Planning ahead

I promised my best friend that I would do some Inspiration Boards. Here's the first in the series. I don't have the room for a design studio at present. In the spirit of positive thinking, I decided to go ahead and visualize what my ideal workspace would look like. I went for style points as well as wallet points. I chose items that would actually work in a my real life budget. You won't find $1000 office chairs here.

Computer
What kind of designer would I be without a computer? #5 is a definite MUST-HAVE. For the type of work that I do, an iMac is more than enough computing power for me. I wouldn't turn down a G5 tower, but this would work wonderfully for me. Anything is better than the G4 powerbook I'm currently using. The iMac's form-factor and new design doesn't hurt either.

Desk
The focus of my studio would definitely be #2. 2 Trig Desks and Bookshelf from CB2. I really love the look of the metal and glass. I have worked on glass tables and have found they are really great surfaces for assembly. I would go with the L-shaped desk format. I'm dying to work area.

Lighting
I do a lot of fine detail work when it comes to my designs. So, lighting is important to me. #1 Photo lamp from CB2 is both bright and chic. It would also remind me of my photography roots. The desk lamp from Ikea is so sleek and would allow me to pivot between the computer desk and the worktable portion.

Seating
#4 I love the white desk chair. I'm not sure how practical it would be. As an alternate, I would go with #12. I'm definitely a fan of high-backed desk chairs.
#9 Every studio needs a lounge for clients or a place for a designer to nap. I'm all about catching naps. Naps are the greatest cure for creative block.

Storage
I like the idea of having all of my supplies accessible but not necessarily out on display. I've tried having supplies out in the open and I feel that it looks cluttered.

I have a plethora of paper on hand at all times. #10 is a perfect size to accommodate the different sizes of paper. #11 is a multi-sided cart. It allows for accessible storage of design tools like scissors, punches, adhesives, etc. It also has a magazine rack, which is a huge bonus for a magazine addict like me. Both of these would sit underneath the desk. The casters would allow me to move them around as necessary.

Being a gadget girl, I love #14. Pottery Barn created this bulletin board/gadget storage cabinet. It has a space cut out of it for a power brick. This allows you to charge your camera, cellphone, ipod, etc. while storing it.

I have several reference books on hand -- books about etiquette, business, design, weddings, etc, etc, #6 & #7 are great because they allow the books to become part of the decor.

Decor
More likely than not, I'd cycle through different pieces on the walls. I would probably keep #8 & #13 up at all times. #8 is fairly self-explanatory. Who doesn't need a little encouragement every now and then? #13 is hilarious. I constantly need to be reminded that Hindsight is always 20/20.

Here's a link to where each item can be purchased.