The Structured space series #4 By Carmen Nave, PHD

My sister Carmen was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and came to me for collaboration and help.  Over the course of several months, we worked closely together to address the difficulties she was having in her home and work.  We came up with a lot of solutions that I wanted to share about design solutions, work patterns and setups.  First posted in 2020 (before a major website overhaul) these 5 posts form a series called “The Structured Space” and are written by Carmen because as she is the person WITH ADHD, as well as having a background in studying ADHD behaviours, she is better able to speak about both the process and the outcomes.  Her fourth post is below.

The next phase of my ADHD-friendly office redesign is to create a “nomadic office.” Once it’s fully functional, I think it’s going to rival my standing desk as a work-flow game changer!

Lenore developed the concept of a Nomadic Office in order to assist with my ADHD and at the same time meet our whole family’s needs in relation to my work space. So she’s going to take over the next few sections to explain it!

After Lenore’s section, I’ll explain how to get started on creating a Nomadic Office for yourself.
This week, we’re going to stick to the concept: how we came up with it and the general principles that anyone can use. 

The design challenges

A major challenge in Carmen’s office is that she and her husband John share the desk. While they each have laptops, they also use a desktop computer for editing photos. John also uses the desk and computer for his music hobby.

Another challenge is that the office area is part of a larger family room. It’s next to the tv, near the couch, and in the same room as their daughter’s art supplies.

Additionally, the room has multiple windows and doors as well as a pull-down staircase to an attic. This limits the possible furniture arrangements and organizations of the zones

Design Analysis

Our analysis combined self-observation and discussion. Carmen’s ADHD is a prominent issue for her. She’s never had a workspace that fully worked for her, and her needs can seem quite random.    [It’s totally true!!!!-CN] 

For example, she realized during her self-observation that creating a tight feeling on her scalp helps her concentrate when writing. Because of this she needs a place at her desk for hair elastics and headbands. Neither of us had ever thought of these as office supplies before!

By observing her and talking with her, I came to the conclusion that what she needed was an office that could be easily transported to wherever she was most comfortable working that day.

We often find Carmen in the dining room

The concept: easy to move, easy to tidy

For the ADHD component the main thing was to have everything she needed visible and within reach when she needed it.

Just as vitally important, she needed to be able to put things away super easily.  This is something that while certainly not unique to ADHD, tends to be a larger stumbling block for those who have it.

‘Easy to tidy up’ was also important because the desk is visible while relaxing and watching TV, so any mess or unfinished work is prominent and can add stress to family members using the space for relaxing.

It’s also important that the desk itself can be a workspace for the different members of the household without their work or hobbies interfering with each other.

This tin contains Carmen’s essential office supplies

We worked through the activities that happen in the space for each household member, and then developed easy-to-move, easy-to-tidy solutions. The main activities are:

There were also some permanent storage needs. These were:

Some of these things, such as the Midi board, only have to move from a storage area to the desk and back. The laptop charging station was moved to an area near, but not on, the desk. 

This solved most of the room-sharing problems. But additionally, we wanted to meet Carmen’s tendency to work all around the house and occasionally outside of it.

For this, we have a number of nesting components. A small hanging file box holds her planning file and has room for growth. We bought a large tin box that holds a few pens, business cards, the hard drive where she stores photos, a USB key, and post-its. This and her bullet journal fit into the hanging file and can be easily moved around the house.

What could be easier than chucking your stuff in this container?

Carmen here again!

When Lenore brought up the idea of a Nomadic Office, it made immediate sense to me.
Self-assessment was a major part of this office redesign, and when I started thinking of my needs in terms of embracing my “nomadic” tendencies, I realized that I needed some non-design additions in order to support my work habits.

For example, I bought a solid-state hard drive to store my photos on. I wanted to be able to access them without internet (so no cloud) and in a variety of locations on different computers. 
It took about 4 months of self-assessment, but that included a lot of thinking through my actual work flow. Since my work needs have changed a lot, this was more than a design project on my end. If you already have pretty clear work habits, your self-assessment might be much shorter!

Self assessment

To begin your self assessment, you basically need to create a baseline and then spend some time thinking about what is working and what isn’t.

