Office Spaces

Some offices seem to have an almost
unlimited ability to absorb furniture
and furnishings. The office I worked
in from 1989 to 2003 was one of
those. We had 1600 square feet
broken down into one huge private
office with private bath and two 14
by 12 foot offices. There was a large
secretarial area, a large waiting room,
a storage room and one more bath.
The hallway was large enough for
bookcases and some narrow tables.

Over the years I was there, furniture
came and a few pieces, a very few,
left. The boss loved antiques and
auctions. I had prints, plants, chairs
and bowls of potpourri. We all had
books, thousands of books. There
were lamps on every table and desk
together with ashtrays, magnifying
glasses and coffee cups. The walls
were covered in prints and paintings.

It sounds crowded, but it wasn’t. It
was the American version of the
English country barrister look. It
was warm, comforting and
established. Clients loved it and it
certainly made the long hours we
worked a little easier.

Later I worked in a CPA office that
had a more current style. There were
no antiques and no substantial
furniture. It looked nice enough
when it was clean, which was
virtually never. The rest of the time
it was overflowing with papers and
files and tatty brown envelopes. It
was not an emotionally comfortable
place and lacked a sense of the
wholesomeness of my previous
environment.

Now, in my own space, I try to
achieve the generous, accumulated
feel of the old place without going
the old boy route. As an old girl, I
really prefer lighter colors, flowers
and light to tobacco brown, dark
wood and closed blinds. Much of my
waiting room and my office are done
in leftovers from my house. It looks
nice for visitors and feels good to me.

The waiting room has a pair of french
wing chairs, a plain console table,
plants, potpourri, magazines, throw
pillows and bird prints. I am going to
add a few good straight chairs when I
can find some that suit.

My office has a antique knee hole
desk, a midcentury modern credenza,
a gate-leg table, a bookcase, a pair of
club chairs with needlepoint throw
pillows, candles, plants, lamps and
more potpourri, Impressionist prints
on canvas and scads of botanical
prints, many vintage. There is a huge
cloisonne bowl, a Chinese porcelain
stool and lots of books.

I am gearing up to redo the “manly
office” in the back. Dark greeney
black walls (no windows) very old
oak desk, oak bookcases, antique
British side chairs in dark dull wood
and worn brown leather, antique
brass lamp, dark original oil
paintings, a 400 year old chair from
Wales and some Chinese export
porcelain. In this case the “redo”
consists of actually painting the walls.
It’s a huge job, since half the walls
are paneled in that nasty 70's stuff
and half are painted burgundy. I
might also slipcover the ugly black
modern desk chair with a dark
tapestry style cover.

Offices offer an opportunity to
provide employees and clients with a
comfortable supportive environment.
Antiques, traditional art and healthy
plants and books counter the
flourescent lights and technology
necessary to operate a business.