This post has been in the works for AGES! Every time I’d be getting ready to post it, I’d change something in the room or other posts took precedence. So without any further delay, I am proud to present, our home office!
With an Etsy shop comes lots of supplies. Printing, packaging, shipping, etc. With the old setup, I had no room to spread out and work on orders. Sure, it was cute and cozy but I really needed to maximize the space I had. So the couch found a new home upstairs and the coffee table went back to the basement. I really wanted the space to look more open so I moved the armoire from the wall near the door to across the room and kitty cornered it. As much as I’d like to face the window while working at the desk, that room only has one wall large enough to accommodate such a large desk. So until we invest in another desk, my back will have to be turned. I also brought my other white club chair and dress form mannequin that nicely displays my wedding reception dress from the upstairs room (see below). I really wanted to go with a light, clean palette for this room with pops of color here and there. The wall color is a very pale pink. It was already on the walls when we moved in and I didn’t mind it so to save time, I kept it. Since the middle of the room is wide open now, I need to fill the space with an area rug and I think I’ll end up going with a round one.
I’ve been designing so many prints for my Etsy and Storenvy shops, I wanted a big wall to showcase them. The space above the desk is the perfect canvas. Most of the prints were designed by me, but some were Etsy and flea market finds. There’s a mix of cheap and more expensive frames on the wall. Remember, a little spray paint goes a long way!
The lamp is another spray paint project. It was originally red but I outgrew that long ago and sprayed it copper a few years ago. The color is getting a little old to me so I plan on using Krylon’s Looking Glass Spray to give it a cool mercury glass look.
I loved styling the desk. One of my favorite items is the ceramic Scotty dog. My sister gave it to us as one of our housewarming gifts. Growing up, we had a Cairn Terrier who looked very similar to his Scottish cousin. Every time I look at it, I think of my little Magee. You also might recognize that little gold fan from this post. I recently moved the damask chair from the dining room in here. I had a simple white chair on wheels but it was too low for the desk and the height wasn’t adjustable. I love the sophistication the chair brings and the pop of pink with the pillow.
The other week, I’d decided it was time to make my desk look fresher. I’ve had it for about 7 years and the finish was really starting to wear. I love the desk otherwise, it’s so big, which is great for preparing orders. I spent a total of $8 to make this desk look like new. I picked up a roll of marble contact paper at Lowe’s and got to work. I had to call in reinforcements for this job — my mama. She’s a contact papering pro. It’s so sticky and tricky to do on your own! We used a shower squeegee to smooth as we went, she pulled, I squeegeed. What a team! How awesome does the top look now?! (Click the calendar picture to view the item in my shop!) The armoire housed my parent’s old computer at one point and was a maple color. They were throwing it out, and because I hate to get rid of anything where there’s the slightest possibility I’ll use it in the future, I snagged it and let it sit in our basement for the better part of a year. One day we finally decided to drag it out and paint it. I chose a creamy white, which I believe was Creme Brulee by Behr. I used chalkboard spray paint on one of the inside doors for easy notes. Ben quickly discovered this and drew me a picture. Like 2 years ago. Now I can’t bear to erase his little scribbles. This serves as our catchall, mail station, file holder, printer house, etc. I’m trying to come up with a better organizational system so any ideas are appreciated!
I brought in one of my Ikea club chairs and added this awesome black and white throw and pillow, both also Ikea. I love the way a simple throw and pillow glam up the chair. The pink pillow was here prior but I needed it for the damask chair when it found its new home in the office. I’ll probably pick up another pink one next time I’m at Ikea. The mannequin is from TJ Maxx and displays my reception dress from my wedding. The sparkle print is from Marshall’s. I LOVE that dress. You can see it here. I’d written this post so long ago, I’ve actually made quite a few changes since then. I took the white sofa table out of our living room and put in in the office. It really helped bring the room together. I had too much open space before. It is painted the same color as the armoire and proudly displays my grandmother’s vintage typewriter. I just love, love, love that piece. It makes such a statement! The lamp has a partner that stayed in the dining room. I scored them for $10 each years ago at the Christmas Tree Shop and picked up the shades for $10 each at Walmart. Two lamps for $40 total! Don’t you just love a bargain? (If you’re local, you know that jingle is stuck in your head now!). The burlap runner also has a partner in the dining room. I’d bought the roll at Michaels 2 years ago with a coupon. I think it ended up being $6. It was so long, I was able to cut it in half. I love that little bit of rustic glam that it brings. One of my favorite pieces is the vintage typewriter – it belonged to my Gram! <3
I prefer the dog dishes to be out of the way, and since the kitchen space is precious, we moved their dishes into the office. Under the sofa table was the perfect spot. Here’s Napolean eating on his custom placemat. Don’t judge me and the baseboard in desparate need of painting. This room had old carpet in when we moved and we had to have the floors refinished right away. Painting the baseboards is one of those projects we conveniently forget about all the time.
And in case you were wondering, most of the other decor around the room is either from Marshalls, TJ Maxx or HomeGoods. That about does it for today. Thanks for reading!
XO,
LOVE that you have your reception dress on display! What a great idea!! Office looks perf. Hope you’re putting these pictures on Pinterest! 🙂
Thanks Linds! I haven’t yet but thanks to your sweet words, I will! xo