Fancy having a little nosey around my new study?

I've never had a study before. It's something completely new to me, and it means I have a room just to myself. Well, that's the theory anyway. The reality is that my daughters also use it for 'homework' - you know the kind that involves uploading photos to Facebook, watching Youtube videos and listening to music. That sort of homework.

It's also where all the coats and shoes are kept too as it's the room nearest to the front door, so it's sort of a study/cloakroom too. But apart from the daughters, the shoes and the coats it's all my space!

Anyway, you may remember that way back in October I outlined our plans to move the wall between the downstairs loo and my study so that the loo became a utility room. There was a bit of a delay after it had  been done, but things started to move again around Christmas time when I had the study redecorated. Three days before Christmas day in fact.

So, first of all let me show you the dumping ground that was my study before the renovations.

Not very inspiring I think you'll agree, and although it doesn't show the wall colour very well on these photos I can confirm that the walls, door, woodwork, dado rail, everything was painted in the same sickly, yellowy beigey colour. In fact it was like sitting in a bowl of Heinz chicken soup, it was exactly that colour.  Bleughh.

Here it is just after being redecorated and with the bookshelves in place.

There's a bigger desk with more space for my clutter to work, and the bookshelves have enough space for all of my books and files. Of course, because the wall was moved the room is a lot smaller - it's lost just over 3ft which takes it from a spacious 12' x 8' to a more compact 9' x 8'. It's still a decent enough size for a study though.

There's still a bit of finishing off to do, because I'm great at starting projects but not as good at finishing off - especially the little bits and pieces.  Once it's all finished and everything is in place I'll do a final update.

The utility room is also nearly complete, and just needs a bit of tweaking which I'll do during half-term and I'll do an update of that room after that.

I know it's a luxury having a study, but I do love it. I love being able to sit at my desk and look straight out onto the quiet lane we live on and being able to see what the weather's doing and when the postman is coming.  It keeps the nosey side of me very happy. And when I have a cup of tea, some biscuits and the radio on it's one of my very favourite places.

Do you  have your own space? Where do you go when you need some space from the madness of family life?