My Home Office - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

After closing my design showroom last year I moved my office into a spare room next to my Master Bedroom in my home. I love the room - it's mostly windows so it's sunny and cheerful but that's about all it's got going. (Yes, my windows are filthy! I'm going to go wash them right now!) I was going to change out the window treatments but quite honestly I just don't have the energy for that right now. Maybe later - for now I'll work around them.



It's a bit cramped for all of my stuff. I had my carpenter try to squeeze in the cabinets from my office in my showroom - it's a tight fit. We used as many units as we could but it left unfinished end pieces and panels now on the outside that were never meant to be exposed. My plan next week is to have it finished off so it looks as if it were actually meant to be installed in this space.


I had used this room previously as my sewing room and I had an old thrift store hutch that held my paints and other supplies. I decided to keep the top of the hutch and placed it on top of a unit of of file drawers. I think it will look okay when it's all painted and I like the glass doors. I'm debating whether or not to paint it a contrasting color?? I think it might be too much in such a small space.


My gigantic partners desk was meant to be used by two people - myself on one side and my assistant on the other. It is far to large for this new space and just one person so I am having it cut down a foot in depth. This will allow me to turn it to face the windows and give me more maneuvering room around it. (Note the hole so carefully cut in the side for wires. This side used to be up against a wall in my old office. This thing definitely needs some new end panels.


office side

bedroom side

This is my extremely ugly double sided fireplace that separates this room from the master bedroom. I have lived in this house for 10 years and have never done anything with these two units. I just could not make a decision since I hate them so much. The one on the Master bedroom side has a gross niche for the TV which is really the only place for it. (Notice my lovely cable coming through a hole in the wall - my husbands idea of wiring. This is the only way I can get cable in the office right now- it's going to have to go)

office side / bedroom side (with still gross TV niche and a raised hearth)

Here are the renderings for the build outs. Very simple layer molding and panels. All the wood work and cabinets will be painted white. I want to keep the room light and airy. The rest of my house is very rich and dark with wood and tile floors, lots of wood and colors ranging from cream to dark chocolate. I want this room to be a contrast.


This is the very ugly ceiling fan that is in place right now. Fans are a functional necessity here in the desert but I plan to chuck this one - all it does is blow my paperwork around and I need more light.



I think these are the final three candidates for new lighting. I'd like to go with something a bit more exciting but I'm on a budget here! I'm in desperate need of strong task lighting since my eyesight sucks at night which is when I do a lot of my drawing. I will also throw some recessed lights in while I'm at it. I'm thinking of using two number 1's side by side ( I wish I could find one with a red shade but I've given up) or one of the others. Which would you do?


I like this little window in the corner. I had to cover half of it to fit the cabinets in but I don't think it looks to weird. I'm hoping this will all be done in a couple of weeks so check back to see the finished room. I'm sure it will be an improvement!