1.Write down everything in your space, at least in broad terms.
2.Tidy up your space to the point that it is comfortable or at least workable.
3.Note anything that doesn’t have a good storage place but should remain in the space. Things that don’t need to be in that space can be taken elsewhere (even if they don’t have a good spot in the place they need to be).
4.Over the next week or so, note what things find their way back to your space.
5.Note anything that you want to have but isn’t there.
6.After the first week or so, start a master list of “must haves” in your space.
7.On a separate sheet, start a master list of activities that happen in your space.
8.You can start problem-solving now, or repeat the first steps, and reassess periodically until you feel your master lists are complete.

Once your lists are complete, you’ll start to see the patterns in your work and your space. Think about grouping things according to activity, and planning storage places based on frequency of use and ease of access.

I work on my office floor a lot too!

The Structured space series #3 By Carmen Nave, PHD

My sister Carmen was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and came to me for collaboration and help.  Over the course of several months, we worked closely together to address the difficulties she was having in her home and work.  We came up with a lot of solutions that I wanted to share about design solutions, work patterns and setups.  First posted in 2020 (before a major website overhaul) these 5 posts form a series called “The Structured Space” and are written by Carmen because as she is the person WITH ADHD, as well as having a background in studying ADHD behaviours, she is better able to speak about both the process and the outcomes.  Her third post is below.

Creating a supportive environment is not a quick fix, so as much as I want to do a big reveal of the new office, it’s still a work in progress. Today I’ll share what we’ve changed and how we’re going forward, because working in stages is important when designing for ADHD or any highly specific needs.
(You can read the start of the journey here)

Colour

We completed the painting for the whole room, which is actually a large multi-use space that includes a working area, a tv-games area, and a playroom area.

When researching the little information about ADHD and design that is out there, I frequently came across advice saying to paint “calming” colours. I don’t know about you, but I found this unhelpful to say the least. It’s mildly insulting: just like for anyone, it isn’t necessarily the case that a person with ADHD need to be “calmed” in order to function. When I’m working, I want to be engaged and energetic, not “calm.”

That said, we chose to repaint in the same neutral colour, mainly because we know that it is bright and cheerful in this north-facing room, and a neutral wall is best when working with photographs, which I do.

We did create a vibrant bright accent wall on the opposite side of the room, where my daughter’s desk and play/craft area is. We removed a dark green rug from the tv area and added a vibrant, stripped woven rug that has all of the colours from the room and more in it.
Overall, with the fresh higher quality paint, new rug, and accent wall, the room feels much brighter and lighter, and I’m super happy with it.

Everyone needs a mascot! Mine is Chewy Hams.
And how awesome is that rug?

Desk

My partner and I have been looking for a standing desk for a long time. He prefers them at work, and I have some back issues that flare up and make sitting difficult, so we wanted one that would look good and function well.

We finally found one (in Owen Sound of all places!) that wasn’t overbuilt, making it reasonable for a home office. Getting it was what prompted the whole office redo.

It’s all set up, and deserving of a post of it’s own! I’ve discovered that it not only is good for my back, but useful for my ADHD as well. I talk about it in more detail HERE.

TV area

This is not super important to the work space, but we moved the modular storage system of dark black cubes I inherited from my grandparents to the living room, where it looks infinitely better. We swapped it with a console table which has never had a perfect home since we moved from the place we lived when we bought it, but with the colour changes of the desk and rug, it now fits really nicely in the office!

You’ll see in the picture that two of the black cubes are left. This is an interim solution to the amount of actual storage space that has not been replace. Which brings me to what is still in progress.

Tracking my work

Before we move forward with wall storage or any other storage, I want to know what it is that I really need in my space. There are some things that belong to my partner which will stay as well, because we really only want one desktop computer in the house, and he has a number of digital hobbies he’ll be keeping up with.

So for now we’re letting the desk accumulate some things, and tracking what is piling up, and what is missing.

I jot down things while I work, as they come up

What’s missing

So far, I’ve realized that I need a place for hair bands and elastics, because I use too-tight ponytails as a way to help focus (this is sort of like a fidget, but keeps both hands free when I’m typing). I waste a fair amount of time wandering around the house trying to find hair elastics.
I’ve also realized I need a spot for my sweater. Now that we have the standing desk, the back of the chair is no longer a way to keep it close at hand.

