Office Remodel Project is Taking Off!

We are off to a great start on the Office Remodel Project this week. On Wednesday David scored a great deal on a HP Firebird desktop computer and 24" LCD monitor! We haven't owned a desktop since 2001 so this will be a bit of a change for us. The desktop is mostly for me since I'm the only one that uses the computer for anything other then internet browsing and Microsoft Office. Of course David is pretty excited about the possibility of playing a game or two on it. We have an HP Mini netbook that we'll use in the Living Room for internet browsing on the couch or lazy boy. There's just no way we can give up that luxury! The reason we're going with a new desktop is that it's cheaper then a laptop with the same specs, and I really want a decent screen for serious photo editing. Laptop screens are just not the best for photo editing when you want the color you see on the screen to match the color you see when you print.

So now that the new desktop and monitor are on their way it's time to get serious about office furniture. Yesterday I spent the day with my Mom up in Portland and we had a chance to run up to Ikea so I could see some of the desks and sofa beds in person. From measuring the room and pricing file cabinets I think we can get a desk at Ikea for about the same cost as the Door Desk/File Cabinet idea. I'm currently thinking about doing two smaller desks with the file cabinet in the middle. The desk tops are $19.99 each and the legs I like are $20 apiece, though I could probably live with a few of the $10 apiece legs. We'll see. Even if we go with the more expensive table legs we could get two workspaces for $120 which is pretty reasonable.

As for the futon idea, well I have no idea where we're going with that. David seems pretty set on the futon idea and I'm more on board with a sofa bed idea. I may be biased against the futon idea because I remember how terrible the futon was that David had in his dorm room. The mattress pad was constantly sliding down and it wasn't exactly deluxe comfort. I could really pass. I found the Beddinge Sofa Bed at Ikea yesterday and really liked it. I tried it out both as a couch and as a bed and I have to say it was pretty comfortable. The only thing it doesn't have that David will miss are arms. Plus it comes in two colors that I like, a chocolate brown and a pretty green. It's a little spendier then the futon off Craigslist idea, but I honestly think we'd get more use out of it and not hate it. It has actual springs in the mattress pad for heavens sakes!

I even busted out my drafting equipment this afternoon to see how the furniture would fit in the room. I've had that mechanical drafting pencil since I was 14. This isn't exactly an example of my finest work, but when working under the constraints of very cranky toddlers this will have to suffice.