12 Chic Desk Chairs Under $200

When it comes to the perfect union of style and comfort, there are three things in this world I believe to be universally difficult to shop for: jeans, swimsuits, and desk chairs. One size and one style most certainly does not fit all. I'll leave the jeans and bikinis to the fashion bloggers, but today I'm go to share my search for a chic and comfy task chair with a price tag under $200.

10 Desk Options for Small Spaces

A good desk space has always been an important part of where I live. A writer simply needs a desk, right? As a kid and teenager, my desk was where I wrote stories. In college, it's where I did homework and NaNoWriMo. Today, it's where I blog, write creatively, and sometimes work. Whether you need it for homework, creative work, or remote work, a desk is important. But sometimes, it's just so hard to set up a nice desk space in a dorm, studio, or tiny apartment. Unless, of course, you take a cue from some of these:

Decor Board: Foxy Office

I was inspired by this charming fox print - and I love how orange looks alongside warm gray, creamy whites, and gleaming gold.

6 Ways to Hide a Bulletin Board

From the coral and turquoise color combination to an inspiring view of my Birth of Venus folding screen, I really love having moved my office into the front room. It's brighter, less isolated, and vibrantly colored to fuel creativity. All in all, it's a great space to walk straight into after work - and perfectly situated for evening blogging or writing. 

For My Office: 10 Ginormous, Inspiring Inspiration Boards

For as long as I can remember, an inspiration board over my desk has been a staple. It's an absolutely necessary place for me to pin up bits of inspiration for everything from blogging and decorating to working on novels. 

Pictured above is what my desk looks like right now. I covered some extra plywood with removable wallpaper from Chasing Paper, then taped up a few inspiring prints. On the right side of the desk is an old piece of corkboard painted with chalkboard paint. For now, I'm writing lovely little phrases on it, but I can pin things up if I desire.

$15 Office Wall Update with Vintage Magazine Covers

My office has been coming along piece by piece and I'm loving the bright chartreuse color even more day by day. I recently posted about how I put up a black, cage-style pendant - it's really pulled the desk area together and provided some wonderful illumination. 

However, the big wall behind my desk has been bugging me. Long, low, cubicle-style bookshelves line the wall and provide a perfect place to display my vintage typewriters. But the great expanse of wall has remained empty. Even my lovely Cotton (above) comes into the room, gingerly steps over all the typewriters, and then stares blankly at my big, blank space.

Black & Gold Office Inspiration

After creating a bedroom decor board based on this outfit, I guess you could say the black and gold inspiration stuck around a while longer. So, I pulled together this gorgeous decor board to inspire a fabulous black and gold workspace for the new year.

To shop for specific items from this set, click here.

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DIY How-To: Paint Ikea Furniture | Mikael Desk Makeover

So I was going through my blog posts drafts and came upon this do-it-yourself gem that somehow managed to escape being published. You've probably caught glimpses of my closet-turned-office in my apartment tour, but I never got around to sharing the process of painting a piece of Ikea furniture. Well, the wait is over.

Charcoal, Green, and Teal Office | New Apartment Inspiration

For now, I'm planning on using the dining room as an office. Why? Because my dining table and chairs will be in the eat-in kitchen - and I'm in love with the idea of putting my writing desk in front of the big bay windows. The walls are currently a pale, jade(ish) green. A previous tenant painted the hardwood floors black - it's unfortunate, but I can work with it.

I can dig pale green walls, white trim, and black floors, especially with my gray floral Threshold curtain from Target. Unfortunately, this style of curtain isn't sold anymore and I only have one panel, so I'm planning on putting either red or gray panels on the outside bay windows with the floral one in the center.

How to Revamp Your Dorm or Work Desk + Poppin #WorkHappy Giveaway (Closed)

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Desks can be tricky to decorate. Whether you're studying in a dorm, working from home, clocking in at the cubicle, or blogging from your bedroom, a desk needs to be functional as well as beautiful. But desk accessories that functional and beautiful, well... they're hard to come buy. Not anymore. Meet Poppin.

When I discovered Poppin, it was love at first sight. They're not just another office products company - they sell "workstyle products." Bright, bold colors. Sleek, stack-able designs. Clean, crisp lines. From notebooks and pens to desk accessories and fabulous file cabinets, Poppin has you covered - the great prices and low shipping is icing on the Poppin cake.

Closet Office Progress: Desk Painted | My Apartment

The closet office in my bedroom is coming along. To recap: I nabbed an Ikea Mikael desk off of Craigslist. I didn't like the birch finish, so I painted it Sealcoat (a nice, dark, warm charcoal hue) by Sherwin-Williams. Since the desk fits the nook within inches, it had to be put together inside the nook. Let me tell ya... if you thought putting Ikea furniture together was a challenge, try putting it together inside a closet. The space was so tight I couldn't use tools - just my hands! It was a tricky, tricky challenge that involved crouching underneath the desk and uttering a few not-so-lovely words.  

