Interior Designer: Jana Donohoe, ASID
If you’re a Mom with more than one kid in school, too, you know what a hectic month this has been!
Between buying school supplies, new clothes, coordinating schedules for pick up and drop off and after school activities, meeting with teachers, it’s been a whirlwind, but now that mine are all back in school, (and probably yours, too?), I have a little more time and started thinking about how I might want to update my daughter’s study/work space now and in the future…and I’d love your opinions!
Some of you may remember when I redid her bedroom for the One Room Challenge last year. She was 7. This year, she’s 8 and in the 3rd grade.
Has anyone else experienced the difference between how they are at 7 and how they are at 8? What a difference, right? I’m holding on tight for her teen years…(bring me the wine!).
This is how Genevieve’s study area looks now. It’s been fun to have the time to look around a bit online, and to see what might suit her as she gets older.
( NOTE: If what I’ve found for Genevieve might be right for your children’s room’s too, please know you can click the links to purchase what you will see below, and if you do, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you.)
Design: Jana Donohoe, ASID
One thing I know I will replace as she gets older is her small white desk. I found three that I really like, all from Anthropologie. I’m undecided as to which one I like best, and I would love you to help me decide which one you like the best for her.
Here’s the first one. I like the hardware on this one, and I like the trim which could be painted for contrast later, if she wanted a design refresh.
Isn’t that starburst detail pretty?
The practical side of me knows that this easy glide interior hardware insures the drawer won’t get stuck if she pulls on it too hard one way or the other.
Here’s the 2nd option, which is definitely more *grown up*, but is also one we would never have to replace and that could go with her into her first apartment or house. And, if she tired of it, I could use it in another area of our home.
I am a big fan of navy blue and white, but what do you all think about the white marble top?
Here’s a close up of the white marble desk top and the hardware. She could change out the hardware to suit her tastes…and I could have a piece of glass cut to put on top of the white marble, for now, although that would mean lots of fingerprints and constant maintenance while she’s young. Decisions!
Here’s my third choice. This one is less expensive, and I like that the paneled sides give her more flexibility with respect to the design of the base of whatever desk chair she might choose. She won’t have to worry about how the legs of an office chair will look with this desk. Anything will work. That’s a big plus for this one.
If you think any of these desks from Anthropologie would work for your own homes, and would like to buy one of them, please click on the name of the desk below to purchase and be sure to let me know how you like it when you get it!
Carre | White | 1198.00
Marble Topped Desk | Indigio Only | 1598.00
Merriton | Panel Sides | On Sale 498.00
Now I’m thinking of lighting. This articulating gold and white task lamp with a marble base is only 104.00! She could use this on her desk right now. It’s not easy to find a lamp like this for that price.
The only thing I’m not sure of are the screws showing around the edge of the gold trim, but I could probably live with that for the price. Could you?
If you could, here’s the link to click if you’d like to purchase it: Cupcakes and Cashmere Task Lamp.
I also like this lamp, it’s got a little sass about it (just like my girl), although I probably would not buy it, as it would not be as good for studying since it’s not a task lamp and she wouldn’t be able to adjust the angle of the lighting over her study area.
However, if the desk was not going to be used for studying, I would definitely buy this lamp, especially as the price is so reasonable: on sale for 151.00!
If you’d like to buy this for your own home, please click here.
Right now, I am also thinking about buying her a desk chair to replace her small ottoman. I would prefer one that swivels, but for her desk now, I like this one for two reasons, it’s reasonably priced at 139.00 and it’s indoor outdoor, so we could take it to our beach house when she outgrows it. It’s called the HOT MESH.
This color would work with the fabrics in her room now, but I’d probably have to repaint the legs of her desk to match it just perfectly, but that’s an easy task. If I didn’t want to do that, though, it also comes in white. What do you all think? Yes or no?
And although this would be an expensive *splurge* (more like a dream) at 3300.00, I love this restored, vintage Eero Saarinen chair for Knoll to go with the other desks I like for her, and it would only increase in value over time.
I wish all office chair manufacturers offered the entire caster in gold like this (or in different colors ) as standard, but if any of you would like me to have them custom plated or lacquered for you, I can have that done.
This one is from PB Teen, and a lot more reasonable at 449.00, while I like the shape and tufting of the seat, the black casters would bother me and I’m not sure about the base style. It seems too heavy. What do you think? It also comes in pink.
As you can tell, there’s a lot of thought that goes into what I consider when I’m designing. Whether it’s for my own daughter or for a client, I enjoy thinking through every detail carefully as I want each room to be as perfect as it can be – both now and in the future.
I would really appreciate it if you all would take a minute to give me your opinions in the comments about which desk you like best and why. I will let you know which one is Genevieve’s favorite when she sees this post. At 8, she already has really definite opinions!
And, if you have any questions or ideas for me or are interested in working with me to help you design your child’s bedroom or study area, or any other area in your home, I’d love to talk with you and invite you to contact me by clicking here.
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Jana Donohoe, ASID
www.janadonohoedesigns.com
CK
| 2 September 2018I love the marble top, it would hold up the longest, but I think that desk is more for someone like me and not an 8 year old. I would pick #1. I think the inexpensive task lamp is best because it serves the homework duty well and can easily be changed out without feeling too much financia impact. After having 3 daughters, I had to do this many times! And while I love the gold casters, the fun colorful chair seems to keep the whole thing age appropriate. So those are my votes!