I’m calling it my office, but it’s kind of an everything room. Technically, it was the formal living room when we bought the house. Then, I had planned on making it our dining room until I decided we didn’t need one. And, for a while, it became our temporary “kitchen.” (That was no fun.)
As for right now, it’s just a mess. But, there’s something about the approaching start of another school year that makes me motivated to get my work space together. I have blogged for much of the summer from our kitchen island or in a chair with my laptop. But, I’m eager to get back into a work routine with more set hours for the few days the twins are in preschool. I’m ready to feel like a big person with a real (home) office again.
Hey, I may even take the tags off of the window shades. :)
And, why do we have strips of painter’s tape in the middle of the floor, you may ask? For our gymnast in training, of course. (Hurts way less than falling off of a real balance beam.)
I plan on keeping the china cabinet and adding baskets on the bottom for storage. The pendant light from our piano room (pre-kitchen reno) has already been moved over to this space. (And, the piano is staying.)
pendant light (small) // bamboo shades
Here’s what the plan looks like in my head. (I’m excited to use some fabrics from Studio McGee’s new line.)
Sources: pendant light // fiddle leaf fabric // stripe fabric
chair (or something similar) // table // blue & white jar // basket
Now, how many days until school starts?? ;)
Amy Mitchell says
August 3, 2016 at 9:41 amHa! I’ve been thinking about this very thing lately — carving an office niche for myself (and dreaming about the first day of school), but the only space I have is in the kitchen, and a kitchen that is not “decorated” at that, but leftover from the previous owners. Very envious of that light, bright, blank canvas! Can’t wait to see what you do with it!
Lindsay says
August 3, 2016 at 10:11 amLove that cabinet!! Where from?
Emily Clark says
August 3, 2016 at 1:43 pmCraigslist :)
Jennifer says
August 3, 2016 at 10:33 amThat is just the prettiest little china cabinet, and I’m impressed with your gymnast’s flexiblilty…whoa! We’ve found that painter’s tape comes in handy for a make-shift indoor basketball court, too. ;) Pretty plan!
Pam @ Simple Details says
August 3, 2016 at 10:34 amDang, this makes me wish we didn’t need a dining room! Can’t wait to see it come together!
Jody Olympia says
August 3, 2016 at 2:28 pmCan’t wait to see it all together! I love that you are doing dark walls again. It looked so good pre Reno!!! And DITTO on the counting down the days til school starts. I need to finish up the sunroom in peace!
Mary says
August 3, 2016 at 2:55 pmBetween the dark, dramatic wall color & your fabric choices it’s going the be stunning.
And watching your bendy daughter makes my back hurt. How in the world?…
Emily Clark says
August 3, 2016 at 3:05 pmI have no idea. I’ve never been bendy :)
Classy Glam Living says
August 3, 2016 at 2:58 pmLooks like it’ll be a very chic home office! I had that IKEA “tulip” table as an option when I was planning for an office also. It’s a good large surface to spread out the work!
Laurie says
August 3, 2016 at 3:27 pmI’m so excited to see the plans for your office. I have that same table in our bonus room and we love it! It’s probably my favorite Ikea piece. Can’t wait to see it all come together. Enjoy the last lazy days of summer! :)
Holly irwin Fine Art says
August 3, 2016 at 3:51 pmI love your plan for this room! Those formal living rooms really come in handy. Ours became an art gallery earlier this year!
Kari Jones says
August 3, 2016 at 5:57 pmWhat is that paint color on the walks? Love it!
Emily Clark says
August 3, 2016 at 6:39 pmI’m not sure if you mean the black or tan, but I don’t know either one :) I just grabbed the black swatch from Google until I can decide on a color and the tan was here when we moved in…
Kari Jones says
August 3, 2016 at 6:00 pmSorry! I meant to write walls! 😊
Elizabeth Scruggs says
August 3, 2016 at 6:18 pmOh Emily! You have NO idea how much this post thrills me! I have been toying with the idea of moving my office into our living room/ library for over a year!!! I have a huge room in our 80’s rancher with a huge bookcase perfect for all my books/ samples. What holds me back??? Our baby grand!! There is NO where else to put it in the house; has to stay. I’ve totally out grown my office (that I just built in a bit over a year ago) so my hub is going to have a fit, BUT he’s used to waking up early and seeing my guys in the house painting or knocking down a wall, lol. I simply can’t wait to see how this turns out! My dear friend Kristi (The Decorologist) says it will be fine in my office; it will make it kind of a multi purpose room- but for some reason I just haven’t been able to give myself permission yet. I can put a room together or build a house for someone else in a snap, but for some reason cannot commit to this in my OWN house. Go figure. Anxiously awaiting your after pics of this! Elizabeth
Shannon says
August 4, 2016 at 8:33 amYou’re inspiring me to finish off my home office! Love the cabinet, beautiful. How do you like the bamboo shades? I’ve been thinking about custom Bali but don’t want to spend the money. Thanks:-)
Emily Clark says
August 4, 2016 at 8:47 amI really like these shades. I’ve already put them up in our kitchen and just ordered three more for our bedroom. When they’re on sale, you can’t beat the price and I like the “thickness” of them.
Shannon says
August 4, 2016 at 8:53 amThanks so much! Can’t wait to see your kitchen!
Claire says
August 5, 2016 at 8:55 pmI love that light. Do you find that it provides a good amount of light? Thanks.
Emily Clark says
August 6, 2016 at 9:35 amI do. It’s a soft light, which is nice. And, I also had a table lamp in the last room where it was hung.
Letty says
August 16, 2016 at 10:54 amI love the plan for the office! What are you going to do with the lovely table you were previously using as your desk? That table is my inspiration-desk. :)
Emily Clark says
August 16, 2016 at 11:11 amThanks! We’re using the farmhouse table in the kitchen now. :)
Rachel says
August 17, 2016 at 12:36 pmHi Emily. I can’t wait to see it all come together! Any thoughts on a rug for your space?
Robin Duckworth says
November 8, 2016 at 4:38 pmI am dying for the reveal of your office! Love it and love getting little glimpses of it! I have looked into the fabric and can’t find a way to order it. Is it only available for professional designers?
Emily Clark says
November 8, 2016 at 6:43 pmHi Robin–Their fabrics are available here: https://www.mcgeeandco.com/collections/by-the-yard