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 Give your cubicle a serious makeoverBy Laura Morsch  SEARCH JOBSYOUR E-MAIL ALERTSWith their tweed-like fabric walls, dull laminate desktops and harsh fluorescent lighting, it's hard to make a cube look anything but drab. It doesn't help that decorations are usually limited to colored file organizers, a calendar and a couple of photographs. While it's hard to transform a cube into an aesthetic masterpiece, it's not impossible, as demonstrated by lifestyle and entertaining expert Kelley L. Moore in her book "Cube Chic: Take Your Office Space From Drab to Fab." Moore takes a standard office cube, and transforms it more than 20 times into spaces that are so funky and cute the original cube is unrecognizable. The "nap cube" has blue corrugated paper with glittery stars for walls, a bed under the desk, and alarm clocks and a cereal dispenser as decorations. The "golf cube" is covered in Astroturf, with a leather golf bag as a trash can. If your cube needs a serious makeover, consider some of these ideas from Moore's book: Get wallpaper: If you must be surrounded by three walls, why not make them fabulous? In Moore's "glam cube," the walls are adorned in lush damask wallpaper. In the "safari cube," the walls are covered in natural burlap and hung with rows of capiz shells. To pep up your walls, cut the material to the right size and place a clear adhesive tape around the perimeter of your cube. Then, use hot glue to attach the wallpaper to the tape. That way you avoid any damage. Refresh your desk: Sure, your desk needs to be functional, but why not give it a little style? To make a "mod cube," Moore laid white vinyl over the desktop and placed a border around the edge. To create a "tiki cube," she covered the desk in a faux wood-grain oilcloth and attached table-length hula skirts around the edges. Once you choose your new desktop material, cut it just a touch long, pull it taut and secure underneath the desk with duct tape. Don't forget the floor: There's no need to settle for that short gray carpeting. Moore bought corrugated paper printed with cobblestones, cut it into irregular shapes and secured it to the floor with double-sided tape and voila! A cobblestone path perfect for her "garden cube." If you're not quite so crafty, consider buying a decorative rug or two to add a splash of color to your space. Details, details, details: The key to creating a cube that stands apart is creating a theme and sticking with it down to the very last detail. For example, in Moore's "rock cube," she even added a funky mouse pad. If you don't have a lot of money to spend, even simple touches -- like coordinating your computer's wallpaper with your cube's theme -- can make a difference. Laura Morsch is a writer for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. © Copyright CareerBuilder.com 2005. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority
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