my creativity and subsequently the quality of my work. And then there’s that moment post-work, where it’s time to wind down, while having some dinner with my man or a friend. As you can imagine, I practically spend all day in that one space, so it has to be easily adaptable and stay inspiring throughout a day’s worth of different activities.

You might know by now that I’m a big fan of customizing furniture for my home. I am so particular and want bigger pieces to make sense – especially because space is limited; so larger furniture makes a big impact in my apartment. The combination of being somewhat of a sentimental person (aka bit of a hoarder?), with minimalist(ish) tendencies and a major lack of storage space, increased the need for added storage in some kind of pretty way. So I knew I had to do the same thing I did in my living room: custom design a storage solution that can hold all the essentials and display some pretty things.

After 3 happy experiences with MYCS, the decision was quickly made to return to them to create a sideboard that would function as the center piece which would tie together my one space that I use to work, shoot and dine in. Before I started the custom design process in their easy online configurator, I literally grabbed pen & paper and planned out what exactly I needed.

• At least 3 sections for different types of storage (equipment, paperwork, photoshoot props), including a larger cupboard for temporarily storing client products.
• Drawers in two different sizes adapted exactly to my needs.
• A super quick & easy way to keep the room tidy with zero effort.
• A total width that would be almost as long as the bare wall I would place it in front of to maximize storage opportunity.
• In order to not take away too much floor space, I wanted to decrease the depth and increase the height of the sideboard.
• A place to store, explore and decorate.

After planning out the requirements, and deciding on the set-up design of the various drawers and cupboards, there was only one thing left to do: the pretty details. I decided on a white sideboard and walnut wooden legs; to match my MYCS ‘PRYME’ chair.

What I love most about the final result of the sideboard is that it has really improved my daily workflow and mindset. Truth be told: a clean, clutter-less home can be a challenge for me, especially when I’m in a creative mood (e.g. “chaos mind) or have a lot of things going on: mess central. I prefer a tidy home, but often fail to keep it that way because I kind of loathe the process of tidying up. Creating a custom sideboard that works for my needs was an effortless way to not only minimize the challenge of keeping the space clutter-free, but also made it so much easier to use one room for multiple purposes and to quickly switch between different activities without sabotaging the serenity and aesthetic of a more minimalist-style home.

In friendly collaboration with MYCS.

Do you often work from home? And if so, what’s your work set-up like?