New Office Reveal for Crazy Blonde Life - Before & After
Happy Saturday Everyone! This post has been a long time coming and I’m really excited to share it with you. I have been wanting to redecorate my office for years now and finally it’s (almost) complete! As you know, we live in a quirky old house surrounded by lots of trees. The trees do a great job of keeping the house cool in the summer, but they also make it dark. My office is one of the darkest rooms in the house because it only has one window so making it feel like a lighter space was important to me.
When we moved into the house, my office was one of the first rooms that was decorated because at the time, I was selling a line of clothing and needed an office to work from. The wallpaper was some that was ordered from a previous house and fit the space at the time. The space was always where things got dumped. If something didn’t have a home, we just put it in my office. Well not any more! My office is now a sleek clean space that is uncluttered (for the most part) and a pleasure to work in. Keep reading and I’ll tell you what I did.
Below is the “before picture”. It’s definitely not horrible, just not a space that I felt great working in for hours a day!
I have been slowly buying furniture that I love for my office space, but just hadn’t bitten the bullet with the wallpaper, which I knew was the big game changer, but also the biggest job. I knew I wanted to take the wallpaper down myself to save a little money, but it seemed like a daunting project. I finally found the perfect gold and white wallpaper to replace what was there and it was ordered. One day, when I was really annoyed with my husband and needed to channel my energy into a project, I just started scraping. It actually came down pretty easily and in about 3 days, it was finished. The project was finally underway! Keep scrolling for links to furniture, wallpaper and all the decorative items in my office!
I cannot take complete credit for this project…I have been working with a decorator for hmmm, lets say going on 25 years (I can’t believe it’s been that long). Needless to say, we know each other well and she is such a huge help in channelling my ADHD and keeping me on track and focused. You can read more about Leigh Jones, owner of The Very Thing Ltd. by downloading Blondie, by Crazy Blonde Life. I interviewed her for the magazine and she gives so many helpful tips about making your space inviting, beautiful and timeless. I know that over the years, even though it seemed like I was spending a lot of money at the time, I really saved money by working with Leigh, because my choices have stood the test of time and our home flows so beautifully. You can take a tour of our home by clicking here.
My desk chair is the only thing that I’m unsure about. I love the chair, but I’m not quite sure I love it in this space. I doesn’t seem to fit exactly as I would like, but for now, until I decide on something else, it will have to stay.
When putting the office back together, I was very careful to include only things that felt right in the space. I kept the color palette to mostly gold and white for a sleek, modern and I think peaceful feel. The photograph (below) is an art photo that was taken of my daughter Rebecca. It adds just the right amount of color and fits the space perfectly. I need one more piece of art, but I won’t rush it because I know the right one will come along.
These white leather chairs are perfection in any space! I absolutely love them!
Other than changing the wallpaper, the thing that had the biggest impact was having my desk lacquered in white. I found the desk at a consignment shop several years ago and it’s been a good, functional desk. I really like the fact that it has a place underneath to hold magazines and books because I have so many just waiting to be poured over and like to keep them organized. I did look for a sleek, more modern desk, but the one I wanted was only $12,000, so I decided to embrace the one I had!
The wooden console below adds a natural element and also some warmth to the space. It’s an interesting and unusual piece and is ideal for displaying my business cards.
The chandelier is another favorite thing in my office. It hung in the dining room of the house we lived in before this one. It’s very old and crusty and I believe French. I love that it’s crusty and it’s one of my favorite things. I’m truly surrounded by things that I love in this office and so many things have a story.
“In almost every part of the world, the Dragonfly symbolizes change, transformation, adaptability, and self-realization. The change that is often referred to has its source in mental and emotional maturity and understanding the deeper meaning of life.”
I was immediately drawn to the fabric that I chose for the window treatment, while at the time, not knowing the symbolism of the dragonfly. It’s perfectly fitting that dragonflies symbolize change, transformation, adaptability and self realization which is the perfect description of the journey that I feel I’ve been on since starting Crazy Blonde Life.
I deeply believe that we are affected by our surroundings and that it is important to make them as beautiful as possible. Fashion and decor are intertwined in this way. Even if clothes and fashion aren’t your main focus, getting dressed, and making the effort to put your best self out into the world makes you feel stronger and more confident. I think it’s much the same with your home. Taking the time to create an inviting space that is comfortable and beautiful can make a huge difference in your life. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune, it just needs to be a nurturing space that feels good. It’s where you spend so much of your life!
There are just a few things you can’t see in the pictures. I have a huge full length mirror to the right of my desk and I use it nearly every day for Instagram stories (be sure to watch). I also have a closet that is used for storing the things that need to be photographed for the blog. I’m seriously considering getting a nice rolling rack so that I can hang my latest outfit ideas close by and be inspired by them!
I am so thrilled with my new office. It’s a space that I love to be in and work in. Somehow, it makes Crazy Blonde Life feel like an official business and that is very important to me!
Be sure to follow Leigh Jones on Instagram to see more of her inspiring designs!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post! Please let me know if you would like to see more interior design posts and more of the projects that I have going in our home! I would also love to hear about spaces that you’ve transformed and how it made you feel. Please leave me a comment below! Have a great weekend!