Setups & Spaces

Jason Schuller

1.) What is your name and where in the WWW (Whole Wide World) do you live?

Jason: My name is Jason Schuller and I live in Seattle Washington.

2.) What do you do for a living, what pays the bills? And what is the thing you do when you are not doing the thing that pays the bills?

Jason: I am a Digital Creative Professional focusing primarily in Web Design. You will find most of my work on Press75.com which I founded in 2008 as well as ThemeGarden.com which I founded just this year. When I’m not behind the keyboard designing the web, you will find me on the slopes skiing or on the trails mountain biking. I also love to travel with my wife Christine.

3.) How much of what you do, personally or professionally, gets done at the work space featured?

Jason: I would say about 90% of all my work gets done in my home office. The other 10% takes place wherever I happen to be at the time, whether it be on a plane, in a hotel, in front of the TV, or on my couch…

4.) Typically, what time of the day do you normally find yourself at this desk, and for how long? Night owl, early bird? 

Jason: Typically between the hours of 8am and 5pm with some breaks in between.

5.) How much of what gets done at your desk is for work, how much is it to scratch your own creative itch?

Jason: For me… work scratches my creative itch, so it’s a win-win. The entire reason I left my day job was so that I could create what I want rather than being told what to create. By following that passion, I was able to establish a successful business which paid for the office of my dreams.

6.) What are the essentials that can be found on your desk more times than not? How about those items just out of reach or out of sight? If it’s not on top of your desk what are the things you most often grab out of a top draw or cabinet? 

Jason: The essentials for me include my 17” MacBook Pro, Bluetooth Keyboard and Mouse, iPhone, Water and Coffee. Drawers really aren’t necessary in my opinion. I am a minimalist and try and only keep the things around me that I actually use.

7.) What beverage/food/snack can one usually find at your desk, and why?

Jason: Usually coffee or water… not much else.

8.) Do you have any reasoning or anecdotes that lend some insight into why your desk is setup the way it is, or the thinking behind certain item(s)? How about the things around your desks? Decoration, wall art, figurines, statues, etc? Any particular reason behind those?

Jason: I prefer smooth/clean surfaces which was the reasoning behind purchasing the glass desks. Also, these particular desks allow me to stagger them in the corner creating the most usable surface area within that particular corner of my office. Again, I am a minimalist and really don’t like a bunch of clutter, and these desks just fit the bill perfectly. All the prints, decor, and furniture were all hand picked by me. I really wanted a reflection of my specific personal taste which is why I chose the things I did. I don’t always have the upper hand in regards to decoration in the house ;)

9.) How much of what you do, or aspire to do, influences your desk setup, tangibly and intangibly. 

Jason: 100% of what I do for a living inspired this setup. I wanted a space that would be conducive to keeping me inspired. I built this office on the top/back of my detached garage to take full advantage of the panoramic lake views and natural light which puts me in the perfect mood to work and create every day. I also wanted my office to be an extension of the house which is why I created a sitting and entertainment space for those few minutes in the day when I just need to kick back and play some video games.

10.) Are you a Mac or are you a PC? What machine(s) are setup and used at your desk? If you are a little bit of both tell us why. How about any other tech gear that can be found at your desk or in your home?

Jason: I primarily use a Mac (pictured), but of course pull out the old Windows laptop every week or so for some dreaded IE testing.

11.) What’s the one piece of gear you could not live without?

Jason: Without my Mac, I would be toast…

12.) What piece of gear cannot be found on your desk, but you wish it could be?

Jason: My skis and a chair lift.

13.) Software; what do you use more often than not. What helps you get the job done? And what do you not use, but hope one day to incorporate in your workflow?

Jason: Espresso tops the list since I am coding WordPress themes every day. Other apps I use on a daily basis include Adobe Fireworks, Little Snapper, Tweetie (of course), Droplr, Snippet, Swatch, CoverSutra (for iTunes), iChat, Skype, ScreenFlow, Transmit and the Hit List.

14.) If you could change one thing about your desk, or the room it is currently in, what would that be? 

Jason:  Nothing I can think of at the moment.

15.) Workspace Breakdown;
 Think of as many things as possible that comprise the setup of your office or workspace, anything from the paint on the walls to the floor mat your chair rolls on, and list them out. Who makes your desk, how about the cabinet next to your desk, your lamp, the overhead light fixture? Anything and everything you can see in the pictures shown, give as much color and background on these items as time and memory permits. 

Jason:

• 2 Glass Desks (Ikea) $120/piece 
• Office Chair (Office Depot) $250 
• Miscellaneous Prints (ISO50) $200 
• Wall Clock (Target) $20 
• Entertainment System (Best Buy) $3500 
• Furniture (Macys) $1200 
• Rug (Cost Plus) $150 
• MacBook M-Stand $30 
• and of course my MacBook Pro and accessories.

_________________________________________________________________________________

If you would like to learn more about Jason Schuller, his workspace, or his work, you can find him at the sites listed below;

Flickr - “Jason Schuller {theSevenFive.com}”

Press75.com

ThemeGarden.com

Twitter

If you have any questions or comments about this setup, or any other setup featured here at SetupsandSpaces.com, feel free to email me at FValletutti@me.com.