Office Reveal
Welcome to the Late Show with Katie Bower. Tonight we are talking about a little room makeover I’ve been working on. Originally it was an office space…and now….it is still an office space. just a much prettier one. Let’s sit down and fill you in on some of the how-we-made-it-happen-details.
This house was a foreclosure. When we moved in, we fully expected to take it slow and steady with room renovations. To be perfectly honest – it’s because a bigger house = bigger spaces = bigger budget needs. And this house needs renovating in every single room. So when Lowe’s Creative Ideas Magazine approached us to do a room makeover, we were all like take-your-pick. And they were like no-it’s-your-pick and we were all like then-we-pick-the-office. So with a $300 giftcard in hand and a room selected, we came up with a plan…
(you can read all about the plan here)
And then I came to realize, oh-yeah-I’m-not-good-with-plans….so I came up with a new idea. Since this space would be mine-all-mine, I wanted it to be fun and preppy and girly with splashes of color. I wanted it to be like KateSpade.com threw up in my office. Graphic…yes…but you get the point. Oh and then we came up with another idea…since we renovate/makeover/redo so much stuff all the time, why don’t we take a portion of the money and invest it in a tool?! I know. We are practically genius’ over here. We could totally solve the energy crisis…and that silly thing called world hunger. So we budgeted for a paint sprayer. And it was like the Easter bunny & Santa Claus’ lovechild visited the Bower house in April…we were that excited.
After a bunch of prep work, my darling boyfriend took on the task of painting the poo colored trim and ceiling. It was like the heavens opened and God said let there be light….and it was good.
A little blueish green paint rolled onto the top half of the walls, we had ourselves a pretty clean slate to decorate. I was salivating at the thought of the Kate Spade vomit. You know what I mean.
Next came lighting…
and then picking what furniture would be in here (as well as starting the painting process on those)…
Which leads us to the final reveal… (are you firmly gripping your underpants because these before and afters can blow panties off fully sober men and women…consider yourself warned)….before the office was dreary and depressing….
The walls were what I like to call Poo & Eww (a dark brown and a fleshy pink).
Not only did it lack personality – it sucked yours away.
Dirty was it’s middle name.
And the floors and available natural light were overwhelmed with the bad paint job.
and now it is light bright and inspiring for me to work in…
I had big goals for this space. It had to store most of my craft & sewing stuff…it also had to be a place for my photography editing to take place…and the spot where I could put all my blog work.
First the desk. I absolutely love the desk now that it is fresh and white with the new paint job. Apparently you can buy these desks already white at Ikea but five years ago when we purchased this bad boy, it came only in wood tone. Now, it doesn’t pop out as much – which is good with a floating desk because it makes the space look larger.
Since it has a glass top, I don’t have to worry much about protecting it either.
I tend to be a clutter-er when it comes to my desk top, so I decided that in order to corral the chaos, I would simply have two areas….one for my ‘stuff’ that ends up outta my pockets…
And the other a small tray for papers, notebooks, pens & papers.
The real star of the show is the chair makeover. It started out black & gold, and now she shines with a new coat of bright red paint and a fun fabric cushion.
I love how the green in the fabric nods to my nearby bookcase with a ‘hey there- how you doin!?”
The green bookcase was probably my most daring makeover. I bought two sampler cans of Valspar’s Lime Green and it looks so much more youthful now. Stacked over head are two shelves that used to live in Will’s old nursery – and now they hold my boxes (they have lenses and other equipment inside), a few albums, and my books.
The bookcase does so major storage for me. The two banana leaf baskets (both from Lowe’s) hold an amazing amount of fabric. And the box on top is a charging station for my phone, Flip camera, etc.
Gotta love it when you can fold tons of pretties into one space, right?!
I love that picture of Cole too…he used to do this squinty eye thing for photos….it’s very him.
And yes, that is an old photo of Jeremy (he used to do a Katie Appreciation Week when we dated – he’s the cutest)…and I got to place him right next to my stack of House Beautifuls.
I think I am most proud of this bookshelf because it is actually functional and has photos of people…something hard about combining those two.
On top, I moved in my Bowers Mints tin. Gotta love it when your last name is the same as a vintage candy company! And the art is just some crazy blue squares I painted during one of our art sessions.
