As if our 10′ x 10.5′ home office / guest bedroom didn’t have enough requirements (must accommodate two bloggers 50+ hours a week and sleep two people comfortably every now and then all while keeping our paper clutter tucked out of sight) we ambitiously decided to force yet another function on the space: playroom. We wish we could dedicate an entire room to that playroom title, but with three small bedrooms – one serving as the master, another as the nursery, and the third one being this room – we had to face the music and make it work a la Tim Gunn. So we decided that along with making a lot of rug space an absolute necessity for Clara (think tummy time, bouncy seat, play mat, etc) we also wanted to dedicate this little sliver of wall to her as well in the form of a small already-had-it bookcase full of her favorite toys and books.
Not only is the new setup a pretty sweet deal for Clara, it’s also super convenient for us. Because we’re switch hitters over here at YHL, which means that one of us is on “entertaining duty” while the other person writes posts, coordinates giveaways, answers comments, and does all the other blogging stuff we’ve come to know and love. So having books and toys at arm’s reach really keeps the back-and-forth trips to the nursery to a minimum for whoever is hanging out with Clara. Anything to make it easier, right?
All it took was a few more half-priced baskets from Michael’s (just like the ones we used for our bookcase makeover) and items that we already owned (from stuffed animals and wooden blocks to books and even a fun little alligator pull toy that mesmerizes Clara every time we show it to her). And just as we mentioned, we already owned the bookcase which used to live in our sunroom. Oh and don’t worry, we plan to anchor it to the wall well before she’s mobile enough to pull herself up on it. Safety first!
Perhaps the best part of moving it into the office was that something that used to live in the office (before it became an office) found a perfect spot out in the sunroom to replace the bookcase we stole. Note: stay tuned for our mini sunroom makeover after we finish tackling this office project.
So for the price of two deeply discounted baskets (which are full of more toys, books, and stuffed animals) we worked in a sweet little baby-focused area for our sweet baby girl.
And since we can’t get enough of the whole multitasking thing in this room, we also hung an old mirror and seized the opportunity to make it work as a To Do list of sorts with the addition of a blue dry erase marker. The most fun thing about our little mirror presto-change-o is that we also love that we can erase our list and write a “Welcome To Casa Petersik” message for our guests whenever they come to stay with us. Plus every guest bedroom should have a mirror so family and friends can check their hair before emerging in the am.
So that’s the latest office / guest room / playroom news. Now we’ll pick your brains. Have you guys ever added a small item of furniture to a room and in doing so completely expanded the function of that space? We’d love to know how you make your rooms multitask with minimal effort and expense. Do tell.
Psst- Wanna follow the entire office/guest bedroom/playroom makeover? Click here for the intro post, here to read about the big sleeper sofa hunt, here for the DIY desk play-by-play, here for the homemade light fixture project, here for our hacked Ikea bookcase, and here for how we added some file storage.
I have an it-surprised-me space solver for a piece of furniture: a bookshelf in my bathroom. (Sorry if that’s TMI.) The bottom shelf holds a basket of magazines and all the spare rolls of TP, the shelf up has a basket of toiletries, the shelf above that has some books on it (I like to read in the bathtub to relax) and the top shelf has candles. I get the most work out of the bottom two shelves, but I don’t remember how to organize a bathroom without that bookshelf! It’s fantastic. I hope it fits in my master bathroom in my new house!
This room does it all!! You just need to install a toilet and you’d never have to leave ; )
Love it…so functional. I am always amazed at how your shelves look so good. I mean, they are obviously functional but they are also easy to look at and “decorative”.
Here’s a question…maybe it’s a good post topic. What are your must haves for a guest room. How do you prepare for a guest staying in town? Like your idea of writing a welcome sign, or putting out towels oon the bed or something. Do you have any decor advise for that?
Hey Jennifer,
Great question! We’ll have to tackle it soon!
xo,
s
Ah, I remember the days when my little one’s amusements were contained on a little 2 shelf bookcase. Those were the days! We have since (3 years later) moved onto some Trofast storage we scored for cheap off Craigslist. Takes up more wall space but is excellent for corralling more toys (we really don’t have nearly as many as a lot of kids seem to) when you outgrow the one bookshelf. Our room is multipurpose too, so we just do the best we can to make it all fit and easy to clean while still leaving room to breathe in there! :)
I think a small area is almost better for playroom storage – you can keep switching the toys around so that it is always interesting. (Ofcourse you might need a less accessible cupboard somewhere else to keep the overflow…)
Last year I found a sewing cabinet on walmart’s website. It has loads of storage for my crafty scrapbooking items, (including my cricut…instead of a sewing machine), has a drop leaf which is extra workspace when fully opened, and easily closes to become a cute little cabinet that holds a great vase I received at my bridal shower.
