Work it baby, work it...Own it!

Workspace: My absolute favorite nook in the house. 

Keep in mind, a desk and inspiration board are required. No exceptions. A workspace should be fun and cozy. You should WANT to sit down at your desk, and it should feel peaceful. Perhaps this is just  the Type-A -- Type Ashley -- part of me speaking, but I believe it's a must in every home.

Why? I thought you'd never ask! You see, when I was in middle school I babysat for a couple who were friends of my parents. The mother -- we'll call her Nell -- was a spirited and thoughtful lady. Her babysitting notes were always written on the cutest of notepads. I especially coveted her beautiful penmanship and her ability to create a trademark smiley face at the end of each note -- it was as though she had some sort of magic stamp! I remember being awe struck when I first visited their house. She had an area she referred to as Desk -- it was an orderly and creative nook adorned with a mini L.L. Bean Boat & Tote, which held numerous notepads and stationery. Desk was also the proud owner of a fancy upright stapler, personalized address labels, stamps, an assortment of scissors, etc. The more I babysat, Desk took on these human-like qualities, the kind you only see in animated films. It came to life, and I saw Nell's personality in Desk. Isn't that the way a workspace should be? It should reflect the personality of its owner(s). After meeting Nell and being introduced to Desk, I was bound and determined to have an area like this of my own.

Okay, it may be odd for a teenage girl to dream of a "stationery wardrobe" and desk drawers filled with colorful paper, dainty ribbons and pretty tape, but hey, that's Type Ashley! I still plan to create the ideal stationery wardrobe (it takes time), and I'm always tweaking my workspace. In fact, I feel a bit silly writing about workspaces, and I'm not even sharing a photo of our office. Unfortunately, it's under construction and not photo ready. I wish she was up and running, believe me! I do love my workspace; however, our iMac is getting its hard drive replaced and my desk feels naked. I'm also scouring local stores and websites for a new desk chair. Don't even get me started on this search! Okay, I'll fill you in and keep it brief. Flyboy rarely takes a stance when it comes to our home decor (a trait I love about him), but he's made a request regarding a future replacement: it must have wheels! Welp, there goes my dream of having another Eames with an Eiffel Tower Base. Le sigh. (This is just a test to see if he actually reads this darn thing. Ha ha!)

Anywho, enough about me and more about you. Does your office area or workspace scream YOU? If not, it might be time to revamp your nook. A few small changes can make a big difference. Don't mistake this post as me telling you to organize your space either. Some of the most creative people I've met have had the greatest workspaces -- they are messy, cluttered and filled with greatness! They're the kind of areas that make this overly intense, organizational freak very jealous. Your space should inspire.

*image by Bella Foster

Here are a few of my favorite workspaces...

And finally, the spaces of creative greats...

Roald Dahl

Cy Twombly

Tina Fey

Yves Saint Laurent

Albert Einstein

Helen Frankenthaler

Jenna Lyons

World's Best Boss

That's what she said.