Office Makeover – Before

It’s been a fun six weeks participating in the One Room Challenge. I can hardly believe reveal day is tomorrow. I’ve been following this series for a few years but I could have never imaged it would be this much work! I’m really proud of the way we’ve rallied during the challenge. There were things we were able to work out and things I had to let go of. Through it all we never gave up and I’ve learned so many lessons along the way.

Tomorrow you’ll see ironstone filling up a set of custom bookcases, a glittering chandelier, the most expensive curtains I’ve ever purchased. I’m so excited about the way everything is coming together and to say I had a rock star team behind me is an understatement.

It’s hard to appreciate where the office is headed until you see where it’s been. At one time it was a guest bedroom. This is a shot of when we started changing things out from a bedroom to an office.

Then my booth business started taking off. I was a vendor at three separate antique stores, painting furniture for private clients and blogging more. We decided to turn the guest bedroom into an office which was our second office in the house. The budget was tiny. We used thrifted finds, a table base we found on the side of the road and bought bookcases from Big Lots. The walls were painted in a calming green called Rejuvenate. Here’s a look at how my office has looked since 2013:

I painted the bookcases from Big Lots white and my bestie S helped me to add beadboard to the back and molding on the top to give them a more custom feel. Over the years I made due even though they were actually too small to meet the needs of the office. At present, they’re currently being used in the living room and will probably retire to the garage later this year. Everything housed in the bookcases was thrifted and collected on the treasure trail.

I painted the filing cabinets white and replaced the hardware. I stained a door we found at Lowe’s in American Walnut and used it as a desk top. I found the barn door at a local antiques store and you’ll see tomorrow it was one of the only pieces carried over from the old office to the new one.

Some of the items on these shelves I’m using in other places around the house, others have since been sold.

When we found the table base for the work island on the side of the road it looked like this…

S helped me rebuild the entire thing so I could have a place to work, paint and craft.

It gives me the giggles to look at these pictures now because at the time I was so happy about this space and having my own office. I realize how much my style has changed and evolved over the years and yet some things have remained the same. You guys know this barn door will be featured in the office makeover. Letting this beast go was a non-negotiable.

I’ve come to understand not only how I want the house to look but also how I want to it feel when family and friends walk through the front door. I know it’s going to be an ongoing process and I’m excited for all that lies ahead. Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll see tomorrow for the reveal….

I’ll see you then.

Many blessings,

CoCo