Happy Sunday!
TODAY MARKS the inaugural Beautiful Life Market blog post, and the first of 9 posts in the Ugly Home Office Makeover series.
I’m SO pumped about this project because my home office has been suffering from neglect for waaayyyy too long.
Over the next couple of months, I’m planning to do a total home office makeover and I need your help!!!
The Plan
EACH WEEK on the blog, I’ll focus on one area that I’m tackling in the upcoming week, and I’ll post updates on the previous week’s progress.
I’ll ask for your ideas and tips throughout the series and, to keep things exciting, each week’s post will feature a…
Just comment on the blog, Facebook or Instagram with helpful tips, suggestions (or just words of encouragement!) and you’ll qualify to win the the HOMPOW (that’s Home Office Makeover Prize of the Week).
How easy is that?
The Project
I’VE BEEN putting this project off for a while.
The longer I’ve procrastinated, the more my office has evolved into a dumping ground for all of our household clutter.
Basically, if anything doesn’t have a designated “spot”, guess where it ends up???
This desk. I’ve had it for eons and I’m soooo ready for it to go.
I’m pretty sure it’s authentic particleboard.
To replace this guy, I’m planning to build a desk using filing cabinets and stained wood planks like this one at Over The Big Moon.
I want the new desk to be long and narrow AND I desperately need more filing space.
A filing cabinet desk should be the perfect solution. 🙂
The new desk will be the focal point of my office – I’m super excited about this part of the project!
The “Printer Stand”. The one piece in the whole office I plan to keep.
I actually really love this little garage sale find. It’s cute and functional.
I’m debating whether to leave it as is, or paint it with DIY chalk paint.
Comment below with your thoughts for a chance to win this week’s HOMPOW!!
Either way, I’ll dress it up with some of our very own oil rubbed bronze cup drawer pulls!
This bookcase seems to be doubling as a trophy case.
It’s gotta’ go.
I’ll probably paint it and put it in another room since I have lofty shelving aspirations, inspired by this DIY industrial shelving over at Magnolia Market (thanks Joanna!).
And those tennis trophies/medals/plaques? On their way to the attic.
Side note: They give participation trophies to adults too 🙂
The “Beast”, AKA our Concept 2 Rowing Machine
I LOVE this thing – talk about a great total body workout!
But, it’s a major space hog, so I’ll be moving it to the garage.
A room makeover isn’t complete without a fresh coat of paint or two.
Paint is such an easy, inexpensive way to transform a room. And it’s pretty easy to get the hubby involved, too – double win!
Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter (above) is my paint obsession du jour – we use it in all of our rental properties because it’s such a good neutral, so that one’s definitely on the short list.
But – I’m hoping for other paint color suggestions from you guys too!
Remember the HOMPOW?? – Comment below with your favorite “greige” paint color for a chance to win a sweet prize! (hint: it’s NOT one of my old tennis trophies).
So that’s the lowdown on my current office “configuration”, and what we have to work with.
Budget Challenge
TO ADD to the fun, I’m setting a total project budget of $500.
Yep, there’s a budget, and it has to cover:
- Paint and supplies for the walls and printer stand
- Materials for DIY File Cabinet Desk
- 2 Desk Chairs
- DIY Industrial Shelving
- Accessories and Wall Decor
- And a nod to Fixer Upper and Chip and Jo – a shiplap accent wall. Yay!
Stretching that $500 is gonna’ require some creativity!
What’s Next
OVER THE next week, I’ll clear out all the furniture, books and clutter you see in the pics above (this is the part I’m really dreading – am I the only one who gets totally overwhelmed by decluttering projects???)
From there, weekly posts will cover each of the steps below.
PART 1: Intro- PART 2: Design Layout and Select Color Palette for Walls, Furniture and Accessories
- PART 3: Paint Walls
- PART 4: Install and Paint Shiplap Accent Wall
- PART 5: Build and Install Desk
- PART 6: Refinish “Printer Stand” Dresser
- PART 7: Build and Hang Industrial Shelving
- PART 8: Add Accessories and Wall Decor
- PART 9: Wrap-up and Big Reveal
Be sure to follow the Home Office Makeover board on Pinterest, where I’ve been busy pinning ideas for paint colors, filing cabinet desk projects, DIY shiplap tutorials and more.
I can’t wait to see how the Ugly Home Office Makeover turns out and I’m THRILLED to have you join along for this adventure!
Stay tuned for Part 2, and…
Remember to comment below for a chance to win this week’s Giveaway, a…
$20 Amazon Gift Card!!!
(Winner announced next week in the Part 2 post)
And don’t forget to subscribe to be notified of blog updates and our One Day Flash Sales!
I love the industrial shelving! Can’t wait to see how it turns out 🙂
Thanks Brianna! I’m excited about that project too!! ??
Julie, this sounds so fun! You’re including us AND getting a new office space!! I like the greige colors, but I don’t have a definite paint chip name for you. My question is: what is/are going to be your accent color(s)?
I love your window area and I’m a natural light sorta girl, so I can’t wait to see your floor plan and how you use that area of the room. I’m sad you need to put the rowing machine in the garage. Do you think you will be using it as often if it is there? I know I wouldn’t be as sold on using it there as opposed to a room in the house. Just a thought.
This is awesome and I’m so impressed!!
Thanks Judi!
As far as accent colors go, I am a huge fan of all sorts of blues. Annie Sloan Duck Egg Blue is a definite favorite:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/163372918/chalk-paint-mason-jars-duck-egg-blue
I’m still trying to figure out what to do with the bay window area. A little bench there with some baskets underneath for extra storage is one possibility.
The rowing machine – I’m a little bummed about moving it to the garage because it’s so easy to hop on it in the mornings in its current location. I’m hoping I’ll still have the discipline to keep up my workouts when it’s in the garage ??