These aren’t earthshaking realizations, but taking the time to think about them, as well as figure out what is always around the desk and thus needs a place (head phones, charging laptops, bullet journal) is going to make the final storage solution much more efficient, and also make sure that everything I need to work – even the weird things – has a place to live permanently in my work area.

Eventually, we’re going to do something with the Ekat series from Ikea, and probably some cork board and hooks and stuff as well. Not to mention cord control, because while this room is so much more functional than before, those chords are unsightly!

The Structured space series #1 By Carmen Nave, PHD

If you are diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, one of the first pieces of advice you’re going to come across is to create a structured environment. But a lot of the practical how-tos on doing so are aimed at kids. There’s plenty of advice about setting up homework space, but much less about making the kitchen less overwhelming or how to create visual reminders without post-its.

My sister Carmen was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and came to me for collaboration and help.  Over the course of several months, we worked closely together to address the difficulties she was having in her home and work.  We came up with a lot of solutions that I wanted to share about design solutions, work patterns and setups.  First posted in 2020 (before a major website overhaul) these 5 posts form a series called “The Structured Space” and are written by Carmen because as she is the person WITH ADHD, as well as having a background in studying ADHD behaviours, she is better able to speak about both the process and the outcomes.  Her first post is below.

ADHD affects space in a few ways. People with ADHD tend to like visual reminders of what they’re working on as a memory aid. Combined with difficulty organizing and initiating uninteresting tasks, this tends to lead to some pretty messy spaces. And while messy is not inherently bad, it can pass a threshold where it goes from creative clutter to pure overwhelm.

What I’ve noticed is that while there are organizers who address ADHD, there isn’t much about design. And while organizing is an important piece of the puzzle, the solutions can tend towards the utilitarian or childish (colour coded boxes and post-its come up a lot).

This is not a post about how Lenore can solve all your ADHD problems with design. This is about me, Carmen, who has been recently diagnosed with ADHD trying to combine ADHD advice with design principles to see what happens.

I’m at the beginning of my journey. The official diagnosis is just a few weeks old, although the process has been going on for some time. I’m starting to rearrange my life around the idea of an external support structure that helps me stay on track with my goals (and my housework).

Not all of that requires changes to the house, of course. There’s stuff about setting up routines and schedules and alarms and things like that. But the space is definitely part of it… and since have a sister with an interior design business, it seems like an obvious thing to take advantage of.

I’m sharing this for a couple of reasons. For one, I think it goes to show that design isn’t just about fashion or style. It’s very much key to solving problems. That is a core mission statement of Lenore Brooks Design, and now I have the chance to show how that focus came into play in my own life.

The second, and maybe more important, reason is because I know that there are a lot of other adults out there like me, recently diagnosed and wondering how to climb this hill of “creating a structured environment” when that’s exactly the thing that’s been impossible all these years and why they finally sought help in the first place!

“The Structured Space” is a blog series about figuring out how to use interior design as a part of creating a supportive space that is also an adult space.

Ah well. One thing you learn when you have ADHD is to roll with the mistakes. So this week’s blog has before and during pictures, and perhaps next week we will have some afters to show.

As the winter Holiday season ramps up it is easy to get bowled under mountains of to do lists, social obligations, presents to buy or make and of course, decorating your home.  Decorating can be a hugely stressful endeavor for many people, as it is a front and center visual and therefor easy for other people to judge.  Or for us to feel like they are.  Every year the media, (both professional publications and social media) seem to scream at us about what we ABSOLUTELY MUST DO THIS YEAR!  Did you see that A-list actors Christmas tree???  These seasonal boughs will change your life!  Wreathes in this new style will show everyone you're in "the know"!!!  Must be cutting edge!!  No one will come to your party or have a good time if you use last years colour scheme!  OK, that last one might be a stretch, but its what it feels like to me.  I'm here to tell you all of that, and I mean ALL OF IT, is a load of BS.

Sure, change up your decor, follow a trend - but do it because you like it, not because you feel like your stuff is not good enough.  Trust me, it is.  The holidays are an industry like everything else.  If you don't need to buy new stuff every year then they don't make as much money.  It piles unnecessary stress on an already stressful time.  