Next to the bookcase is this little topiary. Since the bookcase is actually not as wide as the shelves above it, I faked it being wider by adding this next door…
Just beyond the book shelf is a little area that I deemed ‘the sewing nook’…
Here’s the wide open shot again -
The sewing nook is really great because I was able to squeeze in more craft stuff (stored in the bottom of the bookshelf), sewing stuff (in the baskets and desk drawers), and another desk and chair (which will be great for when I need a quiet moment & Will can color).
The big bolts of fabric in the corner are also great reminders of projects I have planned.
And yes, I didn’t have the rolls for all my fabric, so I just used yardsticks for easy storage.
More magazines, more paint, more glorious storage…
Now if you turn around in the sewing nook – here’s the view…
To the left is the sitting area…
I love how the homemade watercolor art looks like the jellyfish is sniffing the flowers.
I was able to reuse all the furniture and mix n match some pillows and accessories to make the art tie everything together.
Oh and that basket by the chair is filled to the brim with my ‘to-do’ projects…I figured corraling them in one spot and covering them so they aren’t an eyesore will be great for someone like me who often goes looking for something to do and ends up starting something completely new.
Confession – I faked this pillow cover. It’s actually just fabric wrapped around a pillow form. I will get around to sewing it though – now that I have a nook 
And the last bit of the room has the giant $22 white board. I have future plans to trim out around the edge but for now, it looks and works just fine. It’s already halfway full of notes and reminders.
Plus, since you have to enter the room to see it, my messy handwriting won’t be the first thing you see when you come into the space.
Lots more still to do (coughcurtainscough) but for now, I am going to officially call this room done. for now.
More random shots…
Now – and I know this is like the never-ending makeover post…are you ready for the side-by-side before&afters?
Special thanks again to Lowe’s Creative Ideas Magazine. They were the ones that provided the motivation and some of the moolah for this makeover. And special thanks to you guys too. You all have been so encouraging lately and just to get one little room done is huge for me…so thanks for being patient as we slowly work on this beast of a house. You rock.
****************UPDATE: I forgot to post the budget info – so here goes:
Sprayer $250
BUDGET:
- Hardware for hanging shelves, art & white board $8
- Rollers $13
- Paint pan $3.50
- Spraypaint & Spray Primer $31.50
- Electrical plates, switches and outlets $26.50
- Paper & tape $15
- White Primer $42
- White Paint $56
- Blue Paint $24
- Pot & Soil $17
- Green Paint $6
- 4 woven Baskets $52
- Deadbolt $18
TOTAL : $312.50 (plus tax) – and this doesn’t count the paint sprayer but like I said before, we put some of our own money towards that because it was going to be ours forever and because we like new tools
ADDITIONAL MONEY SPENT IN THIS SPACE (we did spend a small amount of moolah in this space over the course of decorating it – so I want to be upfront about that as well!)
- Homegoods woven wall mail holder $14
- 2 teal vases from Target $12
- Homegoods coral decor $9
- Homegoods white frame $3
- Fabric for chair $2
- Fabric for pilllows $2
- White board $22
TOTAL ADDT: $64 (plus tax)
NEW OFFICE COST: $376.50 (plus tax without sprayer) $626.50 (plus tax with sprayer)
Katie, you did an amazing job and what a great space to work in! I have kind of a side question for you…how do you do your “mood boards” are they created in photoshop? I love how you have an “inspiration” piece to work from and then you put the room together. I am such a visual person and I think this will help me put rooms together in my home. Would you ever consider a blog post on how you do that or is this something everyone knows and I am a turkey for not knowing yet? Really love your art work too!
I make them in photoshop – but I’ve done it in paint before – and there is a few programs out there that work great for free
xo – kb
I just can’t stop looking at this room reveal. You did a fabulous job of turning a dark, sad space into a beautifully bright and modern space. Love it! It’s amazing what some white paint can do!
It looks beautiful, Katie! I was wondering how much advance warning Lowes Creative Ideas magazine gives you — did they tell you on April 1 “Okay, do a room makeover and get it done by the end of the month?” Or did you know back in March this would be coming up, so you could take a little more time to plan before you jumped into the room redo?
