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Updates to My Home Office {and a New Rug!}

by | Mar 12, 2014 | Decorating Inspiration, my house, Offices

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Updates to My Home Office {and a New Rug!}

It’s been awhile since I’ve shared any updates from my office, which is kind of ironic since it is the room where I hang out the most every day! Of course, I daydream about new ideas for this room quite a bit when I should be working. (Or can I count daydreaming as a part of my job? I think I should be able to, heheheh.) Among all the projects I have in progress around the house or that I’m mulling around in my mind, the office is really the most important to me right now. This year I will be growing and expanding my business in exciting new ways :-) so I am wanting to get ready for the changes and challenges. I’ll share more on what I mean by that very soon!

My office is on the small size, maybe 11 x 11. I REALLY wish it was bigger, but it is what it is. Even though my budget and house doesn’t offer me the luxury of a big new studio office (wouldn’t that be amazing?), I LOVE the challenge of making the best of the space I do have. If money wasn’t a factor I’d be adding built ins all over my office and putting in wood floors. But since that isn’t happening right now, I’ve come up with a few more affordable and easy to implement updates. I want to not only create more function but make my office feel fresh and ready for my new creative challenges.

I am excited to share a few office updates today, and more that will be happening in the next few months.

While the rest of our main floor has hardwood floors, my office still has has dark brown wall to wall carpet with a lighter brown vine pattern. It’s so dark I have always had a rug layered on top of it to lighten the room up a bit. While some people might prefer a neutral space to create, I seem to feel more creatively invigorated and energized by pattern and color. SO, because I’m keeping my Anthro curtains in here, I decided a stripe might be fun!

I found the perfect wide striped durable indoor outdoor rug at Lulu & Georgia and they were kind enough to offer to send it to me. It fills up almost the whole room so I completely forget that I have brown carpet under it.

Updates to My Home Office {and a New Rug!}

I LOVE the rug! It makes me smile every time I come in the room, and if you can smile when you enter your office that’s always a good thing! You might remember I also got my round wood mirror in the kitchen through Lulu & Georgia, they have tons of cute stuff!

In other home office news, before the holidays last year one of our old laptops sadly bit the dust so we had to get a new computer. Gah. I decided I was tired of my tiny 13 inch screen so I may as well GO BIG this time and got a 27″ Mac desktop for my office. I was so worried I wouldn’t like using a desktop again after so many years with only a laptop but I have not regretted it, it’s AMAZING. Not only do I love seeing everything on the large glorious screen, but I’ve decided I really like having a desktop more than just a laptop.  Somehow I feel more productive and organized when I have to actually go to my desk in the morning.

By the way, I am putting some links to my blogging, camera and office type equipment (among other things) in my online shop, if you are ever wondering what I use or what you see in a photo! 

Next, in a classic case of one thing leads to another when it comes to updating a room, now that I plant myself at my desk all the time to work I wanted a more comfy chair. My funky swan chair needs a new seat, so I haven’t been using it for a year or so. At one point I switched to the yellow chair because I loved the color. But you know, it’s metal so that isn’t all that comfy for very long. My daughter Courtney was working at Restoration Hardware and happened to find a nifty tufted nailhead chair that was a former floor model on a big discount due to one corner of the upholstery needing a little repair. She brought the chair to me last week and I love it! I will fix it and it will be good as new! I still plan to get a real “office chair” at some point, if I can find an attractive one I like.

Updates to My Home Office {and a New Rug!}

And then for no other reason than because we are addicted to Rub n’ Buff, we decided to give the black metal label holders on my desk a little glam update.

Updates to My Home Office {and a New Rug!}

Because, why not? (You can find Rub n’ Buff in our online shop in the Favorite Craft/DIY Supplies section!)

Updates to My Home Office {and a New Rug!}

We rubbed on a little gold leaf and now the label holders are looking a little more classy, don’t you think?

Soon this desk is actually going to be moved to the left side of the room and changed into a console table because I really need more surfaces for spreading out my work projects.

I’m going to be taking EVERYTHING out of the room, painting the walls and rearranging so it will look a bit different the next time you see it!

Updates to My Home Office {and a New Rug!}

Do you remember what this room looked like a few years ago? Eek. Not inspiring.

 

48 Comments

  1. esther @ cuteheads

    LOVE! We just moved and my home office is going to be the last thing to get finished, I’m sure. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  2. Laurie

    Where and how did you hide your hard drive?

    Reply
    • katz

      In case no one answered you yet, the hard drive in an Apple computer is built in. Isn’t that so cool? It is one of the many reasons I would love one.

      Reply
  3. MyFavoriteFrenchAntiques.blogspot.com

    This is my first look at the before/after photos….What a difference!!
    What a great goal for everyone….create in a space that makes you smile.
    I also like creating “outdoors” on occassion…really opens the mind to see things in a different way.

