Hey Girl!

Cheery is just what you need!

You need to define for yourself what cheery means.

One person's cheery is another's overblown and saccharine.

Is this an office just for you, or do you ever see clients in that room?

If you see clients, do they ever bring materials where they would need a surface to spread their materials out on, or is it more of a counseling office where your clients might want to put their feet up?

We need to know the purpose of your room, because the furniture may need arranging.

Is that a stand-up desk? Do you have back problems?

Your room definitely needs artwork.

Before purchasing another thing for your room, I would suggest purchasing artwork as it will set the tone for the room in terms of color and style.

There are many places to buy artwork on line if you don't want to do it in person.

Here are but a few-

allposter.com

art.com

www.artfullywalls.com

GreatBigCanvas.com

minted.com

But don't buy artwork yet until you know for sure where the furniture will definitely stay because the size of the artwork needs to be in proportion to what is beneath it.

I find blue to be serene, and calm, but never playful or cheery. Same with monochromatic. That might be a personal thing. For cheery and playful, I think orange, yellow, red. Maybe fuchsia or purple or peach. And more than one bright color if you want playful. Agree with loobab about art - reach out to local artists if you know any, or go on Etsy for original stuff.

As noted above, please define what happens in your office. Do you work there all day? Do you just pay bills? Why is there a couch and dresser? That will help give better advice.

You have far too many disparate elements . Eclectic is one thing, .........no common thread is another. Forget the West elm table. It works with nothing in there, really.

Tell us your favorite thing in the space.. Post some inspo. pics of in home offices you love.

No to pink and blue I beg. unless a bit fboho

I like the local artist thing, but oh COVID has really messed things up, hasn't it.

I would not advise going to an artist's atelier or an art gallery, or an art show or inviting an artist to your home to show his/her oeuvres at this time.

Actually for physical safety having nothing to do with virions, I wouldn't do the latter!

If we were not in this COVID situation, the above would be great ideas.

You could also (if there was no COVID now) call the local colleges and community colleges art departments and ask if they put on art shows of their students work, ask to speak to the head of the art department and ask if he/she could recommend any students work for you to purchase.

But at this time, you can't do that either.

We each might find different things "cheerful"

Consider removing the two table lamps but keep the black floor lamp with white shade ... but consider painting the pole silver might be worth considering. While black "works" with any room and goes well with your desk and sofa and chair, if you want "cheerful", lighter colors, including a lighter metal can be more "cheerful", with silver more cheerful than brass (in my opinion).

Add a pair of large silver colored wall hung swing arm lamps with white shades -- one on each side of the window.

https://www.amazon.com/Possini-Euro-Tesoro-Reading-Swing/dp/B003THHEE6

Interesting "desk' chair but it doesn't quite fit the room.

If you're going to alternate between sit down and stand up use of your desk, consider using a seat that has adjustable height such as a comfortable bar stool, preferably one with a back rest and foot rest and that swivels and the lighter silver colored metal.

https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/602919468839880101/

Like the white bird bath glass top table.

A long sided white valance for the window would be worth considering.

https://www.touchofclass.com/sea-glass-ii-long-swag-valance-pair/p/H073-006/?code=IMF08&color=Eggshell&size=62%20x%2072&tid=DMFPLA&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpoH0svPs7QIVAryGCh0QkQ91EAQYASABEgK9ePD_BwE

Some small Tiffany style window sun catchers, perhaps the smaller ones that can be hung with suction cups -- could make the room more cheerful IF they represent YOUR interests.

https://www.google.com/search?q=small+thick+tiffany+style+sun+catchers+for+windows&client=firefox-b-1-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwizip778-ztAhWxwVkKHRHRCT4Q_AUoAnoECBAQBA&biw=1366&bih=654

Oh, Jan Moyer hits a home run as usual!

The last set-up in last photo would give me pause if you lived in an area with a lot of earthquakes.

The pink and purple is totally cool if you are for example a therapist and you treat girls and adolescent girls. If you treat boys, not so much.

For me, I get headaches and I would need sunglasses to go in there, no matter what your profession was.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that first room.

If you are a therapist, I would have some sort of ottoman for the patient sitting on the couch.

I would also have a chair for the client, some people have bad backs.

I also think that if you do couples therapy two chairs may work better than a sofa.

