Room with a view

I have been all over this house in the past four years trying to carve out a spot for an office. I think I have already said all this.. it is a constant hitch in my giddy-up. I am fortunate that I have extra space in our home to use for hobbies, crafts and sewing, but the rooms are on the second floor. No matter how inviting I have tried to make them, I am always in alone in my crafting endeavors. Nice, right? Except that I am obsessed with whatever flavor of the month my craft might be and if I am in the zone, I can be gone for evenings at a time and never see my kids or hubby. And, no matter how organized my craft room is, it isn't an office. I have lost many an envelope, bill, important school notice in trying to train myself and family to transport mail to my "office".
Our family room is oddly shaped, basically in an L and has two large arched entrance ways, so there is limited wall space. This little corner between one of the doorways and the fireplace has never had a real purpose, it has housed a table and chairs for gaming, been lined with bookshelves and been a cozy reading nook, been a catch-all for furniture that doesn't fit elsewhere, and been the location of the Christmas tree for many years past. Enough already!
Momma needs an office! So I finally got the nerve to make it more officy and less inviting for oddball decorating schemes I come up with in the middle of the night.

I purchased attractive filing supplies, kept things coordinated, tried not to freak out the husband with the endless odds and ends I love to decorate with in my hobby room. It has taken me four years, and five household locations to carve this little piece of real-estate out for myself and my laptop. If you have the ability to carve out a small office "space", not real office even, I highly recommend it. There is work yet to be done, cords to hide, finishing touches and the like, but I am excited to be doing that instead of still wishing I had an office in the first place. While I still have to do major projets elsewhere, this set up has been such a blessing, the kids draw and play games at my desk (I do share), it's great for homework or writing thank-you cards to Grandma. I have been so much more efficient, on time with my bills and been able to keep a decent calendar, keep track of projects I am working on, even do filing while we watch a movie or favorite TV show. I am productive and can still BE WITH MY FAMILY. I am looking at them now, they look like they might be wondering if I am going to the grocery store anytime soon. Does that laptop bake cookies?