Every once in a while I like to share a favorite with you, be it an organizing product or something that makes life simpler. Today I want to share my Leopard Print File Bench, which makes organizing my files simpler and my living room more fun and functional!
My office is in the living room of my home. I chose to have my office there because I can easily see what’s going on elsewhere in the house from where my desk is positioned and I have a beautiful view out my front window which I enjoy immensely. It’s one of the first rooms you see when you enter my home and as such, I was challenged to furnish it in such a way that it didn’t scream OFFICE!!! to everyone who entered. In fact, as long as my desk is clear, most people have no idea I’m running a business from my living room and that’s the way I like it. One of the pieces of furniture that makes that possible is my file bench.
Prior to finding the bench, I was storing business files and supplies in two Elfa Rolling File Carts in a hallway closet located about 20 feet from my desk. It was terribly inconvenient and because filing wasn’t convenient, I let my filing pile up until it reached a critical mass and I would file it all at once. This resulted in un-filed piles between filing sessions, which annoyed my husband and me.
I had considered a filing bench as a solution, but any I found held only one or two linear feet of files. I knew that my filing bench would have to work harder than that, so instead of purchasing something designed specifically for filing, I purchased an Amelia Storage Bench from Ballard Designs. The generous interior dimensions of 12″H X 46 1/2″W X 16 3/4″D gave me plenty of room to insert a metal file frame, creating over 26″ inches of filing space and almost 20″ inches of additional space for supplies and project boxes. Another benefit of buying from Ballard was having a lot of fabric choices, as well as the option to supply my own fabric. Personally, I couldn’t resist Ballard’s leopard print as it added some punch to the room. This was my first purchase from Ballard Designs and I have to agree with the 4.8 out of 5 star reviews this piece has received at their website. It is well constructed, the fabric patterns were well matched and I was even able to buy additional fabric to recover the seat of my desk chair. What’s not to like?
What kinds of fun filing options you’ve come up with? I’d love to hear about them!
Good Morning. I decided to check out your blog and happened on to this article. You are an excellent writer. I think it all started out with your essay on purple socks! Remember? Also, after reading the article on the file bench, I am tempted to buy one myself. My only problem is that I have no place to put it. Lots of love, Mom
It’s great when you can find pieces that are functional and look great too! My files are in a very old (bought it used in the 1980s) metal file cabinet that weighs a ton and leaves rust stains on the floor. Would love to replace it, but I use so much less paper these days that I’m wondering if a time will come when I don’t need one at all!
Couldn’t agree more Janet! You raise a good point about using less paper. Since minimizing my household and digitizing my client and other business files, essentially the only paper files I have left are my active files on my desk and a small stack of files waiting to be scanned and filed digitally. The leopard file bench is still as useful as ever though, serving as a bench at the foot of the bed in the guest room and functioning as storage for office and shipping supplies. Thanks for commenting!
Wow – leopard print! How fun is that? I love this option because so many people just don’t like the way a file cabinet looks, especially if their main room for storage is the living room. File cabinets work well in an office, but not so much a living room. I’ve seen ottomans with filing before, but this large bench is really great!
Seana, glad you connect with the leopard print. I think it’s fun, too! I’ve had four large storage ottomans over the years. This one is by far the most spacious and most sturdy. I would highly recommend it.
Greetings from western Ohio!! Very clever, Andrea! And extra matching fabric for your desk chair–what a bonus!!
Yes, matching fabric to tie it all together is key. ; ) I just checked out where you’re located. I spent time in your town many, many years ago, would have been 1989 or 1990, when I was an auditor for KPMG. I think I was auditing a bank at the time, but can’t recall for sure. Thanks for reading & commenting, Olive!