I placed it in the master bedroom as we have a serious lack of anything but a bed in there and now our bedroom goes from a relaxing place to a wonderful scraproom for me in 5.2 seconds :)
how absolutely sweet and creative!
Way to multi-task!!
I keep similar baskets for toy storage in each room of our house. (My office, the living room, the bathroom…) That way, there is always something to keep my son occupied, no matter where I’m at. It also makes clean up very simple, as I simply grab all the toys and dump them in the basket in about 5 seconds before guests arrive. Whether it’s beside my desk, the sofa, under a nightstand, etc, there are toys hiding in inconspicuous spots. Just another way to make things functional, and keep it neat. Especially once the little ones are mobile (ahhh!).
= )
Love the use of space! And it will be perfect when Clara is a little older and can entertain herself…she can play in your office as you work!
Looks great, guys! You guys must have “magnets” for baskets – you always find the best ones!!
So here’s a “Mommy” tip I’ve picked up from my siblings who have children and both work from home – it will come in handy when Clara-bear is a little bit older. Whenever you get toys as gifts, take half of the toys you got and store them away. Then in about a month when your Clara-bean is tired of it, you can rotate the old with the “new”. It’s like getting new toys even though you didn’t spend a dime!! Kids get so bored so easily, especially when they stay at home with Momma and Dada.
Love your blog, guys! Love the mirror as dry-erase board! Why didn’t I think of that? Do you use glass cleaner to get it off or would one of those dry erase erasers work?
xoxo,
Lindsay
Great tip Lindsay! We’ll definitely rotate her toys out to keep things exciting for her. As for wiping down the mirror, a rag or tissue works really easily. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Yay… another room to look forward to! I’ve been wondering when you were going to show the extra day bed in the sun room.
Wow, any guest will be lucky to stay in your office/guest bedroom/play room, it’s looking great!
And I never knew you could write on mirror with dry erase markers, thanks for that!
We’re living parallel lives, except our child was born last June. We too have the office/guest bedroom/office. The crazy thing I’ve been thinking about lately is what to do when the next kid comes. The playroom/guest bedroom/office will need to become the older sibling’s room, so what happens to the office?
Some might say get a new house! I have a fundamental problem with that. I grew up poor with very little living space, so to say that 3 bedrooms aren’t enough is outrageous to me.
We were thinking about putting in some stand alone closets in our master bedroom, then converting the existing in-the-wall closet to a mini-office. I just have an issue with work stuff so close to the place where we’re supposed to sleep and relax.
Have you thought this far ahead? Am I getting carried away?
Monique- Good question! It definitely depends if we have a girl or a boy since we like the idea of two girls moving into the office (it’s slightly larger) and then the nursery could become our new office. If we had a little boy next, we would give each child their own room and would somehow figure out how to squeeze and office into the den or sunroom along with a guest room. We love a challenge! But gladly we have some time before we get to that though!
Destiny- How about storing some of your lesser used (and less attractive) books in baskets or bins. Then they will remain dust free!
Lauren- Thankfully the sofa can be folded put without moving anything (even the chairs can remain) and there’s an 18-ish inch space between the desk and the bed for passage. It has worked out really well so far!
xo,
s
I lived in a 600 sq. ft. condo in Chicago and had some extreme space constraints.
For a “dining room,” I built a parsons-like coffee table to fit over two storage ottomans, which I also built. When guests came over, the two storage ottomans rolled out to one side of the coffee table for two seats, and the couch acted as the other two for a table for four!
My office/entertainment center/storage shelves were just that. I bought two Ikea book shelves and a matching tv stand. On one side I adjusted the shelves to hold my iMac, used another to hold the keyboard and mouse, and used the top shelf for the printer. On the other side I had books, baskets, pictures, etc.
The key for me was hidden (under the couch, under the bed, above the cabinets) and vertical (book shelves, custom closet shelves, glass shelves in the bathroom) storage.
