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12.11.2011

Scott's Office, Phase 1 Complete

I mentioned back in August in this post that I wanted to decorate Scott's office so he felt organized and ready to work in his new job. I definitely made a lot of progress quickly, and now we're stalled out while I search for some fabrics. But let's talk through what's already done. As you look through, I obviously having 'styled' the room yet. I had an extra 20 minutes while the girls napped, so I ran up and took these pictures. When I show you the final product, it will be much more put together! Remember, this is just Phase One!

First, I found this amazing antique kilim rug at a local store (I mentioned it in this post). This was actually my second choice, but the dealer for this rug was at the store at the time and would negotiate with me. I literally got it for a third of the price of the other rug. And I loved the colors and pattern on this rug anyway. Score.  So the rug became the jumping off point for the entire room.






Next stop: HomeGoods. I went here searching for bedding for the twin sized guest bed we keep in this room. I knew I wanted one pillow for the bed that would tie everything together, and low and behold Ralph Lauren came through for me. I found the striped, kilim-inspired pillow on sale there as well as a cheap neutral to just add some height since the bed doesn't have a headboard. Once I found the pillow, it was easy to choose a solid brown coverlet and crimson sheets.





See, crimson was necessary in the room so that we could hang Scott's Ph.D. diploma from the University of Oklahoma. It's just not an office without a diploma on the wall. The other two pieces of art are photos from a calendar that I Mod Podged onto some art canvases. First, I spray painted the sides of the canvases black so they looked finished and then just glued the photos on. If you ever do this, do NOT freak out like I did when the calendar ripples. I freaked out and ended up creasing the paper. I really think if I had just left it alone to dry it would have been much smoother.

In this corner, there is a message board, Scott's current calendar and a bookcase. This bookcase is actually a hutch from an IKEA desk I got off of craigslist. The desk is in the basement. I want to paint this or otherwise refinish it, but that will be in phase 2.












So what's left?
  • find a side table for the bed. We just need something small where we can set a glass of water and a book for guests. I think guests would also want a table for a cell phone or alarm clock so they don't feel weird about using Scott's work desk. 
  • fabric on the roller shades. I have one chosen, I think. I just need to determine how many yards I need and the best way to attach the fabric. I think this will really add another lay of texture and warmth and make everything look more finished. Not to mention that Scott has discovered that on really bright days, these shades do basically nothing for the blinding light on the south side of the house. 
  • fabric to cover the lampshades. There are 2 lampshades in the room. I haven't decided if they will match or not. I guess it depends on which fabric I choose. 
  • paint/refinish the bookcase
  • accessorize as necessary. Always the most fun, and for me, the most challenging part of a room. I know I'd like a throw or some sort of patterned blanket on the end of the bed. And probably nifty objects on the bookcase and side table, too. 
Have any of you combined an at-home office with a guest room? Any essentials I'm missing? What do you think about matching lampshades? 

2 comments:

Katelyn said...

I haven't combined a guest room with an office, but living in a studio apartment definitely has its challenges when it comes to accommodating guests! Last year I purchased a luggage stand from Bed Bath and Beyond for around $30 that I leave in a closet and bring out for guests. Its the kind you find in hotels to set your suitcase on. It is SO HELPFUL to them to have a place to put their luggage that isn't on the floor! Ballard has some really beautiful luggage stands that are faux bamboo, but they are about $70 or $80 I think. Anyway, I love mine and would highly recommend getting one for guests!

Tara said...

Now I'm really wishing I had grabbed the 2 I saw at a little antique store a couple of months ago. I think they were $20 each! and I bet he would have negotiated if I took 2! Dang!

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