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everyday joy by kate nixon
If you are considering Kate's book, Everyday Joy, as the right pick for yourself or a design lover you know, this extract gives you a taste of what's inside.
Divided by room and the rhythms of daily life, Everyday Joy is filled with inspiring interiors from our Studio projects and some of Kate's favourite recipes.
Enjoy this extract published with permission, Hardie Grant Books.
Words : Kate Nixon | Photography : Maree Homer
The Study | Extract from Everyday Joy by Kate Nixon
For most of us, work finds its way home – either for a few days of the week or hours of the day – and is infinitely more rewarding in a comfortable, functional space that inspires us.
A study can take the form of a dedicated home office or a nook under the stairs like mine. I have a lovely little pitched roof (thanks to the aforementioned stairs), a timber‑clad wall (engineered oak boards wrapped up from the floor), a painted bookcase niched into the adjacent powder room wall and a pinboard made from the fabric remnant of our entry bench upholstery, filled with sentimental photos, love notes and birthday cards. There are two skinny drawers for scissors, glue, ribbon and tape, the dwindling pile of preschool art we repurpose into wrapping paper, even envelopes and stamps (which I can’t remember when we last used though they’re 70c each, which should give us a clue). A large sturdy basket beneath the desk wrangles all manner of current craft projects, loom bands and laptops, and usually a tennis ball and dog toy stuffed in for good measure. Suffice to say, storage in a study is key.
Installation day is my favourite moment when a studio project completes: putting the things into all the spaces and places we have plotted and planned for – a place for everything and everything in its place. Shelves are just shelves until they are filled with the things we love, and then they become bolstering backdrops to our lives.
If you have space, a whole room can be dedicated to the home office, with custom joinery, considered lighting and overflow guest accommodation if you can fit a comfortable sofa bed. We often paint or paper the walls with colour or pattern to give depth and personality to these inherently utilitarian rooms. Seating can range from extra dining chairs to ergonomic investments. My desk chair is a timber‑framed mid‑century affair salvaged from the side of the road and reupholstered in a zebra‑printed cowhide about fifteen years ago; it is wearing wonderfully well.
I love a rug on the floor to curl your toes into and a desk lamp to avoid downlights. Plan for power, printers and internet connections to avoid a tangle of unsightly cables. If your project and floor plan allows, place a floor box for a central desk. Desks can be fashioned from all manner of tables – custom, new or antique – and are a lovely way to add character to your space. Art is always welcome, and a plant or fresh posy of favourite blooms makes for an excellent study partner.
They say that if you love your work, you won’t work a day in your life. I can certainly attest that an inspiring study to work from makes the day infinitely more lovely.
Kate Nixon
