First of all, happy 32nd anniversary to my parents!! I’ll spare you the mushy stuff this year, but you can get the full dose here! I love y’all! :)
Alright, back to our regular programming…
Next up in the Room By Room Recap series is the home office! This room is connected to the master bedroom upstairs. Although most of our house is pretty neutral, we decided to go with a bold color in this room: Filoli Dark Iris by Valspar.
What we’ve finished:
- Repair plaster walls and ceiling
- Prep, prime, and paint walls, trim, and ceiling
- Paint mantle and surrounding moldings
- Install ceiling fan/light
- Clean out the fireplace
What’s left:
- Sweep the chimney
- Install tile around the front of the fireplace
- Refinish the floors
- Decorate – new furniture, rugs, window treatments, etc.
- Install built in bookcases
I’ll be honest with you. This room is a far cry from my vision. But sometimes you just have to work with what you got for a while. So that’s what we’re doing. For now.
I’m in love with the navy in this room, but unfortunately it doesn’t 100% work for us. All of our diplomas (we have 6 in total…it’s obnoxious) are framed in black, and Charles’ beloved leather love seat and ottoman is a dark blue. (This love seat has been a huge point of tension in our relationship…girls, you get me right? College/bachelor furniture has got to go!) So this room right now is basically black on blue on blue. I mean, it’s ok, but not my dream office. Which reminds me…you can check out my dream office inspiration here.
Either way, the changes are still pretty drastic.
The figures…this room is 15′ 5″ x 15′ 8″ with 10′ ceilings. There is 1 window, 4 interior doors, 1 closet, and 1 fireplace.
Be sure to check out these other Room By Room Recaps:
- Formal Living Room
- Den
- Den Bathroom
- Dining Room
- Gold Room
- Bear Room
- Butler’s Pantry
- Foyer & Stairs
- Master Closet
- Mud Room
You might be able to find precut mats for your diplomas in, say, gold, which would update them inexpensively while letting you keep that deep blue you still have your eyes on. The college furniture is a battle you will not win easily (after nine years of marriage, my husband has conceded it’s time to get rid of the metal Wal-Mart futon, but only because it has to move to make space for a baby). Consider getting a dog. Eventually you’ll have an argument for new furniture that shows less hair.
Men and their crazy leather furniture. I think you’ve made huge strides in this room! That paint color is beautiful against all the bright white molding. You can make this work!
GIRL!! It is so true! I think I can probably sneak a rug and some window treatments in… ;)
I love the blue and white for the home office. The love seat looks so cushy and comfortable and I think with a different blanket it could look ok. Why don’t you let him keep it until you have nothing left to do or fix or buy. Perhaps by that time Charles will be ready to let it go.
Thanks for sharing your home office makeover journey! It’s always inspiring to see how people transform their living spaces to better suit their needs and personal style. The bold choice of Filoli Dark Iris by Valspar certainly adds a pop of color to the room, and I can’t wait to see how the finished space turns out.
It’s understandable that not everything goes according to plan, and sometimes compromises have to be made. But the fact that you’re making progress and taking steps towards your dream office is admirable. It takes time and effort to create the perfect space, and it’s important to be patient and enjoy the journey.
I’m sure your built-in bookcases, refinished floors, and new furniture will make a huge difference in the overall look and feel of the room. And who knows, maybe you’ll find a way to incorporate your diplomas and Charles’ love seat into the design in a way that complements the navy walls.