This is my study nook:

view from the kitchen stove

In our original house plan, there was going to be an enormous linen cupboard here. It is almost 2m long. It would have been a great cupboard. However, on looking at the space at the end of the hall, I thought it was too much space to ‘waste’ with a cupboard. I decided it would be good to build a desk there, and have a little study nook there. It is a great spot for the study nook. It is easy to watch children and keep an eye on them when I am in the kitchen and they are at the desk.

It is a good spot to work at because you are still accessible for the family. Or perhaps that is not always a good thing, as Monte realised (for the first year in the house this was his office). It didn’t take long for Monte to commandeer the guest room for his office. It made sense. Plus, it meant that I could take over the nook for my own desk. Georgie has a desk in her room and Matthew is not really needing a desk yet. Whilst the children do actually use the desk at times, it is mostly my space.

view from the hall

I like my space. I really do. I like having my nana’s antique treadle sewing machine near me when I work (the sewing machine in the white case belonged to my other nana – I am lucky to have my grandmothers’ machines!). I like the shelf that holds my bits and pieces and gets very dusty. I like my cupboards. One of those cupboards is filled with my notebook and stationery collection/problem/addiction.

However, there are things about this space that I would like to change. I need a better way to store my fabric and other supplies because tubs of fabric on the floor and wire shelves holding vintage sheets and other things just all look messy. Because a lot of people enter our home through the laundry at the end of the hall, my sewing nook is always visible and I want it to look tidy and more presentable.

I have been looking at ideas for study nooks for a while now. I would like to have some more cupboards built to corral my supplies and so I can keep my desk nice and clear.

I think we have two options. Firstly, we could increase the number of cupboards by extending them to the ceiling and going around the corner, with a corner desk built in as well. This image (which comes from here) gives me an idea of what could really work in my space:

Another option is to build a big cupboard that extends floor to ceiling but does not return around the corner of the space, and which houses a concealed desk, like this one (I don’t know the original source, sorry):

To make this one we would have to have doors that open out and then slide back into the sides of the cupboard, which would lose some space. However we could increase desk space by having a desk that extends out.

I’m continuing to look at my space and think about which style would suit our space and our lifestyle the most, and keeping in mind that we plan to extend in the future, and also that one day all our babes will have flown the nest (sob). I think the first option will be the best because I think we would end up leaving the desk cupboards open anyway, but I will talk to our lovely carpenter friend and see what ideas he comes up with.