We get told what we were doing in March when they asked us to participate in the spring’s challenges – so I knew 90 days before it was due. We are sent the gift card at the beginning of the month and then we have literally 30 or less days to tackle the room and get it posted. We will have more planning time – but sometimes it doesn’t matter how much you plan because you gotta wait on the cash
xo – kb
Drooling…. Sorry
Looks amazing Katie! I love the color palette that you used! Mixed and matched perfectly and that white completely makes the room instantly “happier”. Great job!
O.M.G…..AWESOME!!! You and the hubs did a fabulous job!!!
The office makeover is great. You really hit the Kate Spade shades on the head without it being too overwhelming with color, just funs little pops. I need to figure out how to shrink this down for a bathroom.
LOVE your color choice!!
I’m sorry if this posts twice, I got an error message when I saved my comment. I just wanted to say this is AMAZING! I think it’s my favorite of all our re-dos. The pops of color are so fun but the room still feels so calming…you rock!
This is awesome. I think I even would call it your masterpiece. Although ist goes neck to neck with Will’s nursery in the first house. I love it, I would move in, sleep on the floor, whatever.
Katy you rock!!
Looks great, lady! What a happy and fun space to work.
I’m so obsessed with this. I can’t stop looking at it…I don’t know how you do it, Katie.
Love your new office! So bright & cheery! One thing I thought would look cool (I’m sorry if you don’t appreciate people telling you how to decorate…) BUT, I thought it would look cool if you put an oval, ornate frame around your deer head. It would frame it so nicely and a dark gray would like nice or you could go with something fun like a bright yellow. It would fill the space and draw even more attention to the amazing piece! (I go gaga over deer anything.) However, it looks great the way it is too, so either way. And as always, love your blog!
What a great room! It would be useful to have breakdown of the cost, though. Are you planning on posting that?
Hey Paula – I am so scatter brained! I just posted the budget info at the bottom of the post! Sorry about that – I did intend to do that just lost my brain momentarily!
xo – kb
I am obsessed with this room – it’s beautiful!! Now I want to re-do my office
Also, when do you EVER have time to sleep?!!!
How many cans of paint did u need? I never used a sprayer and always wanted to. does it clog, does it seem to need more paint then if u rolled it, or less? i am doing our kitchen this weekend, and would love to purchase a sprayer and make my life easier.
This is awesome!!! I want to live in this room:)
Katie, this is so beautiful! You are amazing. It’s really just perfect!
Katie now you are all pro-designer with your fabulous workspace! I’m dying over all of it!
Your new office is gorgeous! Well done!!
Holy cow, it looks amaaaaaaaazing!!!
Seriously, well done, you guys!!
Love the pale blue/green wall with the white trim! Truly refreshing! Two thumbs up! (What paint did you use?)
That is one darn good lookin’ office, Katie! I am blown away. Actually stunned. You are so talented.
xo,
Ashley
How awesome to have your own work space – consider me jealz for real as I try to stuff a desk in our already crowded guest room so I can have a work space.
I would love some Kate Spade vomit over here! Your new desk chair is like the cherry on top – I LOVE it! Did you spray it? Loving that bright glossy red!
I have the same Ikea desk and always wanted to try painting it white. I assume you took the doors off, etc primed and painted. Did you use the sprayer or brush for it? Could I use plain spraypaint?
What color blue did you use for walls? Beautiful!!
It’s called Palladian Blue by Benjamin Moore
xo – kb
Love it, Katie! You’ve inspired me to finish my studio/office, which is currently a complete disaster! Now go get some rest.
There is nothing I don’t love about your amazing new space! The transformation is night and day amazing! My favorite part of the whole project is that you have a place to call your own and to retreat to.
The color combinations rock my socks off!
xoxo,
Jen
Hi Katie, thanks for replying to my earlier comment.
You have so much wood furnitures in your house, did you do any termite treatment before you move in? Is termite a common problem at your area?
Most homes down here have a termite letter when you buy the house…so you don’t have to necessarily have to do a termite treatment…but having termite coverage is a good idea.
xo – kb
I love this room! The colors are spot on. My favorite is the chair!
I absolutely love this room. It not only has inspired me to do my own makeover on my sewing room but I also need a sprayer to redo my “poo” colored dining room wainscoating. I am so glad I was on hgtv.com and came across your blog. I will be back often.