But please tell us the purpose of the room.

The new side table doesn't fit the rest of the furniture. Look for transitional pieces instead, which are simplified but will still work with your traditional elements. The first thing I would do is update the lamps and change the fan to more modern lighting. Then add colorful artwork to the walls to give the room some personality. You do not need or want a rug on top of carpet. Pink could work well with the other beige and black elements in your room.

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My daughter painted these. She would take a request if you’re interested at all.

The advantage of rug on top of carpet in that office would be if clients would be tramping in with shoes on. The carpet would be black in no time.

some injections of pink

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I will inject, so you can allllllll beat me up:

You can VERY safely distance anywhere with six feet and a mask. Why do I say this? Despite the surge? We MUST BEGIN THINKING AND ASKING WHY?

Over forty percent of new cases are invincible young people. they are 18 to mid thirties. Why is that? Because.........when you lock them out of public places, they go like swarming ants to GATHER ELSEWHERE. quite un safely. Case?

A clients daughter and her family were forced to a hotel, due to water damage in their home. Found a great hotel, proximity to all they required. Lovely place. Upon arrival? THEY DID NOT CHECK IN. Why? Because the place was full of maskless 20 somethings, renting rooms to party in............""because there is no place they can go" "The bars and restaurants are CLOSED".

So think about this: The virus is not spring pollen. Virtually no cases have come from gyms. Fewer than 2% have been traced to restaurants. Hair salons? Nope. Almost never! And on we go. You need close contact, with someone who has or is carrying the virus, to catch the virus. It is NOT blowing in thin air in a cow field. We are all not LEPERS. The youngest group I mentioned, are the major spreaders......they take it to aunts, uncles, and parents. Many in fact, DO work in health care related fields. Some have parents as stupid and selfish as they are. See the chart. ...................just for California, with the most severe lockdowns outside of MY charming state. Look at the AGE groups, and the deaths. Add together ( 18 to 49......) 1,156,574,,,,,,,,,

They represent 58.8 percent of cases!!! and .07 % of deaths.

,

Beat me for pc incorrect....... you vaccinate these selfish brats FIRST. Won't happen.........

IN THE MEANTIME:

DON'T TOUCH YOUR FACE. IT IS "BARBED WIRE"

KEEP SIX, EIGHT OR MORE FEET OF DISTANCE

WEAR MASK WHEN THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE,

We have got to get back to life. Real LIFE.

Humanity is not meant to live like this, and the economy can not sustain it. When the boat leaks? Bail to get to the leak. plug THE LEAK.......don't just bail water until you and the boat sink.

You can go to a gallery, you CAN go look at art........ safely.

Thank you everyone for all of your helpful comments and questions! Perhaps calling the room an "office" is not appropriate. I do personal business (e-mail, bills, etc.) at the desk, usually standing up. The room is mostly for reading, meditating, and writing. The couch is an extra place for guests to sleep on as well as evening visits with my husband at this point. I will spend more time considering the rest of your questions.

On another note, Jan, would you mind removing the post about COVID above so that the post can focus on the proposed design questions. Thank you.

I won't but you certainly can! The point was you CAN shop for what you want. Go right ahead and spam it, but many threads veer..........it's the internet. : )

I think better is to just expand on your purposes for the functions of the space - perhaps calm and cozy, more than "fun pops" ........?

Go online and look at Library /den space that inspire you......neutral, colorful, blue. Post some inspo's.

Now.......my veer took you right back to your thread : ) yes?

IMO we need to hear from the OP as to what she thinks is cheery or playful since IMO the sofa id the elephant in the room . As for safe distancing that is ano brainer and until the rules are enforeced everyone needs to be wearing a mask AND safe distancing.

I take your point, you don't take mine.:

This all began with two weeks of""flatten the curve" . It NEVER was implied nobody would get sick/ that we'd be nearly a year in repeating over and over the same concept. .....which is where it has morphed, despite an over ninety five survival rate for all but the most elderly and the most compromised in one way or another.

We do not shut the economy for flu. Exposure to flu is equally simple, and even with vaccine? Imperfect and quite possible to catch.

This controlling lock down environment can not go on in this manner. It is DESTROYING people _ most who would survive a bout with the hideous virus. Yes......MOST, which is well over 95 % even into the late seventies.