Closet Office Inspiration Board | My Apartment

I spent all day Saturday and part of Sunday painting the Ikea Mikael desk I scored on Craigslist last week. After much deliberation and flipping through paint swatches, I settled on a color. I was originally leaning toward a bright strawberry red, vibrant chartreuse, or mustard yellow. However, when I realized that the desk's dimensions were practically perfect for my bedroom closet / window nook, I changed my mind about the color altogether.

10 Inspiring Home Office Spaces for Your Apartment or Dorm

dottie angel

 I never get tired of looking at work spaces. These places that people create, write, be productive. And each desk space is as unique as its user. My little office space is a corner of my bedroom. While I daydream about the idea of someday having my own office, I'd still want it to be a small, cozy nook. Whether you use your desk for homework, working at home, blogging, designing, or something else - you're sure to reap some inspiration from this eclectic roundup of desk spaces. 

Above, I love the vintage metal desk, sleek white chair, and array of prints on the wall. The muted colors and vintage feel is so lovely.

Workspace in the Wardrobe?! | 13 Lovely Closet Offices

One idea I've always been rather smitten with is the Closet Office. Unfortunately, I've never lived in a space where such dreams could come true. My apartment bedrooms always had one closet - and usually not a very large one at that. Coincidentally, the place I'm moving into in a couple weeks has three closets. A huge one in the bathroom. A good sized one (with a built in dresser) in the hallway. And a small one in the bedroom that has a window and no door.

DIY Multi-Tasking Desktop Organizer | Lost & Found: Do You Know Where Your Things Are? (Closed)

Do-it-yourself multi-tasking desktop organizer.  Now that's a mouthful.  As part of my partnership with Apartment Guide for the Lost & Found: Do You Know Where Your Things Are? Blogger Program, I was assigned a mission to create a rental-friendly organization project.  I got to thinking about what organization challenges I faced myself.  Much of it came down to paper: magazines, documents, homework, cards, craft scraps, etc.  Paper piles up on the desk and other surfaces.  So I wanted a way---well, a pretty way---to organize it.  

Show & Tell: My Work in Storage Magazine!

I had a euphoric experience in the Wal-mart checkout.  (Never thought I'd ever find myself typing that... haha.)  I turned to look at my favorite part of any store: the magazine stand.  And there it was. The Spring 2012 issue of Storage magazine in all its glossy glory.  I squealed in delight and snatched it up, flipping through the pages eagerly.

So why did I flip out in the checkout, you ask?  Well, I spent this past summer working my dream internship at Meredith Corporation... specifically Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications Do It Yourself and Storage.  Besides all of the writing that I got to do (yay!), I was also given a little taste of my dream job: producing!  I had the awesome experience/challenge/fun of producing for this issue of Storage.

Lovely Office Spaces Round-Up

Isle of View

Pink and orange Moroccan rug + shabby chic dining table + crisp white walls

+ chalkboard + industrial lamp + hardwood floors + orange and pink curtains

Stylish Office Inspiration for a Studio or Dorm

Garrett Murray, an award-winning film-maker and award-winning iOS designer/developer, also has great taste when it comes to decorating his small space.  I came across his apartment on Flickr and although these are photos of his office space, I think they could be very inspiring for college students living in a single dorm or studio apartment.  Pictured above is the sitting area.  The couch (similar to a futon, but more stylish) folds down into a bed for guests. 

And the Toto Cube Lamp also serves as a table.  Doesn't it give off great ambience in the dark?  Ideas to borrow:  1. Invest in a convertable couch rather than a futon.  It's more stylish and more grown-up, so it will transition easier into your post-college apartment.  2. Buy things that serve double-duty, such as a table that also gives off light.  3.  Hang your artwork/prints in unique ways.  The way Garrett displays his posters is as visually interesting as the posters themselves. 

This Herman Miller bench offers file storage and drawers... plus seating!  The small wall space between the two doors works great as a gallery for photos.  Idea to borrow: 4. Get a storage bench or several ottomans that can keep clutter tucked away and guests off the floor.

The desk area is an ideal working space.  Idea to borrow: 5. Keep your workspace sleek, clean and clutter-free.  Use smaller furniture for the tv, but allow yourself a big desk for all that homework!

Ideas to borrow from this space:  6. Instead of a big, bulky, block-like bookcase... choose one that is ladder-like and leans up against the wall.  It will take up less space, be easier to transport when moving and just look more stylish. 

Check out more of Garrett Murray's photos here.  Plus, visit his website Maniacal Rage.  All photos in this post belong to Garrett Murray.