My Secretary Desk & What’s In It
Spring has sprung!
The last couple of weeks I’ve really enjoyed all the new that comes with it - the colors, the light, the ability to open the windows and breathe in fresh air. It always makes sense to me to do some cleaning around this time of year, to help welcome in the freshness of the season.
At the top of my list of “refreshes” was my little secretary desk where lives my home studio (along with three drawers of clothes). It was time to clean out, reorganize, and bring in some spring to the space. I only had two rules - use what I have and make it beautiful! I absolutely adore this desk that I found right after my husband Seth and I got married. The antique store where I found it almost halved the price for me, and I had always wanted something like it; it seemed like it was just meant to be.
After a few months of intense usage, it was so satisfying to get it clean, and so inspiring to sit down to work in a neat, brightened space. While it was in this pristine state I thought I’d snag some photos and share what I keep on hand for making art at home and how I organize it all. (You can see a little behind the scenes of reorganizing here!)
Something to paint on and something to paint with…
Really these are the only two boxes I need to check when choosing what to keep at home. It certainly varies depending on what kind of work I’m doing and what specific supplies are needed for certain pieces, but this is my general formula.
For “something to paint with” (or draw with) I keep watercolors, graphite pencils, and oil pastels on hand. These fulfill most of my needs/impulses for making at home. For watercolors, I keep a mini travel palette (see my post about this easy-to-make travel kit!) and a larger palette, both with the three primary colors. I have found that even for complex larger pieces, this is more than enough to keep on hand. Pencils I use for pre-sketches and in my notebook, and are kept with other writing utensils in a little copper and green bucket I thrifted years ago. Isn’t it the cutest? I go between using it for pencils and using it for plants - and this time it was pencils!
I only recently started keeping oil pastels in my desk at home (I used to store them in my studio) but have brought some over as I’ve started using them more. For me, they are a great way to lay down some quick color when I have an idea I want to scribble out. I’ve even ventured into making some experimental pieces focused on color theory and texture, which I’ve had so much fun with! (Shop them here). This beautiful tea tin I’ve been saving forever has a lid and is perfect for the oil pastels which can get a little messy. And it brings some spring color and antique charm to the space!
For “something to paint on” I like to keep a healthy stack of various kinds of papers, plus a small sketchbook I use when at home and travelling. These papers consist of watercolor paper (hot press and cold press), heavy drawing paper, and speckled card-stock (both of which I use with the oil pastels). Sometimes I’ll measure and cut large pieces in preparation for a specific piece, but I often stock up with scraps from my school studio which end up being great sizes for what I do at home. I also keep works in progress or recent works that help me stay focused and inspired!
These (plus this cutie ceramic vessel - a gift from a friend - that I use for paint water) make up all the basic supplies I need to create work at home. If ever I want to work on something that requires different supplies (for example, a gouache piece) then I just load up at my studio and temporarily have a crowded desk :)
Other stuff…
Apart from being a studio space, this little desk also serves us as a kind of home office and think space. So besides art-making supplies, I also keep on hand envelopes, stationary, stamps, favorite ink pens and highlighters, post-its, and a few rolls of washi tape. Most of the smaller things I store in the drawers, out of view, but the stationary and envelopes I keep in a neat stack on one of the shelves. This tiny wicker tray used to hold my rings and smaller jewelry, but I swapped it out to use in this space. Now it holds the little items which tend to get lost in a drawer: pins, thumb drive, eraser, sharpener, etc.
I’ve always enjoyed letter-writing, so it’s important to me to have a space and the right materials ready for when I want to send a friend or loved one some happy mail. These items are also used in packaging work I sell (washi tape, stamps, stickers, envelopes), so I try to have them all in the same place ready to go.
I also often do my quiet time here, where I can easily grab a post-it to make a note in my bible or washi tape to mark a meaningful verse. Having things tidy, bright and cheery make it so enjoyable to sit down and easy to stay focus as I’m composing a thoughtful letter to a friend, jotting down ideas for new work, spending time in prayer, or even writing a blog(!)
To me, home isn’t home without a think-space like this one, and I’m so thankful for the space and this nifty (and thrifty) piece of furniture that helps make that happen.
I truly hope this little tour was fun for you, and maybe helpful in showing ways you can improve a space with some simple reorganizing and rethinking how you can use what you have already.
Do you have a space at home where you can just think or just be creative? What are your favorite things to keep on hand? I would love to know in the comments what that looks like for you!
Abi <3