The original goal has been lost. Illness is not death. I completely respect your right to think and feel differently. No matter where you live.

So well said Maureen ! Best of luck for your mother.

She sounds like a wonderful and inspirational lady !

MAUREEN.......

EXACTLY my point. It can't continue. I've been taking out my dear 92 year old friend since this all began. I can not enter her senior living apartment. She's been to dinner OUT with me, and just recently on a nice two hour ride following a lovely indoor, and safe meal, yes with BOOZE. at a lovely restaurant following all safe protocols for indoor dining.. The two hour ride? Masked and checking out xmas lights: ) " this was SO much fun, I had no Christmas spirit, was feeling very blue"

She has more spirit than my peer group. She also had a blast. As usual...

Worse? We sang xmas carols to Sirius in the car. I'll post as to whether she survived on Jan 10 ....: )

We need more than Zoom, more than Face time, texts, and endless joke memes to "survive" . We are in the end, ALL of us.....animals. Please click and enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaKtI4QfhH0

Covid, religion and politics; not topics to discuss here but I've fallen into the trap myself. Trying to avoid harping on what I see as 3 incurables. Pick your poison, and to each his/her own on these prickly issues!

For inspiration, here is a home with pink and blue that looks bright and fun to me ,all whilst being paired with traditional furnishings. Maybe if not wanting to paint walls, you could add some brighter pops with a rug , whimsical art ( there is so much from which to choose on line ), throw pillows and/or window side panels.

Perhaps you could introduce some more colors, from which to draw for other accents ,( like pillows and art ) while keeping your pale blue / gray walls with a rug that combines both. Easy to do would be a colorful throw for over the beige chair. Here is a fun side table ( you could use two side-by-side as a coffee table arrangement ) which I think might fit in with your mix better than the MCM one from West Elm. Best of luck, Girl Woman.

I apologize, Girl Woman. I missed the part where you said you would like to keep the room monochromatic. Since you already have several colors going on, by monochromatic do you mean you would like any additions in decor to be “soft” in color ?

Based on how you described your usage of this room:

- maybe add a really comfy chair to right of window in corner with a good reading lamp

- consider a lower desk and comfy chair, placed opposite couch, which will help balance room. The desk can also be used as a practical surface for overnight guests.

- if enough room, add ottoman in front of couch (add lots of cushions). A rug over carpet will add a layer and provide more interest and don’t forget wall decor and plants.

The room below feels calm, relaxed and cozy; great for your needs - meditating, relaxing, writing and reading. It also works well with your couch and bamboo blind.

niccidhg-

I love that that multicolor throw shown above atop the twin bed- do you know where to obtain that?

I love it ,too, loobab ! I’m sorry I do not know. I have had it saved in an idea book for quite some time. 😕

Jan so sick of this Covid BS!! I’m in California! Haven’t eaten at a restaurant since last March!! Getting hair done illegally as most refused to shut down this second time. We need to just open up and see what happens. Where a mask... we can’t continue so our 95 year old relatives stay safe!

Wear

Jan loved that video, have seen a few of them before, most notably the donkeys baby and big. By the way girl you can’t delete a comment , ever! Housezzzz won’t let you

@Kathy Furt

I hate to deride this post as its author asked earlier that someone's comments be removed around Covid and to help I removed my reply to the post. I can’t stop myself this time, as my humanitarian side is struggling.

We are in complete lock down and not being able to get my hair done or eat in restaurant is nothing when weighed in importance to the alternative - Keeping my 97 year old mother safe (who’s life is still important) and any family member, including my pregnant daughter in law.

Two of my children were exposed at work to second hand Covid and thankfully tested negative. It can happen to anyone.

Perhaps being concerned about mental health and how we can reach out to family and friends is a better way to redirect our energy and frustrations.

Our lives will return to normal if we are lucky enough to stay healthy, but many others won’t have that opportunity. It’s not only old people we are keeping safe. There are mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters being lost. Our personal actions multipled by millions and millions can make a difference and we see what happened in California when things opened up. Staying safe and keeping others safe is how we can all make a difference.

Sorry Girl Woman to detract from your design post. I’ll remove comments shortly, hoping Kathy had a chance to read, so that others won’t be replying and take it off track again. Hope your room turns out to be a little haven, especially at this time.