High Impact Office Design

 

When I first moved into my home, I started decorating the rooms we use the most, then the rooms I see the most. Last Christmas when friends were gathering by the front door, I realized that I had neglected the first room you see when you walk in my house! Sure, it was okay and put together, but it was kind of the catch all for our leftover furniture from hand-me-downs and ikea... It was time for a change! I sold the couch, sold the desk, and moved the things I wanted to keep like the clock, curtains and ottoman. Starting from scratch was so much easier than trying to work with the things I had that just didn't fit.

 Before:

After:

 

The most important thing to me in the office was the color. I wanted something different, dramatic, and classy. My comfort zone kept bringing me to black(yes, that's my comfort zone ;) ), but just painting black in my bathroom, I tore myself away. I went with Benjamin Moore's Dark Harbor, mixed 25% darker. I couldn't decide between Dark Harbor and the darker color, so this was an in between color. It is perfect! The best way I can describe it is the color of the deepest part of the ocean in Cabo. It's blue, it's green, it's beautiful!! Unfortunately the pictures don't do it justice. It is much more teal/green than it shows.

 

I wanted paneling to add interest to the walls and intensify the color. For $160, it made such a difference, and made the room look so high end!

 

Here are the wrought iron gates I bought for $40 at Home Goods and attached it with brackets.

I found this cabinet for $9.99 at Goodwill in Cherry, and spray painted it black. You would never guess that it was second hand and scratched, and it fits all of our office supplies perfectly! I looked for a new one to match it and was shocked when I realized I'd be paying $599 for the matching one! Yeah right! Oh well, a hand-me-down pedestal will have to do for now.

 

This phone was a TJ Maxx find from when I was in high school, and I have fond memories of when my now husband calling up to my apartment on this phone. I had to incorporate it somewhere! Plus, it's cool.

 

 

 

 

The desk was a Craigslist find that actually happened to match my bedroom set! It was meant to be!

The Pennsylvania House wing back chair was a Craigslist find for $5.00!! That's about $1500 less than retail. Score.

 

I am SO happy with the way it turned out! We spent about $600 on the entire room, about half the cost of the suggested retail price of just the desk! A small price to pay for a room that looks like a million bucks! When I talk to my design clients about big impact, this is what I'm talking about!