I'll be perfectly honest, I haven't bought a new ornament (other then one as a present for my son every year) a or holiday decor item in at least 7 years.  Probably more.  I HAVE bought new lights because those things die at an alarming rate, and I like a tonne of them.  Its not that I don't ever see anything new that I like, but that I have nothing I want to replace and a limited amount of storage space. 

So how do I achieve an apparent stress free atmosphere?  It is definitely more then a mindset, and I'm sharing my personal strategies below.  There is no one right answer, and what I do may not resonate with you and that's OK!  But maybe it will spark an idea, or maybe it will make you appreciate what it is that you DO do more. 

Burnout and overwhelm are real issues that can take what is supposed to be an enjoyable celebration and turn it into a nightmare.  Creating systems that work for you can turn into traditions that are both enjoyable and take the stress and guesswork out of the season.  

So if you are bored with your decor, or see something that inspires you that you want to integrate, that's wonderful!  There are always new ideas out there and our tastes and environments change throughout our lives.  Changing up decor and including the tastes of those around you, are things I greatly encourage.  Give yourself room, however, to do what makes YOU happy, makes YOUR heart sing, regardless of the industry side of the holidays shouting at you from grocery store check out aisles and social media.  Choose peace on earth and a silent night.

Whether you are considering a large-scale project with contractors, DIY projects, or just some regular home maintenance, the phases of your projects can be more suited to one time of year than another.

Understanding these seasons can help you better accomplish your project goals. In this post, I’ve created an overview with key tasks for each season.

Large Projects
Prep season is most important if you’re planning on hiring professionals for your project. Contractors will be difficult to schedule during the high season, so these are the months to get your plans finalized with designers and architects, as well as to find and schedule your contractor.

Schedules fill up fast in the high season, and it can be very difficult to find a contractor during this time. In particular, if you haven’t scheduled a professional outdoor painter by now, you may not get one this season. Don’t let this discourage you… but know your project might take a little longer if it’s not scheduled by now.

Most indoor painting can be done anytime, but I recommend painting radiators in the summer months when the heat is off. This avoids stronger paint odours and ensures that the paint cures properly. How fast the paint cures can have an impact on the finish and in some cases, the quality of the final result.

Tip: There are lots of good deals to be had in the High Season!

• Tools often go on sale leading up to Father’s Day (the third Sunday in June), so if you need something new for a high season project, check for sales in June.
• People tend to donate after spring cleaning, so this is a good time for thrifting. Since the ReStore salvages quality kitchens from renos, the high season is probably a great time to shop there as well.
• July is a clearance month for furniture, and can offer some great deals on new furniture.
  

This is the easiest period to schedule contractors, but the sorts of jobs they can do are more limited. And of course, if you’ve got a big reno in mind, this can be a good time to start planning. Designers will also have more availability in these months, and starting early can maximize your opportunities to get deals on necessary items, and have them assembled or delivered before the reno starts.

The low season is one of the best seasons for painting indoors (with the exception of radiators!), for a few reasons.

• Light: These months have the greyest coldest type of light and if colours look good now, they will look good in summer. On the other hand, colours that look fresh and crisp in the golden summer sunlight might be rather dreary or dark in the clearer bluer winter light and shorter days. The same applies to choosing wallpapers: the low light of the low season will help you choose wall coverings that look great all year round.
• Availability: If you need a professional to paint or hang wallpaper, this is the season where they are most available.
• Cheer: Let’s be honest, the low season isn’t just low in terms of renos. This is the season where a lot of us miss the bright light and long days of summer, and start to feel cooped up indoors. Tackling a smaller decorating or painting job in this season can be just the thing to help your indoor environment feel fresh again.

Last Thoughts

If your project is in the works and cannot follow this schedule, think of this post as a way to set realistic expectations.  Things may not happen on the schedule you originally had anticipated: perhaps your contractor will have a cancellation and be able to fit your project in during the high season with little notice, perhaps you'll be waiting for an October start instead of  July one.  Many things beyond the season can effect the timing of a project - back orders happen constantly and can really throw expectations out the window. 

