My Fantasy Cubicle

The words "fantasy" and "cubicle" are not often used in the same sentence. Fantasy brings to mind imagination, freedom, and extravagance.  Cubicle conjures up restraint, harsh lighting, and office politics. 

Employers are in business to earn profits, not to cater to their employees' taste.  But it must be said:  I loathe my cubicle.  Like strip malls, cubicles are at best ubiquitous and at worst, ugly. Many aspects of my job are satisfying.  My cubicle, however, is not one of them.

We were blanketed with snow yesterday for the second time in two weeks, allowing me to work from home.  After work, I thought about decorating my ideal office space. Here are my choices:

Farrow & Ball Silvergate damask wallpaper to replace the unfortunate rust-colored cubicle walls.  I firmly believe that the color rust should be banned from the workplace.  Rust is decay and there is nothing uplifting or motivating about this color, so why bring it into the workplace?

This Louis XVI style chair from Wisteria

Parsons desk from West Elm

Adjustable Library Table Lamp from Circa Lighting

Apple iBook

I'd hang this Marie Antoinette plaque on the wall. I know what you're thinking. She's not exactly a working woman's role model, is she?  I didn't know it was Marie Antoinette until after I chose the piece. Really, I didn't.

Fresh flowers on my desk every day would be a luxury. White and blush pink roses are my favorites.

So far, so good, but things get complicated. The Mont Blanc fountain pen, celebrating the 100th birthday of Greta Garbo, quickened my pulse.  It's a beauty "with a hand-crafted rhodium-plated 18K gold nib" and the clip is set with a 5.25 mm round Akoya pearl. Curious, I wanted to know more.  Instead of showing the purchase price, the website invites one to call a Mont Blanc concierge for details.  I know what this means, but told myself I'll call just "for fun".  My inquiry did not last long as the pen costs the better part of a mortgage payment.  Apparently, rhodium gives platinum a run for its money.  

  

A gold-rimmed china cup and saucer from Replacements, Ltd. for my morning coffee. No paper cups for me.  I'll gladly wash the cup myself.

Soon I will be back in my cubicle, grateful as ever for my job and my 401K.  In the meantime, there is no harm in a little fantasy.  Common sense keeps me from dragging wallpaper and table lamps to the office.  Instead, I just hum along to the same tune everybody else does. 

With a smile.