My Home Office Makeover

In every house we’ve lived in, I have tried making one room “mine.” I have always wanted a space that was pretty and comfortable and filled with all the things that I love. But in every house, I had to settle for some dank space that would inevitably get used more for storage than anything else. I have never had that one special spot that was kid-free, husband-free and totally my style. Until now.

Last month, I decided enough was enough. We bought this new house in November, and I immediately claimed the corner room in the basement as my own. It is a nice big room with a surprisingly nice picture window, a walk-in closet AND the cold storage room! I knew that it would be perfect because I could still store all the random stuff I never use in the closet and keep the room itself pretty and functional for my needs.

I decided to set a budget of $1,000, which seems like a lot, but you’d be surprised how little it can actually get you when you are buying everything new! In fact, that was my main mission. I’ve only EVER bought second-hand furniture, so nothing ever matched, and everything was kind of rickety and old.

For the last five months, this is what the room looked like. Not bad, mind you, and perfectly usable, but it was not the cool, funky, eclectic space that I wanted.

I scoured Pinterest and created an Office Inspiration Board to figure out exactly the kind of style I wanted. Part of the problem is that I couldn’t really change certain things. Firstly, it’s a basement, so light is sometimes an issue. Then, the doors and trim are in a beautiful rustic wood that I can’t really change. It would be terrible to paint them, but it limited the scope of the room. I really REALLY wanted everything to be a stark white, but it wasn’t really a possibility. I thought about painting the walls, but it wasn’t worth fighting with my husband (he’s terrified of me accidentally spilling paint or doing a terrible job). And finally, the floors… the oatmeal carpet is kind of a downer. I would LOVE wood floors (which we have elsewhere in the house), but it wasn’t practical to tear it out. So I had to plan.

I knew I wanted to keep everything as monochrome as possible, using black and white for the main room and getting pops of color where needed. I began with my desk. I knew IKEA would have what I was after, so I bespoke a nice L-shaped desk with drawers so that I’d have a space for my computer, as well as a nice space for crafting. The glossy white was exactly what I envisioned. While at IKEA, I found the PERFECT black and white area rug to go with it. I also bought a couple of little side tables for things like my printer and other incidentals.

I originally bought a beautiful (and expensive!) pink chair from Cost Plus World Market to go with my desk, but it turned out to be too low to work comfortably. So I revamped an old office chair and relegated my pink princess to in front of my book shelves, and I now use it as a little reading nook!

In the middle of two sets of shelving is a vintage hope chest which I picked up on a local garage sale page for $50. I will likely repaint it somewhere down the line, as the top has various stains on it. But I love the charm! I added some throw pillows to make it a little bench seating area, and I created a little DIY bulletin board behind it.

The other book shelf has a few decorative bins, but it’s mostly just a space to house some of my frequently used craft supplies.

In the corner of the room, I used the shelves that used to be in the room to make a little corner nook. I kept the black wall shelf for little nicknacks and art, and I bought a super cute little picture display to hold some of my kids’ art works.

I keep various art supplies, snacks and other things in these shelves. I love the super cute dish chair in front. It’s a great little chair for the kids to curl up in and play on their tablet when I’m working. But most of the time, the cat uses it as his own little bed.

I keep another little IKEA side table there to house some of my recent magazines and other reading materials.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the tree silhouettes that I got ages ago from Target. They were an impulse buy nearly a year ago, but I never had anywhere to put them until now. I think they look awesome. It adds a touch of whimsy to the room, which I LOVE.

A lot of the little accessories were bought from either Target or TJ Maxx. I’ll try to find links for everything, but I literally just walked around in store and found things I thought would work in my room. It’s a work in progress, and I add to it all the time.

I really love my DIY Inspiration Boards above my desk. I took three Target bulletin boards and refinished them with Mod Podge and wrapping paper, and I think they look FAB.

The difference in the room is really amazing, I think you’ll agree!

Here’s a list of some of the items, price and where to buy. May contain affiliate links.

Sillerup Rug in Black and White (6’7″x9’10”) – $129 IKEA (not available as of Nov 2019)
Linnmon Table Top in High Gloss White (47 1/4×23 5/8″) – $34.99 IKEA
Linnmon Table Top in High Gloss White (59×29 1/2″) – $45.99 IKEA
Godvin Leg in White x6 – $60 IKEA
Alex Drawer Unit in White – $79 IKEA
Lack Side Table x2 – $16 IKEA
Ranarp Work Lamp – $27.99 IKEA
Fuchsia Nina Chair – $299.99 Cost Plus World Market (not available as of August 2021)
Threshold 9-Cube Organizer Shelf in White x2 – $160 Target
Room Essentials Sherpa Dish Chair – $45 Target (not available as of August 2021)
Room Essentials #loveit Lumbar Pillow – $16.99 Target (not available as of August 2021)
Threshold 17.5″ Copper Wall Clock – $29.99 Target (not available as of August 2021)
Xhilaration Decorative Bin x3 – $18 Target (not available as of August 2021)

Check out some of my other projects:

Katie Reed

Katie Reed is a passionate writer and mother of four vivacious boys from Salt Lake City, Utah. Drawing from her own journey through TTC, pregnancy, and the joys of raising children, she offers a wealth of insight into the world of motherhood. Beyond her heartfelt tales, Katie delights her readers with family-friendly recipes, engaging crafts, and a curated library of printables for both kids and adults. When she’s not penning her experiences, you’ll find her crafting memories with her husband and sons—Dexter, Daniel, Chester, and Wilder.