Before + After: Office Redesign
The Goal: Ralph Lauren Meets Vintage Collegiate Vibes
(LEFT) Prior to its makeover, this office solely relied on overhead fluorescent lighting, was filled with a medley surplus furnishings, and had white walls generously adorned with scuff marks and nail holes. (RIGHT) A plaid wallpaper in cool gray and warm cream tones lends a textural touch as it stylishly covers the room’s imperfections, while collected antiques and vintage accents exude storied charm.
After five years of working from home back to life in an office eight to five, you can’t help but want to make your workspace feel homey. At least that was my thought process when it came to my office redesign. I hadn’t intended on going quite so overboard with the design—even telling my new coworkers I wouldn’t bring much to the short-term space. (I’m sure they wonder what my version of a lot would be.) However, on day one, the years of wear and tear was evident and the space desperately needed a little TLC. I guess you could say interviewing all those designers and writing about their projects rubbed off on me. You can take the girl out of the magazine, but you can’t take the magazine out of the girl. I’m no professional, but I love a space layered with thoughtful accents, meaningful momentos, and antique treasures that blend together for a one-of-a-kind design. Below, I’m sharing the process from beginning to almost complete and the places I sourced my decor.
The Inspo
Image by @frenchtownstation on Instagram
One of my all-time favorite places to shop is Frenchtown Station in Paducah, Kentucky. Perusing the shop is always a must when I’m in town, and Ginny, the owner, is a delight to talk with and has quite the eye for beautiful, dreamy finds. Scrolling on Instagram one day, I came across their post (above) featuring this marble-topped, antique accent chest. Call it love at first sight, but I knew I absolutely had to have it. When I came to claim the piece I looked down and saw a nearby rug (below) that spoke to me as well. Without any measurements, I purchased them both and prayed they would work. However, I knew I’d find a place to use them whether they were a fit for the office or not.
My philosophy is that it’s better to have something you love and no place to put it, yet, than to have your home filled with items that fit the space perfectly, but are just not true to you.
Image by @frenchtownstation on Instagram
Whether it be an office, home, studio, etc., I believe your space should be an extension of yourself all while honoring the origins of the structure and its surroundings. With a brick wall already serving as a focal point in the space, along with its locale in an academic building, my typical leaning towards pretty pastels, and feminine florals was just not going to cut it. Therefore, I traded in my tried-and-true blush and sage hues and discovered my surprising affinity for their deeper, more studious counterparts.
The Vision
A flatlay is a must for me when it comes to projects. It allows me to see how/if the pieces will play off of each other. The rug (and school colors of navy and orange) set the scheme while warm woods mingle with honeyed hues, and rich layers of texture complete the look.
The rug served as my starting point and inspiration. I began searching for items and textiles that would complement and emphasize the more subtle accents of color comprising the piece. For instance, the peachy, orange notes didn’t stand out as much until I brought in the plaid fabric. The antique side chest coordinates with the deepest of the brown tones, while the vintage tennis racket encompasses the full spectrum of warm wooden shades. A farmer’s market find, the Tennessee-shaped basket introduces a natural texture as it plays off the lightest of the brown hues.
For the textiles, sourced from Spoonflower, I drew inspo from Ralph Lauren and chose classic plaid and stripe patterns. As noted, navy and orange were essential as those are the university’s colors. For the navy fabric, I selected an option with gray stripes to play off of the gray in the corners of the rug and the wallpaper infused with gray and ecru. The rust and deep blue plaid fit in seamlessly with the rug to complete the look.
The Process
Wallpapering
Spoonflower’s peel and stick wallpaper was instrumental in setting the scene for a warm and cozy office. If you enjoy details and are patient, then it isn’t too much trouble to tackle the project yourself. Otherwise, you might want to outsource the installation process.
Wallpaper went a long way in transforming the aesthetic from dreary to welcoming. Since this isn’t a permanent space, peel and stick was my go-to. Spoonflower had an extensive collection of offerings and I went with this textured plaid option in gray and ecru for a neutral backdrop still teeming with visual interest. Installing the peel and stick proved to be an easy and enjoyable task that I was able to manage on my own. As a recovering perfectionist, I knew if the wallpaper needed to be as accurate as possible because I would notice if it was off. Thankfully, a coworker let me borrow their ruler and I was able to measure each piece exactly so that every square was uniform.
Textiles
This chair was presented to my mother during her time at the university for 30 years of service. I love having it in my office as a reminder of the years she spent on this same campus. She will also tell you there are a lot of other belongings that made their way in here as I shopped the house. What can I say, she has great taste!
I used the plaid fabric to sew pillow covers and a small table cloth to spruce up an existing side table that now serves as a coffee station. The cozy leather armchair from Hulala Home serves as a welcoming spot for coworkers to sit during meetings. I’m planning to add a lumbar pillow in the blue-and-gray striped fabric A stack of coffee table books adds height for the plant and clock as they pay tribute to my publishing days.
Gallery Wall
For the gallery wall, I laid out the frames on the floor to find a layout that I liked before trying to hang anything up.
The gallery wall serves as a little piece of UTM history. From the late President Jimmy Carter visiting campus, to our beloved rodeo team, the naming of the Children’s Center after the first female chancellor, Margaret Perry, and our most notable alumna the late Pat Head Summit. The tennis rackets lend vintage charm while the owl painting serves as a subtle nod to my Chi Omega days.
I’ve still got plans to spruce up other aspects of the space, but overall I’m thankful to have a little oasis to come to each day. I’m sure this is the first of many projects and I can’t wait to bring you along for those that lie ahead.