Foyer update: New workstation!

Way back in January, we made some home related resolutions. To read more about those, click here. Making our foyer more inviting was a big goal for us. We had been making some good progress with updating thebookcases and tiling the floor, but a family dilemma was starting to emerge. As our kids are all now school age, they want computer access. Steve and I both use laptops for work and are paranoid about giving the kids free reign with them. Our jalopy of a computer downstairs was no match for the demands of even the most beginner level Webkinz user. Plus, we really wanted to see what the kids were doing on the computer and shelter them from the wacky side of the world wide web. So, we decided to make a change in the foyer to accommodate a new computer for the kiddos and a family workstation we could all enjoy.

To get started, we decided that the bookcase near the kitchen would have to go. Here’s a picture of how it looked right before we removed it. 

We were hoping we’d find hardwood floor underneath. Happily we did, and then we found even more. Read about that interesting discoveryhere.

Because of Steve’s millwork connections, we were able to design a custom unit to fit our needs and space. Now, this is the view when you walk in the front door.

We love the closed upper cabinets for storage, the shelves for minimal display, and the filing cabinets for staying organized. The tall left lower cabinet houses the computer tower and has a shelf for cell phone charging. The only downside was that my former laptop workstation was now gone. My handy husband had a solution for that. He removed the copper insert from the planter on the other bookcase and covered it with a wood slab. Then, he carved out an insert where I can dump the keys, my purse and other accoutrements.

Now I still have my very own kid-free workstation. Hey, you burn more calories when you check your email standing up!