UPDATE: We’ve redone the office again – click here to see the latest version!
I have had a serious inability to concentrate on one room at a time this month. I started redecorating the dining room, and even painted a mirror and made some napkins. Then when I added my new sunburst mirror to the powder room, I decided to abandon the dining room and update the powder room. Well, I got a great start in there, but then my bookcases arrived for the office and the focus shifted again! Although I totally abandoned my plan to only work on one room at a time, it was worth it because I am so happy with the progress we have made in the office. It isn’t “done”, but it is done to the point I really enjoy being in the space and I can shift my focus back to the dining room OR bathroom in May.
Let’s get to the fun before and after photos and then I’ll tell you what I still want to do in here. And I get to say “here” because I LOVE working IN the office now instead of trying to avoid it 🙂
BEFORE: Left Side
Before: Middle
We bought an awesome farmhouse table to use as a shared desk, but as you can see, it was a disaster. Sorry about the doors in the picture, I thought I had better before photos but forgot to check them before we started painting!
Before: Right
I spent ALOT of time trying to figure out furniture placement in this room. There is a bench in our entryway that looks directly into this space and I sat there with a notebook one morning until I figured it out. Now that it is done, it seems so obvious!
To the left, I get the entire farmhouse table to myself. It’s delightful!
I can’t wait until the grass is all green and pretty again, but after 10 years of being in offices with no windows, I am so grateful for a view. Everybody pray with me now that they don’t ever build houses on the lots across the street 🙂
To the left of my desk, I have a blog command center. I made a great color coded editorial calendar for the wall and I don’t know how I ever functioned without it! This location is great for the calendar because I can see it from the desk, but it isn’t viewable from the entryway.
To the right of the desk, I re-purposed my deal of the century Target bar cart into a Silhouette station. It works perfectly! The top holds the machine and the bottom has a basket for scrap materials. Full size materials are right next to it in the bookcase.
The back wall is now full of storage! We ordered the IKEA Borgsjo shelf units, and love that they are deeper on the bottom than the top. I didn’t have that much time to spend staging, but for now it works! We didn’t buy anything new, just shopped the house. Spinning to the right, you’ll see my husband’s desk. We had a dark Threshold Avington desk that we were using as a console table (aka junk catcher) in our bedroom. I painted it with DecoArt Chalky Paint in Everlasting and it works great in our new space (tutorial coming)!
Source List
Wall Paint – Valspar Hazy Stratus (LOVE LOVE LOVE this color)
Bookcases – IKEA Borgsjo Shelf Unit x3, plus 2 door packs and 3 drawer
Smaller Desk – Target Threshold Avington with DecoArt Chalky Paint in Everlasting
Left To Do List
Rug
Curtains
Redo Vintage Lamp (on my desk)
Chair (either slipcover or buy new)
Gallery Wall (hubby’s desk wall)
Bookcase Trim (add crown & trim between separate units)
Replace drawer pulls
Floor???
I get a little giddy every time I walk past the office now. Even though we painted the walls a darker color, the space feel so much brighter and happier! Since this is a room right off our front door, I love that it feels so welcoming. And even more than that, I love that it is now a fully functional space!
Katie @ addicted 2 diy says
I agree, I love that paint color on your walls! You’ve got a great office space. The book cases are styled perfectly and I love that Maddie is photobombing the pics;)
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thanks Katie! It was a true photobomb again. If I WANTED her to plop down right there, she never would have done it. She’s getting pretty skilled at randomly sitting in the perfect place though!
Kelly says
Love the new room! I really like how you kept the functional aspect with the calendar, but put it out of view of the entry. What a brilliant idea!
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thank you Kelly! I got really lucky the space lent itself to that!
Allison Rust says
Favorites: The Jackie O (I have that same print on a canvas bag!), the Dukes of Hazzard lunch box, and the wall color. AND the dog. The Silhouette cart is great too. OK, I like it all. Such a happy room!
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thanks Allison! I think Jackie may live in the dining room now. I still owe her, but we don’t really have red in the house anymore. We bought her at the 6th Floor Museum almost 15 years ago and she sat in the art tube she came in for several years. My parents kindly got her framed for us one year for Christmas.
And you should get bonus points for picking up on the Dukes of Hazard. It’s my husband’s from when he was a kid. He thought I was insane for displaying it on the new shelves! 🙂
Katie says
Looks great, Melissa! I love that last picture with your dog! Our dog is always photo bombing my pictures, too! :). Those bookcases are gorgeous!!! Your office looks great, though I think you got the better view :).
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thanks Katie, that’s my favorite picture too 🙂 Yeah, when you design the furniture layout, convenient things happen like getting the big desk AND having it face the window!
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Fix me and drink and get me a chair and I’ll be happy to stare at it for awhile and see if anything pops into my head. 🙂 I’ve been pretty lucky with that method so far. And yippee! I get so excited every time we mention July!
Kimberly @ stuffed suitcase says
So jealous of your great natural light! 🙂 Looks great Melissa!
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thanks Kim! It does serve as my photo studio quite often 🙂
Dee says
Absolutely beautiful! I’m starting an office makeover soon, too – your space has given me some great inspiration!
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thanks Dee! I’ve still got some things to do in the office, but in the meantime I LOVE being in there! I can’t wait to see what you come up with for your office!
Corey @ Tinysidekick says
This looks great Melissa. I’m getting ready to do an office overhaul and this is great inspiration. I love those cabinets too! Thanks for sharing at the makers!
Julie says
Your office looks great! I shop at Target a lot, so I recognize their magazine holders. I really need to update my office as well.
Lynnie says
Just love the new cabinets, it is so bright and fresh looking and who doesn’t love more storage right!
Cute doggie too.
Hugs, Lynnie
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thanks Lynnie – I am a sucker for storage!!! I have a history of picking houses based on closet size 🙂
Katie @ Upcycled Treasures says
I love how you moved things around and that farmhouse table/desk is awesome! What a beautiful space to work in! It looks like you get so much light in there and that view looks nice too {fingers crossed they don’t build any homes there} 🙂
Thanks for sharing at The Makers!
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thank you Katie! I was so sad when the farmhouse desk was not working out before. It’s awesome to have it all to myself now. 🙂
Kelley @Miss Information Blog says
This looks fantastic! I love the Dukes of Hazard lunch box! Can’t wait to see the editorial calendar tutorial I’ve been working on one like that! Thanks for sharing with us at Cook it! Craft it! Share it!
laura@live-love-scrap says
It looks great! I love the wall color!
Renee says
You get a lot of great light in your office. I’m looking to use the same bookcases from Ikea in our office, Did you paint them?
Thanks,
Renee
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
No, we may have to paint them white when we add moulding to the top if we can’t match the gray woodgrain. So far, they are looking good as is.
melissa@polishedhabitat.com says
Thanks so much Diane – I love linking up at Do Tell Tuesday!