Office Update!

When we moved in, I was a bit overwhelmed with the vast amount of space and walls that needed to be filled throughout the whole house.  In the office, we had the desk and credenza, but were still missing some key pieces like an office chair, artwork, and curtains to complete the room.  Take a look at the before and after shots!

Before

 

After

 

Here’s a list of several key pieces we purchased to furnish this room.

Mirror

So, in true fashion, I began to shop auctions. I found this lovely mirror at an auction in Cincinnati and I fell in love instantly!  I bid a little higher than I wanted, but eventually won it for $245.  I know, I know.  It’s not the deal of the century, but it’s such a statement in the room and one of the first things you see when you walk in the front door….which is what I kept telling myself as the bidding kept going up and up!

 

 

Lamp Shades

I place the mirror right between the lamps, which got a bit of a makeover with two  new shades from Target.

 

Cowhide Rug

My next purchase was this rug.  I saw it at an online auction in Louisville and decided it was a must have.  It’s cowhide, hand-sewn, and it gives this space an entirely new feel. There’s really something about a black-and-white pattern that can add interest to any room.  I walked away with this beauty for $200.  I did some online research and found comparables for $2000+.

 

Lighting

Moving on up to the ceiling… all we had for 18 months was an exposed bulb – yuck!  I was determined not to spend too much, so I went to Wayfair and found this light for $189, which was a lot easier to swallow than the other lighting I was finding for $400+.  And I have to say, installing it was a breeze!  I’m not sure if it’s because we’ve installed a lot of lighting, both here and at our  other house, or if it was actually that easy…other lighting projects have put on on the brink of marriage counseling, so I have to believe it’s an easy intsall!

 

Chair

Arhaus Loft moved into our area recently, and although the furniture is still pricey, you can get a serious deal if you wait for a sale.  I found this chair there and it was already marked down plus they took an additional 30% off.  Yes, please!  I took it up to the register, in fear that someone else would grab it and the salesperson rang it up, but kept double checking the tag.  Finally, she says to me, “this can’t be right.  This chair can’t be this price…but, I have to give it to you because that’s how we’ve marked it.”  She told me that the chair retailed for $600, which by the way I would never, ever pay that much for this chair.  The final sale was $140. I threw it at Greg and told him to run for the car before they changed their minds!

 

Curtains

Last, but not least, I found these curtains at West Elm (no longer available).  They have a vertical pinstripe and tassels on the outside edges which does not look fussy.  The thing I like about them is that they do not compete with the rug.  That was my guiding factor.  I also bought a matching set for the front room.  These two rooms are only separated by the foyer and I didn’t want a competing patterns or colors in the two rooms.  The rods are from Wayfair and they are brushed gold to compliment the handles on the credenza and other brass accents in the front room.

Although each item was bought separately, over the course of 18 months, my vision for this room has always leaned toward masculine, vintage with a few soft and modern twists.  I think I was able to capture that vision and I’m really excited about how the room turned out.  It’s basically finished with a few styling tweaks on the credenza and bookshelf.

My next venture will be wall paint and eventually crown molding and trim.  I think, all in all, it’s a pretty nice update from the before picture!