Harry and Sal's Design Blog

I've been working on our new office, for my other company Intent - monitoring the paint job, negotiating the look that we're going for and so on. It's a shared space, so I can't run riot, but I'm very much enjoying the process. We're also working on a very tight budget - so thank goodness for Ikea!

So far, our space is all white with one vibrant orange wall where the window is - which gives it a very happy feeling. Friday we took a trip to Ikea and got some Mikael desks as well as some Morker desk lamps - a steal at $3.99 until you realize the bulbs are $10 or so! And now to finish it off, I just purchased a couple of Alicia Block's divine prints. We're getting there. I'll post a picture when it's more together!

Labels: Art, Office

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 4/12/2008 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

HARRY: I'm so flat out right now with writing jobs that I keep avoiding posting. So must break the drought. Sorry it's with something so unsexy. But a good chair is hard to find and I love these Herman Miller ones They were designed by Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf in 1994. I know my friend David, who is a writer and spends a lot of time in his chair, sent his Aeron back. There was some problems with the arms. I still want one. I was in the Vogue Living offices yesterday and the editor has one. I had a test ride. They are so comfortable...and for you northerners, they are on sale at Room and Board. Nice one.

Labels: Chair, Harry, Office

posted by cerentha harris at 11/21/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

HARRY: I do not recommend dining table as desk. As much as I love my Eames dining table it is a crap desk. Far too deep and long. I keep losing things. In fact the whole office situation is not good. I need lighting (see the Jac Jacobsen iconic lamps from DWR above) and somewhere to store all the papers and magazines and stuff that accumulates. I did come across Will Self's office, shot by Phil Grey and felt a whole lot better about mine (the link came via a Yahoo group I am part of called UPOD. It's a great community of freelance writers - mostly in America). Any links to inspiring home offices would be greatly appreciated!

Labels: Harry, Lighting, Office

posted by cerentha harris at 11/04/2007 1 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

HARRY: I'm back. A few days by the sea has left me very relaxed. Maybe a bit too relaxed. It's hard to get back into work. We move back into our house on Friday (our tenants are moving out early...yippeeee!) So this week is going to be very busy. And just like Sal, I am obsessing over desks. I've decided on trestle legs and a white top from IKEA...it's definitely the cheap-as-chips option that will get us through to the renovation. Then we'll build something fabulous in. If I could choose anything? It's a toss up between the Eames desk and one by Modernseed (below). In the meantime, IKEA here I come...

Labels: 94, Harry, Office

posted by cerentha harris at 9/09/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious

SAL: The challenge - find a desk for the current house, that is cheap and cheerful and practical. Note, this is an interim solution as the new place will likely call for something very different - probably custom-made for a specific space. That being said, if I find something suitably versatile it may live on as a bedroom nook type desk in a future life. Alas - am I trying to do too much with too little? I fear that might be the case. So we have - dream/future-proof scenario and make-good cheap-as-chips scenario. Dream-scenario would be something like the Parson's desk pictured above. Sleek in a variety of polished finishes, it may do just the trick for now and later, at $299 it's not ridiculous, but not cheap either. Trusty Ikea has some really great mix and match options. I do like the Galant system for something simple and very economical. Hmm... decisions, decisions. For more great ideas check out House & Garden's Desk Quest slideshow. PS Harry, we miss you!

Labels: Furniture, Office, Sal

posted by Sal Taylor Kydd at 9/08/2007 0 Comments

Post to Facebook Digg It Add to Delicious