THE MAKING OF A WORK ROOM: TIME TO GET THAT HOME OFFICE STARTED

Everybody is working from home in this era, my neighbor works from home, I work from home, 10 or more other people I know are slowly building sustainable businesses from home. But the balance between a home office and a ticket to laze around in PJ's, drinking coca cola and watching you tube videos is very elusive. Productively working from home requires discipline and setting up a separate work area is top on the list.

In order to keep your mind and work separate from other activities in the house, in order to concentrate on work and avoid other distractions like TV, noise, housemates (little people included for the work from home mommies a.k.a mompreneurs) you need a private space dedicated only for work. A space where you can get your creative juices flowing or do some serious logical and strategic thinking. It doesn't have to be a whole room, let's face it Kenyan developers do not build most houses with a work area or library in mind. You have to make do with what you have.

Here's a progressive blog post ( sophisticated word for "incomplete post that I keep procrastinating and I might as well get done about now" post)......it is a working progress, I will keep creating and owning my workspace bit by bit. I decided to use a spare room for my work space....for the sanity of this blog, and the sanity of the other designers I will give a DISCLAIMER: No amount of designing went into this room....think of it as organizing a room and then designing it later.

The Before: the room is painted a Corvette grey shade with soft hue of purple Rodeo drive which will not be visible to the human eye considering the lighting situation...it was disorganized.

First the "declutterization" ...

Then tidy up the work tables...

More tidying up. 

Then came the tools of trade sewing machines and our darling mannequin, Miss A.

Now we can get some work going on here as we aesthetically design the space and think of some interesting wall art, mood board, storage systems and a better chair (yes I hate the plastic white garden chair but rule number 1 is to make do with what you have...) 

Thanks for stopping by, keep you posted on the progress of the office. Need help decluttering your house and finding an ideal workspace? Email us at dassabydesign@gmail.com


Till Next Post,

Dassa by Design.

DIY PROJECT : JEWELRY WALL ORGANIZER TURNED ART

I decided to get my jewelry organized for once.  Here is DIY project of how it went down.

First there was a framed board...

 

Then some nails, 

 

 I recently added a hammer to my tools of trade....I desperately , always needed one......

After hitting the nails on the sides I painted my frame...the uneven painting was intentional to make it look aged....

Then I added my strings and hang up my earrings....mounted on my grey wall next to the colorful curtains that I once hated but am slowly beginning to love.... I have this weird love-hate relationship with color.

Artsy, Schmutzy......

I will post a daylight picture of what it looks like in the sun :)

Thanks for stopping by,

Till Next post,

Dassa by Design.

LIVING ROOMS: DESERT SAND

This was one of our projects end of last year. We came in an turned a living and family room into a stylish contemporary space. Here is some before and after shots.

 

 

We painted the wall a desert sand color with a bit of texture, TV got mounted and created a family gallery with the corner wall.

Notice how a new modern media cabinet takes care of the wire mess  we had in the initial picture.

 

The fishees in the aquarium also got a spot in the space.......so did the family's baby toys.

We went for a two-toned look, maintained the nice gold mustardy  color in the back wall....

the wall was later to be filled with 2 more tryptichs which had not been sourced by the time this shot was taken. 

And again, the front wall..... always paint over the cable casing to kinda camouflage it...

And again, the front wall..... always paint over the cable casing to kinda camouflage it...

LE DINING ROOM.. 

Very few times we meet a client with great taste, we totally love this  dining set....It fits the space perfectly. We added a console table to give the space character and the canvas painting.

End of project. Let us know what you think. Give us a call to help you create a beautiful space. 

Thanks for stopping by, till next post,

Dassa by Design

LAZY PEOPLE GUIDE FOR HOW TO CLEAN UP A HOUSE FAST!

It's a lazy Saturday or pretty much any day of the week. You receive a phone call  “Surprise! We’ll see you in 30 minutes!” You can't play the "I'm not home card" because that was the first part of your phone conversation.  Your house is a mess!  You can't call the Niecey Nash Clean team because they probably have no idea where Nairobi is. You can still welcome uninvited random guests to a clean, neat and tidy home by following this steps. 

 1. Decide on the areas you want to clean. This isn’t the time to clean your entire home from top to bottom. Choose the rooms that your guests will see like the living room, kitchen, dining room  and bathroom.   

 2. Multitask it  While you are busy cleaning up other areas, let some stuff clean out.

• In the bathroom: spray toilets, sinks and bathtubs with cleaner and let them sit.
• In the kitchen: soak the dishes in soapy water in the sink so the grime falls off easy when you get back. Spray the cooker top and counters with cleaner and let them sit.
 

 

3. Speed de-cluttering: Using a large box , move from room to room and gather all items that don’t belong or that should be put away. I put them away in a drawer specifically made for   that purpose.  If items can easily be put away, do so. If not, leave them in the box and put them away once your company has left. Clear surfaces of books, dishes, magazines, toys etc. Stash the box in a spare bedroom or other room that visitors will not enter. 

4. The floors. Sweep or vacuum high traffic areas like hallways, the middle of a room, around chairs and furniture. This isn’t the time to move furniture and do a thorough job this needs to be quick. For vinyl or wood floors, take a damp cloth with cleaner and spot wash getting rid of any particularly nasty spills or spots. There’s no time to wash the entire floor.

5. Wipe down and finish up.

• Finish up the dishes that are soaking in the sink. 
• Grab a wash cloth and wipe down the kitchen counters, stove top and dining table.
• Wipe down bathroom counter tops, sinks, toilets and bathtubs. 

6. Freshen up. Add a sweet smell to your home with a light air freshener, open the window on warm days or light a couple of scented candles. If you are the baker type, mix up a ready to bake cake or muffin mix and add some vanilla essence or pumpkin spice, the aroma as they bake will give your house an inviting vibe. 



 


These tips have saved me on more than one occasion. Ultimately cleaning as you go and having your home ‘visitor ready’ at all times is the way to go but that’s not always possible, at least not for me.

Thanks for stopping by,
Till next post,

Dassa by Design

THAT RED WALL

   

This is one of the living rooms that we did, we worked with a warm color palette. Reds, browns, golds, oranges to create a relaxed yet energetic atmosphere for this living room... 

The before shot.....

The 3-D simulation of the room,

 The after shot.....

the lease did not allow to touch the overhead lighting and the wall sconces, so there goes....

Night mode....

 Do you need to re-do your living room , give us a call on 0711 643 630. Cheers!

PREMIERE POST.....DESIGNING SPACES

We embark on a journey of changing lives, providing home solutions, renovating offices, renovating homes ,creating beautiful living and working spaces. Follow us on this journey. Currently working on a living room design, here's a 3D simulation of the final pic.... we cannot wait for the final picture!

Adios,

Dassa By Design