    Reply
  4. Alicia

    Love the updates. My laptop needed to be replaced and I too went to a desktop. It takes up a little more space but I like the fact that the screen is bigger and the keyboard is easier for me. I have the laptop if I need to take my computer somewhere but I’m with ya sister!

    Reply
  5. Laura Lewis

    Love Love Love! You really do inspire me :-)

    Reply
  6. Laura

    I’m going to put the rug under my chair mat … I’ll be rolling in style :-) Absolutely adorable.

    Reply
  7. Doris

    I love the curtains in your office! Where did you get them?

    Reply
    • Emily

      Agreed–I would LOVE to know where you got the curtains! I adore them!

      Reply
    • Kathy N

      Looks like Anthro (Anthropologie), there’s a link in the paragraph where she says she’s keeping them.

      Reply
  8. Lisa

    I love your little space! It is gorgeous, and you know what? The size doesn’t matter so much because it is YOUR space. We all need a little place to call our own.

    Reply
  9. Missy Robinson

    I seriously LOVE your office! And I’m considering setting up office space in our dining room … which is currently a play area. I have floor to window ceilings and would love a similar setup. Thank you for the inspiration and I look forward to seeing your growing work!

    Reply
  10. Heather @ Dogwood Lane

    Melissa – I love how you effortlessly mix styles together and it all seems to flow so beautifully. I have srawn so much inspiration from your blog over the years. I have to ask you where you purhased the gray and white geometric rug you used to have in your family room (the fireplace room)…..the one you had in there before you switched it out with the new natural material rug and ottoman. I would LOVE to know. We are doing our fireplace wall reno based on yours. Love it!!

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      Oh yes, I still love that rug. I got it at Overstock (Safavieh Poolside Gray/Beige 8 x 11). Have fun with your fireplace reno! YAY!

      Reply
  11. Melissa@TheChicDream

    What a pretty and relaxing space to work. I love all of the blue. My soon-to-be office is pretty small too and it’s going to be our den as well as an office. Yikes!

    Reply
  12. Barbara (WA)

    I love the rug – a great solution! But I am chuckling a bit that you are going to redo the room, again :) It’s kinda how I feel about my garden, especially this time of year: build more raised beds, redo that whole area, edit the wedding garden, move that tree, heh.

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      Heh! Well, I’m not actually “redoing” the room, more like letting it evolve a bit with my needs and the direction of the house :-). You know, like the garden you need to weed a little and move things around now and then :-) … I did this room I think three years ago? Maybe? I still love it, but I just need a few tweaks to make it work better for me now.

      Reply
  13. Dreama

    I’m currently planning on adding shutters to bottom only of my living room windows – curious as to why you (apparently) decided not to use them in your office…?

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      The only reason I don’t have shutters there yet was the cost! But I’m still thinking about adding them, I love shutters!

      Reply
  14. Meg Duley

    I love it that your desk is facing the window. Not sure if I could put mine there; the temptation to daydream would be too great. But then, that’s where it all starts, Right? Also, I agree about having a larger desk to spread projects out on. Space is so liberating.

    Reply
  15. Erin

    Do you know the name of the fabric the curtains are made from? I would love that for my kitchen. :)

    Reply
  16. Eve Stanley

    The blue and white rug is absolutely adorable!

    Reply
  17. Linda

    I love your blue walls, sorry to hear you are changing them. May I ask the color/brand? I need a new blue above white wainscoting and this could be it.

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      I haven’t decided yet for sure what the walls will be. They need to be repainted but the color is still being decided on. I still ADORE the color, by the way! It is Rich Navy by Glidden!

      Reply
  18. Lauren

    Hi1 I love your office re-do! I love the desk and the area rug? BTW, did you make the curtains? I love the print!

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      No, I got them a couple of years ago as a birthday gift! They are from Anthropologie, but I have seen similar fabric around!

      Reply
      • Lauren

        I’ll have to look — the fabric is beautiful!

        Reply
  19. Stephanie

    I love the stripes! I actually just recently tried ordering a striped kitchen runner from Dash And Albert and it was discontinued! So if you get sick of your stripes….send them my way!

    Reply
  20. sandyc

    Your office is totally inviting in every way – to work, to sit and chat, to meditate – lovely job! I smiled when you mentioned your small 11’x11′ office. I still miss my 10’x10′ office that I thought was heaven. But, of course, so much depends on what you do in your office. The best thing about the 10’x’10 was that I had four walls with a big window on one. Currently my office is set up in the dining room but with my very open floorplan I only have two 7′ walls which come to the corner, left of the desk are two slightly angled windows and a 2′ wall to the foyer which precludes putting the desk in front of the window and the other wall ends at the opening to the kitchen, and the other two directions open to the foyer and living room with a walkway to the kitchen. But I so relate to your two situations 1) Carpet on the floor – I think carpet in an office is the next worst thing to carpet in the bathroom. 2) Surface space to spread out projects. I’ve always had a desktop because my work at home is medical transcription so I’m typing all day and need a monitor I can see and a keyboard designed for typing, an office chair designed for office work and a chair mat over the carpet. Until I can afford to redo the floor, I did exactly what you did with a neat indoor/outdoor carpet over the chair mat that allows me to move the chair around. I think a desktop setup is a smart call for anyone who works on a computer all day. Your various body parts will thank you. I don’t see where you hid the harddrive either and I sympathize with Laurie’s dilemma. My several-years-old Dell is an 8″x8″x3-1/2 ” square shiny black box that sits neatly on my desk (it was available in numerous colors back then and my only regret is that I didn’t go with the lime green one). Unfortunately, today it seems as though the focus is on laptops and tablets, and you have to search to find a desktop that’s compact and don’t cost a small fortune. Back in the old days, I sat the tall narrow box on the floor under my des but I sure wouldn’t want to have to do that again. Reveal, Melissa; where did you hide yourst? (And no fair tucking it into a drawer for photos).

