Office in Progress

I still need to find a before shot of my home office but suffice it to say it was bad... very, very bad. We spent the last 6 years with our office as a small, dreary room with no closet or shelving and a table with no drawers as a desk. Once kids came I stuck a lock on the door to baby proof and continued to toss everything that I didn't want a child to touch in the room (sometimes without actually entering the room - just a toss). Then I shut the door.

So this room has been on the to do list for a while. Someday I'd love built-ins like this...



With glass doors like this...



But for now, I'm going with something that requires a little less of an investment. I started with a $50 Craigslist dresser *with drawers* that I updated with new paint and hardware (more before and after pictures to come). I hate to say it but I spent more on the rental of a truck to transport it and materials to refinish it then I did on the piece. And time, a lot of time - but at least now I can say I have officially refinished a piece of furniture. Cross it off the list and know better next time. Refinishing furniture is not worth my time.


Then a lot of organizing and a bright coat of paint. Its Benjamin Moore Pale Avocado but I think it might be not quite ripe avocado. I'm getting use to it and hoping that once the rest of the pieces are put in it will be the perfect pick me up color.


A tailored slipcover like this one is in the works for the table. It was built by my grandfather so something I want to keep but not exactly my style so this seems like a good solution. Also to come are 4 large photographs of the kids with big thick mats. My original plan was to hang these above the table since the table is too deep to make the wall space above it use able with shelves or a whiteboard or anything. I just can't decide if it would be better to center them on the wall or center them over the table or come up with some other purpose for the wall.


The wall above the painted desk could be left as is or add something like these picture ledges or deeper shelves. I could use some magazine storage. Any thoughts on what to do with the tiny off centered windows?




Does the window treatment need to be coordinated with the french doors?


And the final wall... I feel like I should have a nice upholstered chair or bench here but that conflicts with the decorate without spending money plan. Other options are to paint a big chalkboard wall, add a pottery barn organization center, these chalkboard calendar decals which may or may not stick to my walls, or make my own with two fabric covered large frames - one as a pin board and one with glass as a white board.











I think the ceiling fan will stay or maybe get spray painted in oil rubbed bronze. Part of me wants a big drum shade, part of me remembers I live in Houston and those french doors and not well insulated.




The more that's done, the more there still seems to be that needs to be done.