Katie, I just have to tell you. Before I started reading your blog, I hated the color white. I can be messy and hard on things, so I always tried to steer clear of anything white. Now, however, whenever I’m at Hobby Lobby or looking at furniture for my apartment at college or dreaming about my future home, I always think: “How would this look if I painted it white?” You’ve created a monster
Just kidding. I do love to read your blog and hear all about the great things you do! Thanks for being an inspiration to a fellow Georgia Dawg! 
haha…I love it! You and Jer both – just the other day I picked up a piece of furniture at a yard sale and Jer asked – you are painting that white, right?! I was like – maybe…maybe not
xo – kb
I really like what you did with the space. It is sweet and feminine. I need to know where you got your deer though.
Off Ebay – and it originally looked like a real deer
xo – kb
Hi Katie –
I really enjoyed perusing your blog. This office post caught my eye because you were able to do so much with $376! I’d be interested to know where you do most of your photo editing – do you work off of that Vaio laptop for all of it? Or do you shoot film?
Love love love the desk in the middle of the room with no cords, and am wondering about the photo editing because large monitors require all those cluster-inducing cables and such, just eliminating all the romance of a cable free environment.
Looking forward to more of your pseudo minimalism and bright sassy dialogue!
Amy
I work off the laptop for 95% of it. And I do not shoot film
I would like to let you know that the desk has a hole that allows for cords to be wrapped down the back into the hole right under the desk top and goes through the right hand side cabinet. It is kinda awesome for eliminating most of the showing cords.
xo – kb
This is an incredible makeover, Katie, extremely inspirational. I’d love to one day have a room like this in my house for all my creative pursuits. The wall color + the green bookshelf is my favorite part, I think.
Thanks so much for sharing!!
Katie,
I’m now excited to start my own office update – my biggest decision was paint color. It has been so hard to find the right blue/green color without it looking baby blue. When I saw your Palladian Blue – Benjamin Moore selection, I almost peed a little – it is the same color swatch I have in my laptop bag that I’ve been carrying around. So excited to see an entire room painted with this color and have it look as awesome as I imagined. I’m however, going to hire painters to do the work as I have two toddlers at home and cannot fathom the stress painting would cause in my house. So a HUGE THANK YOU for posting this!!!
oh it’s awesome in real life…and I hear that it looks good in lots of different types of rooms no matter the lighting! Hopefully it’s just darn perfect for you too!
xo – kb
Wow! What an amazing transformation!! I would never leave that room.
Best makeover EVER!!! Love the wall color with the pops of red & green! I just installed those Ikea shelves too… super cute! So I’m sure NO ONE else is dying to know this, but I’m wondering where you got that little wood fish on a stick? It’s probably old, but it just adds a little something… not sure, but I love it!
Goodwill. I always find the most random things there
xo – kb
A seriously stunning office!!! Beautiful! What on earth is that paint color, I am looking for something JUST like that – I neeeed to know!!
I had a question about how you refinished your desk. Did you use your new sprayer on it? or go the old fashioned route and just use a brush/roller? or did you do it with a couple cans of spray paint. Have my own desk project I’m working on and want to get the smoothest finish possible. any advice?
We used the sprayer. If you don’t have one, then I recommend that you use spray primer (Zinnser is awesome)…and then use a brush or roller to do multiple thin coats with sanding lightly between. Happy painting!
xo – kb
Where did you get your deer head? Do you know the measurments? I love yours and I’ve been looking for a deal on one, but I can’t even tell if what I’m finding online REALLY looks like what I want!
Love this reveal. I am telling you now girl that I am so copying your idea for the “pops” of color in the room! I am in the process of fixing up my “mom cave” and am super excited. We moved the sons (and well daughters but she’s only 5 months so she isn’t really playing) playroom down to the basement and a few of his toys to his room and I am coverting the old playroom into my space. I already know I am in love with your wall color and the pops of red so I will probably do the same. I just love your decorating style and love reading your blog!!
I mentioned your office on my blog! I LOVE your office, Katie. It is perfect… really!
I’m in love with the desk chair. What color/brand did you use for it?
It’s Cherry Red…I think Rustoleum…I forget now.
xo – kb
Do you have a link to show how you painted the bookcase? If it is somewhere obvious, sorry I missed it!
This is the only one I have…
xo – kb
thanks!
I get so sad when I go to your print shop and the arrows you painted or the jellyfish for your office aren’t there for me to buy. I cry myself to sleep at night. Please let me give you my money?
haha…I will definitely work on it! gotta write it down
xo – kb