It’s important to remember that in a 600 sq. ft. condo, things don’t need to be in their “proper” place. For example, I stored light bulbs and extra TP and such in the kitchen cabinets (because it worked). Out of season clothing went in decorative baskets above the kitchen cabinets. My art easel and canvases were stored under the couch when not in use. As long as everything had a spot, it really didn’t matter where that spot was!
Just curious, do you have to rearrange any furniture (like the smaller pieces) in the room when you have the sofa bed open? Is there room to walk around the bed? It’s hard to tell from the pictures and I know the room is small!
We have a sofa table from Z Gallerie placed on a long wall next to our sofa in the living room. There’s a lamp on the end of the table next to the sofa and World Market banana leaf chair in front of it. I use it as a writing desk and a place to surf on my Netbook, and it also performs double duty as an end table for the sofa.
I also use an old cedar blanket chest as a coffee table, which corrals all our snuggies when company comes over. LOL!
This is a very useful room! I love all of the functions you’re combining in there and am excited about the big reveal. I just wanted to say I grew up sharing a room with my little brother. I have a big sister, but my brother and I got along better than my sister and I did as children (my sister and I have a great relationship now) so she got her own room while my brother and I shared. All three of us have a close and perfectly normal relationship to this day. So in my experience, brothers and sisters can happily share a room. Obviously each to his own and all, but if Clara ends up with a little brother, you could still have an office! Just saying.
you guys are so fun and functional. and yes a guest room must have a mirror! we also write fun notes to kids and spouse on mirrors with a dry erase.
I have really enjoyed your blog. You guys have fabulous taste. As a mom of 6, I just had to laugh, thinking, “just wait.” Sometimes it seems like every room is a play room! It is a great idea to have different toys in multiple rooms for ease of clean-up. Rotating toys like another comment suggested really works. It’s amazing how the legos that have been stuffed in a closet for months and never played with become the coolest thing when you stick them in the living room.
Enjoy this precious time with your little one. You are blessed to have both of you home to enjoy it! Thanks for sharing your lives with us!
Lynn
Looks great and totally functional, guys! Well done!
I’m just wondering, and I know you’re not quite to this point yet… but with twin 16 mo. olds running around my house currently, I’m wondering if you’re working in childproofing while you’re doing all this decorating, or if it’s something you plan on focusing on later? Believe me, Clara will be mobile and tugging on everything before you know it. That bookshelf, though it looks great, looks like the first thing my girls would try to pull themselves up on (and probably topple over) if it weren’t bolted down or to the wall. Hoping we can get some tips and great ideas from you guys on this stuff.
Thanks!
Hey Sarah,
As we mentioned in the post we definitely plan to anchor the bookcase before Clara is more mobile. We also promise to share our adventures in babyproofing as she grows, so stay tuned…
xo,
s
I thought the mirror was cute… and I noticed the light fixture in the reflection!! Where is it from?? Can’t wait for the reveal!
Toy storage in a smaller home is such a difficult task. I had two basket-type ottomans I used as a coffee table in my living room, and brought them into the family room behind the couch for our “mini playroom.” My 2-year-old son is now at the age he can lift the lids himself and get what he wants (without the lids dropping on him!) Only problem is I would love to set things on them! Argh.
Oh, and he has that same wooden alligator and LOVES it! Just wait until Clara can pull it around herself.
I love it. We have a tiny little 3 bedroom condo and (very) soon all our bedrooms will be taken up. (we have an 18 month old girl and a little boy on the way and I want them in separate rooms) So making the most of the space you have is VERY important to us. We’ve added a bunch of shelving and storage spaces to help us out. Unfortunately we don’t have a designated guest room anymore, but when friends come, we’ll find a way to make it work. Your office/playroom looks great. I love it!
Looking good!!! Love the bookcase so airy! and the rug, oh the rug, love the rug!
Keep us updated on the progress can’t wait to see the final product!
~Ashli
http://www.maillardvillemanor.com
Loving it so far, can’t wait for the final reveal!
DRY ME!
I love chai tea lattes and Starbucks “Zen” iced tea.
Nice job guys! Room looks great. What is that cube on top of the book shelves with Miss Claras name on it? Looks like a personalized toy? Do tell…….
looks great!
where is that little white dog on the top shelf from please? looks a lot like our dog Gypsy and I would love to get it for our baby girl Peyton!
thanks!
