The Power of Decorating

Several weeks ago, I was asked to temporarily fill a vacant position in a very busy department, sitting at a cubicle where I am the first person everyone sees as they enter. As I settled in and made the space my own, I cleared the three desk surfaces that make up the u-shaped workstation, made a space for the necessary items I need to efficiently do my job, and added a few decorative accessories. These simple changes are not only pleasing to me, as the user of the workstation, but they have a positive effect on everyone who interacts with me in this space.

The color scheme in the office is a soothing palette of neutrals. Introducing pops of color for accent immediately draws the eye to it and using black helps to visually ground everything. I created a vignette on the backside of my workstation so that when someone is standing at my desk they have something pleasant to look at behind me. The desktop is a cream colored laminate and my accessories include a black-framed photo of a lush tropical garden overlooking brilliant turquoise waters; two different sized Parisian-inspired decorative boxes, stacked one on top of the other, with a plant spilling over the edges of both boxes; a crystal paperweight; and a black lacquered clock with silver and crystal trim. All of these items are pulled into one grouping that spans the length of the desk and is washed by under cabinet lighting directly above the desk surface.

Time and again, I am in a hurried conversation with someone when suddenly their facial expression will change and a sense of calmness comes about as I see their eye go to the vignette behind me. It’s like watching someone take a deep, cleansing breath of fresh air and then they comment on how much they like what they see. Providing a place of beauty and calmness in a hectic environment; this is the power of decorating and a perfect example of “my kind of beautiful.”