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      Hahah, nope I didn’t hide it in a drawer! Would I do that to you guys? Nah!! My computer actually doesn’t have a separate tower, it is all in the monitor itself! Isn’t that crazy? I love it though. I did an extra job in order to save up for this Mac because they are not cheap — I had a minor heart attack when I went to buy it. But, since it is my job to sit here and edit photos and write all the time it helps to have a computer I love to work on. :-) Thanks for the kind comment!

      Reply
  21. Heather @ Dogwood Lane

    Thanks for your reply. Sorry for all my typos. Typing too quick will do that!! I also am curious to know where you sourced your pillows on your white family room sofa? Specifically the red and blue Moroccan inspired patterned ones. I have been searching for a pattern like this forever. Btw – good job on the kitchen island!! We have the same one. We’ve owned ours for 8 years now. Mill Stores find. Stained it the exact replica of yours about 3 years ago and I’ve loved it since so I was thrilled to see you had chosen the same one and stained it the same colors. Proud moment for me!!

    Reply
    • Heather @ Dogwood Lane

      Oh and just wondering….what spurred you to change your office color???

      Reply
      • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

        I haven’t decided for sure if I am going to change the color. I LOVE it so if I do change colors it will be a tough decision to say good-bye to it after several years of enjoying it! The reason I might change it would be 1) just because it needs to be repainted anyway after three years of me knocking stuff into the walls and chipping the corners, so it would offer an easy opportunity for something new 2) because sometimes it is just fun to change things a bit when I am starting a new creative endeavor. Change just motivates me to embrace a new season of life!

        Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      YAY! I have so many pillows, I’m not sure exactly which ones you mean but many of my pillows came from Target! I’m thinking maybe those are the ones you saw? I have a few blue and white pillow covers I found on a sale at Wisteria, and a few I’ve found at HomeGoods/TJ Maxx. And I actually have a couple from West Elm, too!

      Reply
  22. Rachel

    Can you tell me more about the curtains? Where are they (or the fabric) from? I love them!

    Reply
  23. Beth

    Love your office! Where is your desk from?

    Reply
  24. sandyc

    Aha! Great choice – I understand the Mac is THE computer for anything graphic. A neighbor/friend down the street printed and sold her own greeting cards and her Mac was perfect for that – she loved it so much that when it conked out, she bought another one which she loves just as much. Wouldn’t work for me, but I’d love having the extra 8″ of desk space free. SOOOO.. all those beautiful offices shown at HOUZZ that look totally non-functional must have Macs sitting on the desk – now I know. Still love yours – it looks as though it really is someone’s office and not something staged.

    Reply
  25. Kalyn

    I love those curtains

    Reply
  26. Cynthia @her lovely nest

    oh Anthro, how we love thee, especially your curtains! while I’ll be sad if your blue walls go, I must confess I’m excited to see what you come up with…as long as the curtains stay all is good :-)

    Isn’t it wonderful having a little space you can girl-up without remorse? that’s what my home office is too, the Mr. checks his masculinity at the door when he comes in to chat.

    Reply
  27. Tara MW

    I think I prefer the swine ;) What an amazing space that you are creating. Thanks for sharing the story with us.

    Reply
  28. Rene Cheney

    The room looks beautiful!! Love all the changes and the new rug!!

    Reply
  29. Jessica

    Wow that brown carpet is crazy-town. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I made it to that last picture! I love the updates you’ve made – especially the new rug. The whole room has such a fun, eclectic vibe. I can only imagine how inspiring it must be to work in a happy room like that.
    xoxo,
    Jessica

    Reply
  30. Angela

    Our office right now is the same color and I was thinking of changing it but maybe I may not now after seeing yours, you make it all come together. Your desk right now, is it just two old file cabinets repainted with and trimmed out to look like a desk because I really do need to do this. I have an old desk right now which I love but I cannot stand clutter, just ask my husband – we share an office, (hoping when our son moves out he can take over his room for his office, that may be along time from now). Love the curtains too!

    Reply
  31. Lindsay

    Where are these curtains from??

    Reply

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