In view of that, my last tip is to plan plan plan!  Have your orders in and confirm stock of items before you book that hotel to stay in during the renovation.  Talk to your contractor and designer to get a clear picture of their timing expectations and any potential snags.  Finalize the design details as early as you can, confirm when things are locked in and cannot be changed.  Open communication and advanced planning can really take a lot of the stress out of what is generally a very stressful time.  Things will go wrong - the important things are to remember that the timing of the project will fluctuate, have competent people helping you, and contingency plans in place for the worst case scenarios. 

I’d love to hear what you are doing over the course of the year. Have you got projects you’re planning? Questions about how to phase them, or what you need to get started? Let me know in the comments!

The most common repair that walls need before repainting is the fixing of small holes made by pictures or shelves. Whether you’re redecorating or staging, there are some easy DIY steps you can take to make sure that your wall looks smooth and gorgeous when you’re done.

To illustrate these steps, I’m using a personal redecorating project I did a few years ago. We had a large picture wall collage (also called a gallery wall) against a vibrant colour, but with the addition of some new furniture and the changing use of the space as a place to put on boots and shoes, we needed to rethink both colour and style.  This looked, at the outset, to be a big project that I was dreading getting started on.  Just looking at all the repairs I needed to make felt exhausting.  However it went much faster then I anticipated and was actually kind of fun once I got started.  Using the following method made the actual filling of the holes less fussy than usual which had the added benefit of improving my mood as well as cutting down on the time it took to sand them all.

The Original Picture Wall:

So, here is a step-by-step guide to help you get the best results:

First, prepare the wall

1. Remove all the pictures, shelves, nails and screws.
2. Wipe down the wall and trim with a dry or damp cloth to remove dust and cobwebs. If your wall is in a kitchen or bathroom, brush your fingers gently along the surface to feel for grease or soap build up (grease looks shiny and soap is slightly sticky). Remove buildup with TSP all purpose cleaner or soapy water and rinse thoroughly.
3. Remove switch plates. This is an opportunity to inspect them and clean or replace them.

Next, repair the holes

You will need: a hammer, trowel, spackle, sand paper, paint brush or roller.

When you remove a nail, a small lip will form in the wall. If you fill it at this point, there will be a bump on the wall.  It will be difficult to smooth the spackle around the hole, and there will be a lot of sanding in your future to make it appear to be smooth.

Instead, Use a hammer, tap the hole to create a small dent or crater. Do not hit hard enough to break the wall. The goal is to create a small indent where there may previously have been a slight protrusion around the hole.

Like this:

Not like this:

Fill the dent with spackle. Once the compound is in the hole, smooth it with the trowel.  This should be quick and easy as you are filling in the dent only.  Try not to spread spackle onto the surrounding area very thickly - some is going to happen, but smooth it as best you can with the trowel while wet. Once the spackle is dry, sand it smooth with the sandpaper (about 150-220 grit) or a fine sanding sponge. It will end up looking like this:

Now you’re ready to prime and paint!  If you skip the priming step the finish of the spackled spots will be a duller sheen from the rest of the wall.  Primer seals the spackle evenly so that the paint is absorbed evenly and maintains the original sheen.  If you do not have access to primer, an extra coat or two of the finish colour will create enough of a even film over the spackle that the sheen will match very well.  The shinier the paint, the more coats you will need to maintain the desired sheen without primer.  If you are using a flat or eggshell paint, usually three coats will be enough.  If the paint is semi gloss or gloss, expect four coats to maintain the same sheen levels.

Another way to ensure a seamless invisible repair is to use the same tool to paint as the original.  That means if the repair is in a place where a roller was used (this is 95% of the time) use a roller to apply the new coats of paint instead of a paint brush.  Paint brushes and rollers make a different physical textures on the wall and this can lead to visible repairs as it effects both the sheen of the paint and how the light bounces off it.

By taking the time to indent and fill the holes, your freshly painted wall will look great!

Painting a wall is a fairly straight forward thing to do.  But there are several mistakes that can make it a nightmare task.  In this post I'll talk about my top three painting mistakes, and how to avoid them.

Wasps are usually an outdoor problem, of course, but it’s almost summer! A time when interiors and exteriors are far more open to one another. Perhaps surprisingly, wasps are actually a beneficial insect. They eat virtually all pest insects and larva in your garden and lawn, and like bees, they are pollinators. But unlike bees, they are far more aggressive, and they can make a mess of your outdoor wood furniture, decks and fences, plus I'm really allergic to them.