Lori- The little dog was a gift and just has a tag that says 100% organic so we’re not sure where it hails from. Maybe google around for an organic dog stuffed animal to see what comes up?
Lynn- Feel free to scroll back through the comments for that info. The cube was a DIY gift (and we love it!). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hey Youngsters !
I love seeing the progress in your office/guest room/playroom make over. You guys have such simple yet clever and efficient ideas to make the most of one room, make it practicle yet welcoming and beautiful (from the few peeks you’ve showed us).
As to your question at the end of the post, we actually recently added a little chest with 2 wicker drawers to our “office space”. It’s not really a space, more like a corner of the living room in our 1-bedroom, that we transformed into a work station with a board/desk and a couple bookshelves. Our latest addition to that space allows us to get our printer off the floor while keeping it easily accessible and my hubby uses the drawers for his photo/video/computer equipment which so far was kind of laying around the room in different corners
(see before picture here: http://groovinthecouv.blogspot.com/2009/09/sneak-peak-no-3.html)
I don’t have an after picture but just to give you an idea, the chest is very similar, if not identical, to the one you have in the nursery (brown, open frame with 2 wicker drawers). It’s actually where we got the idea to look for this type of furniture, something would not look too heavy in our little corner and would still look coherent with the rest of the space…
So thanks for the inspiration and for sharing !
What a good idea! I love the way you two find a way to have what you need at hand and it still looks organized and classy.
I’m also excited that the block(s) I made are on the shelf! How exciting for me! If any of your followers want to learn how to make them, just let me know.
Krista
Of course your blocks made the shelf Krista! We love them! Feel free to comment with some how-to instructions for anyone who’d like to whip up some of their own!
xo,
s
The addition of FOUR faux-leather ottomans from Target (like the one you have in your…uh..faux-mudroom?) to our living room, along with four inexpensive lacquer trays that are also stackable means the children can store their Barbies and games in the living room, we can store blankets and throws in the winter, and we can also top each of the four ottomans (arranged in a largish rectangle in the middle of our seating area) with a tray and…presto! Instant coffee table! (We also loved that when our kids were toddling, we could store the trays up and away, and falls NEVER resulted in hitting the corner of a coffee table…the ottomans provide a much softer surface to land on!)
I’m not going to tell you to anchor the shelf to the wall, cause I already read the post..haha… :) I like the idea of using baskets to store toys. Easy to carry from room to room.
Thanks YHL, I didnt realize there were TWO pages of comments and I had only checked the first comment page for the clues to what the cute Clara box was. I found the answer :) I cant believe you guys read EVERY comment and try to answer all the ‘answerable’ ones. You two amaze me. Keep up the great work!!!!
Hey Youngsters !
I love seeing the progress in your office/guest room/playroom make over. You guys have such simple yet clever and efficient ideas to make the most of one room, make it practicle yet welcoming and beautiful (from the few peeks you’ve showed us).
As to your question at the end of the post, we actually recently added a little chest with 2 wicker drawers to our “office space”. It’s not really a space, more like a corner of the living room in our 1-bedroom, that we transformed into a work station with a board/desk and a couple bookshelves. Our latest addition to that space allows us to get our printer off the floor and my hubby uses the 2 drawers for his photo/video/computer equipment which so far was in a different wicker basket in another corner of the room.
(see before picture here:http://groovinthecouv.blogspot.com/2009/09/sneak-peak-no-3.html)
I don’t have an after picture but just to give you an idea, the chest is very similar, if not identical, to the one you have in the nursery (brown, open frame with 2 wicker drawers). It’s actually where we got the idea to look for this type of furniture, something would not look too heavy in our little corner and would still look coherent with the rest of the space…
So thanks for the inspiration and for sharing !
You guys are always coming up with such great ideas! You guys just keep inspiring me!
To answer your multi-function question. I’ve had a few. When I was 18 and living away from home my best friend and I rented a room together. It was tiny, but it was what we could afford! Between us we had two beds, and a hide-away minus a mattress! Because the mattress was already missing and we were so limited on space we decided to make our hide-away hide all of our junk. A nice big piece of plywood cut to fit over the frame for the mattress, a few braces to keep it in place, and removal of the springs the mattress would’ve laid on gave us a decently sized area to hide things. Mostly our valuables, because no one thought about snooping in there.
