Home Office Revised
I’m sure many of us would agree that 2020 was THE year of the home office. As the pandemic swept the world, working from home became the standard instead of a unique anomaly. As we all scrambled to figure out the new work life balance, spaces in our home needed to function in new ways and our homes became the place we spent ALL our time. So how then do we utilize the square footage of our home to meet our new and frequently changing needs?
The client I was working with had previously used this spare bedroom as a guest space for her grandchildren and other overnight visitors. Due to the location of the homes ethernet cable this room was the best choice for the client to work from home with uninterrupted internet access. So here are a few images of where we started.
The first thing that stood out to me was the clutter. The bookshelf was packed with toys, the desk felt claustrophobic and the dresser was topped with lots of books. The second stand out was the wall color and not in a good way. Faux wall finishes were very popular twenty years ago however the wall color no longer coordinated with anything in the room and felt dated. Third the furniture placement felt lopsided. Heavy furniture was crowded against one side of the room and the other side felt sparse. The room lacked balance and flow.
The client wanted to repurpose as much of the furniture as possible, one to save on costs, and two for the environmental impact. Keeping things out of the landfill and giving them new life is a great way to reduce environmental impact. So the challenge then became how do we create a cohesive look and feel with the existing furniture and how do we make it function optimally all while looking amazing.
We chose a cool white from Valspar called Snowcap White. This color can read slightly blue in certain light and felt very calming for the client to work in. It also worked well with the existing furniture as the headboard and bookshelf are a teal color. Once the paint had dried it was time to address furniture placement.
Due to the ethernet cable the desk could only be placed on the current wall, which felt very crowded and blocked flow entering the room, or place on the north wall. This felt like a much better location as it is closer to the window for natural light and the wall provided more space to work with giving the office area space to breath.
Home Office Renovation
The west facing wall featured the only windows in the room. We changed out the curtains for something more current and tranquil.
Reading Nook Interior Design Services
The South wall was long and had no windows which provided lots of options but also a challenge to create balance without feeling empty or too crowded. We placed the large bookshelf and a chair by the window for natural light for reading or a different place to sit during the day while the client works in the room.
Bookshelf Styling Interior Design Services
The East facing wall is the smallest, as its sandwiched between the closet door and the bedroom door. This provided only a small amount of space to fill, so a small dresser was used for storage of all those toys, as well as a nice focal point for the owners art work.
Guest Bedroom Decorator Kona Hawaii
The bed and night stand were placed on the south facing wall. This provides a nice focal point as you enter the room and also balanced out the heaviness of the dresser and the bookshelf, helping the room to feel spacious.
Guest Suite Design Services
We used new linens to tie the color scheme together as well as provide some color and visual interest. The shams are from world market and the duvet is from Steinmart. All other bed linens were clients from years past.
Guest Room Bedding Kailua Kona Designer
We also were very happy to work with the Velvet Willow https://www.thevelvetwillow.com/ to provide additional accessories to the room. This helped bring in character as well as depth so there is a balance between new and vintage.
Bookshelf Styling Services Big Island Hawaii
Finally plants are a must for any space that is used daily. Aside from all the amazing benefits of having live plants in your space (https://www.hoppier.com/blog/office-plants)( https://www.ciphr.com/advice/plants-in-the-office/)( https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-home-guide/benefits-of-indoor-plants) the client had a beautiful collection of house plants to choose from. Plants also add to the color palate as another neutral and are a great way to turn up the cozy factor.
Plant Styling Hawaii Island
This office/guest bedroom now functions and feels much better. The entire project cost less than $200 (not including design service costs) and feels completely different. Not every transformation has to be expensive or costly. By shopping the clients home for furniture and accessory pieces, and re-envisioning the space this room feels brand new.