Best Amateur-Designed Office Space: Caitlin Long - Remodelista
The winner of the Remodelista Considered Design Awards Best Amateur-Designed Office Space is Caitlin Long of San Francisco. Caitlin Long’s Design Statement: I converted this 100-square-foot backyard garden shed into an office space for late-night studying and early morning business calls. Q: Where do you live?A: I live in the Cole Valley neighborhood of San Francisco. Our house, which we built in 2007, sits on a typical 26-by-125-foot lot, and the shed, which holds the office, is at the rear of the property. Q: What were your practical goals for the project?A: My goal was to turn a dank garden shed into a warm... ...cozy office that would be comfortable and practical for multiple users. Stylistically, I was shooting for creating a casual gentleman’s space without it looking like a cliché. Q: What solutions did you find to your design problems?A: First and foremost, the room needed to be warmed up. Painting the ceiling dark, a trick much advocated by London designer Abigail Ahern, was scary for me, but it really did unify the room and create a cozy cohesiveness to the space. Q: What is your favorite feature of the project?A: The wood stove! I installed the wood stove (a portable camping stove) with my older son who loves to have a little fire going when he uses the office to study at night. In terms of looking at images of interiors, I get inspired by and am most interested in spaces that reflect the authentic, individual interests of the inhabitant. Q: What is your day job?A: Mother to two, avid DIYer, and writer of the blog The Shingled House. Q: Where do you get your design inspiration?A: I am often inspired by visual details rather than the larger picture. I’m striping the walls and sloped ceiling with gaffer’s tape and maximizing the storage function.