Great Things Often Come from Necessity

For the past six years, I've been thinking of how to fill two un-programmed niches in our Master Bedroom. The spaces were originally planned as a closet and an entertainment center. However, as Brian and I began to really live in the space, it was clear that my initial ideas were ripe for re-evaluation.

Fast forward to March, 2020. COVID has hit, we've fled NYC to hunker down here in Lenox, where we can live a bit more quietly for a while. Without a true home office for either Brian or I, we suddenly saw urgency in finishing the spaces, and out of necessity, we decided to build out one niche as the home office, and the other niche as a closet.

With the angle of the ceiling on the south side, a closet with two doors would have proven difficult to build, so it became the natural location for a home office.

I designed the desk with ample storage space tucked into both sides and with plenty of work surface area for a laptop and multiple monitors. Power is concealed, and the shelving and surfaces were built with structural reinforcing to allow standing access to the additional storage space we built above the entry into our master bathroom.

Brian's finish carpentry skills were put to the ultimate test, working through multiple compound angles and ensuring all the finish pieces fit like a glove into the existing surround.

Our pup, Maggie, in the foreground, inspecting for installation issues.

Getting a pair of doors up a flight of steps with a glass wall on one side was... challenging.

I was always confident in the color, but we both closed our eyes and held our breath in hopes that it really would look as good as I imagined. Once the final coat was dry, I pinched myself at how well the tone contrasted with the simple black and white surroundings. It is a thing of form and beauty, and balances perfectly against the surrounding architecture. I like to think of it as timeless.