Another thing we did to give each other some space was loft our beds. We were lucky to find some for sale from a local college. We picked both frames up for 50 bucks. And we already had the mattresses. We used the area under our beds for little study/office spaces. By the end of our year in that tiny room we’d really made something kind of neat. Wish i’d taken pictures!
I don’t have kids but I have been following your office/playroom progress closely. I have a small home and do a lot of work from home so it’s fantastic to see how other people make it work.
You guys are an inspiration on small, responsible and stylish living. xxoo
What a great idea to add a playroom function to your office. I’m betting, that a similar basket/bookcase combo will make it in the sunroom when Clara is older! Just do yourself a favor…..establish the size of toy storage and then don’t exceed it. Ever. What a great challenge to set yourself!
We added a function to our 2nd floor dining/kitchen area – totally inspired by you two! We recently moved a giant fiddle head fern from a corner and made a kids landing pad. We have a place to put coats/backpacks/shoes, etc. on our first floor, but were finding the kids needed their backpacks to be where the homework gets done. We then added a pretty big framed corkboard from HomeGoods to hang artwork and school papers. The whole shebang cost maybe $75 and has changed our lives significantly. The kids know the meaning of the words “landing pad.” I like to think they will always know to create a space like that in their homes when they grow up!
We have an overflow of books in our apartment – so much so we have 3 bookshelves. Originally we were going to put 2 large 5-shelf cases in his office (and it would completely fill both) but then decided that was too heavy for the very dark blue office. We ended up adding one bookshelf and then moving our two smaller 4ft shelves to our dining room. We put some of our more collector book series out there along with a few display items. It really brought some color and interest in the room without it being too cluttered.
This space is so great! I really love watching it grow and develop.
OK, I promise not to mention “child proofing”—I’m irritated just reading thru the comments!!!! You all are so sweet in your responses!Like any parent isn’t going to think of these things—OK, that was snarky—sorry!
I know someone mentioned it, but I have a “kid’s bathroom” that three children share and we have a long skinny “bookshelf”—it’s 5 wooden cubes stacked/screwed together. There are towels in the top and bottom cubes and each child has his/her own cube to store their “bathroom junk”. VERY useful and cheap.
Love it, but I would definately paint the shelf- add some color.
Just out of curiosity… how do you plan to accommodate the toys when they quadruple in size and number? Just wondered if you had thought of that yet. Play room? Bedroom? Toyboxes?
What? Kids toys get bigger? Just kidding! Of course we plan to evolve our house to work with all of Clara’s gear as she (and the toys) grow. Stay tuned for those changes as they occur. We definitely think tucking them away in bins and boxes will be something that we implement for years to come (along with some other tricks that we have yet to discover!).
xo,
s
I would love to know when/where did you get that cool artichoke thing?
Have we seen it before around your house or is it new?
Any thoughts about making more of your basement – potential guest bedroom/playroom/office? Not sure how insulated, etc. it is down there, but seems like a great space in which to expand… I ask because I am thinking about gaining more space in my home, although the air in my basement is a little moist, particularly after it rains.
Lucy- Alas, our basement is a separate entry space (you have to walk outside and down a few steps to access it with a key) without heating or cooling (or any plumbing so there’s no bathroom down there). This means it wouldn’t make a very good guest room or office or playroom since it’s so detached and lacking in temperature control and plumbing. But it’s great for storing tons of stuff like holiday decor and other items that our tiny house can’t otherwise accommodate. Hope it helps!
Andrea- That was $9 at HomeGoods! Love it.
xo,
s
xo,
s
Where did you get the bookcase from? I love the open shelving on all sides, and have been looking for one that size for a while now!
Hi Lola,
We purchased this bookcase (and it’s sister, which we painted green and lives in the living room under the You & Me poster) from a friend in NYC about 5 years ago. I think she originally got them at Bed Bath & Beyond because we’ve seen them there ourselves at some point. The cool part about them is that the shelves hinge upward so the sides can fold in and the whole thing stores fairly flat!
-John
This is how I keep our house clean and the toys organized in a small space – clear plastic bins. http://www.simplymodernmom.com/2010/07/btb-tip-organizing-toys/