Woohoo! The time for the final reveals has arrived for the Spring 2019 One Room Challenge.
Be sure to check out the 20 featured designers and 200+ guest participants, who over the past five weeks have each planned, toiled, installed, and adjusted to unforeseen design or construction hurdles as they implemented a complete revolution of a room of their choosing. Thanks to Linda Weinstein, design influencer and the creator of the challenge, hundreds of people get to explore and create with a community of encouragment!
I am excited to share with you the outcome of our home office design! This room construction and implementation was made possible with the help of my husband (thanks honey!) and professional photography by son at Alex Hill Productions.
We did all the work, paying for all the materials, furniture and decor ourselves, so we were mindful to keep to reasonably priced items and materials.
Here are links to my past five posts if you are just seeing my blog for the first time: Week One | Week Two | Week Three | Week Four | Week Five
Are you ready to see my new home office? Here is the first view and scroll down to see the rest...
THE REVEAL
Loaded with vivid color, yet anchored with neutrals, this home office is sure to foster some good work and creativity. With windows on the south and west side of the space, the room is filled with abundant natural light.
OUT WITH THE OLD - THE BEFORE PHOTOS
I think you will agree that the new space it is quite a bit different from before - and I think that is a good thing! The first photo above is the same view from just five weeks ago. It had become dark and dated over time, the ceiling and the exterior wall needed repair, plus the damaged carpet needed replacing.
Now that my new office is complete, how did I live with it in its former state for so long?! I know life can get in the way, but it is amazing how a space can be impacted over a month or so of weekend work.
THE PLAN - DESIGN DIRECTION
GETTING THERE - THE SHORT VERSION
If you want to see the week by week process, check out these links:
Week One | Week Two | Week Three | Week Four | Week Five
BIGGEST VISUAL IMPACT - THE WALL MURAL AND WOOD FEATURE
Initially, my favorite thing about the new room design was the mural, which is an abstracted map of Paris. Once we started installing the vertical wood feature, I liked the wood as much as the mural, so now I am not sure which part I like best - but, hey, it's a win-win because the wood frames the mural so well!
I found an area rug that united the neutral colors of the new floor with the pinks, turquoise and navy of the mural. Since there are so many hard surfaces in the office space (walls, ceiling, and LVP flooring) the area rug help with acoustics by dampening and absorbing some of the sound
THE SHELF-DESK
The last part of the room to be installed was the desk and shelving plus a comfortable AND stylish desk chair. It is a super practical element for my workspace but also a great spot to play with styling and vignettes!
I like that the shelf layout can be adjusted as my needs change for storage or a random whim.
A SPOT FOR ART
An activity I enjoy, besides design and interior styling, is to dabble in art endeavors, so now I have a dedicated place for an easel for painting or making a collage; something I have wanted to revisit for a long time.
The beauty of having a large open space is that there is room not only for design work, but also for art display-studio space.
A QUIET SPOT
When I first began planning my space, one of the priorities was to create a space for my husband to relax and hang out with me. Because I have a tendency to work in the evenings, he will often make his way to where I am, find a seat and read or catch up with work emails.
Amusingly, since we place the chair in the room, our dogs have happily chosen the chair as a favorite napping spot. I guess my husband will have some competition for that seat!
THE MOST USEFUL ELEMENT - NEW CEILING LIGHTING
The room originally had only one recessed can light in the corner, near the storage closet. We decided it was well worth the modest expense to hire an electrician to wire new remodel boxes in the ceiling and then add two new ceiling lights. Not only do they make a significant difference in the evening, but they make the ceiling become part of the overall design instead of remaining a forgotten plane.
ALL THE PRETTY LITTLE DETAILS
Out of all the photos, this one (above) of the ceiling light and blurred mural in the background is my absolute favorite! I am a lover of quirky little details.
The brass jack (above, right) formerly lived in the dining room, but it has found its new home in my office! That happens a lot in my home. Decorative objects move around to create new interest and it is a great way to keep favorite items fresh.
The decor I place in my office is a mix of meaningful and/or interesting objects. Some are newer to me, some I have had for a long time. I love the the Dala horse (above), a memento of my Swedish-born great-grandmother. I enjoy how it creates contrast against the deep turquoise of the glazed clay pot. The aqua bud vase (below, right) was a gift from my husband.
The art signs, created by a friend, (above and below) are what gave me my original inspiration - for the color palette and choice to go with a modern style - in the new home office space.
Don't forget the flowers! I pick up flowers about every week or two, just to have around in the kitchen, the powder room, and now my office. It does not require a special occasion to do something special for yourself, so why not pick up your favorite flowers and brighten your space?!
Last, but not least, the area rug has many of the colors in the mural, but in a looser pattern at a different scale, so they work in tandem rather than compete with one another!
Well, I am very satisfied with completing my second One Room Challenge -- happy with the absolute transformation of the room. Most of all I am thankful for so many of you that you came along on this design journey with me!
I love to hear from you, so let me know what you think. You can comment on Wix (you'll need to set up an access name and password) or you can email me at valerie@hillandvalleydesign.com or DM me on instagram.
