Everyone has
that room in their house. The room that is not 'decorated'. The room that becomes the catch-all for anything you don't want in the other rooms but can't seem to throw away. Remember when I talked about
ridding my home of red? Well over the last year, most of that red ended up in my husband's office. Partly because he didn't mind and mostly because he hates to get rid of anything that is still funcitoning. "Why get rid of this couch, it still works!"
We had started working on a collage wall. But when the
bathroom was demolished, this room really got junked up. I had a hard time figuring out how to 're-style' it. I knew the red couch was a permanent fixture and I wasn't really wanting to spend much money because it truly is my husband's home office and he can be stubborn :)
So I focused on the window, reworking the artwork, and that
colorful rug.
So on Sunday afternoon, I locked my husband out of his office and went to work. Mostly I rearranged and edited. But I think it made a huge difference. Here is how it turned out!
First let's look at the curtains. It took two hangings to get them just right. I kept repeating these rules to myself as I worked.
3 Rules for Drapes
1. Raise them up high
2. Make sure they touch the ground
3. Hang them on the far sides of the window
All of these emphasize the window and make it look larger. It also draws your eye up, creating the illusion of higher ceilings. By putting the curtains on the side of the window, you are framing it- not covering it up.
Next, the art work. We pulled pieces for the collage wall that we really loved. Afton's art work, photos of places we have lived, and even a portrait of Jeff's childhood dogs. All the frames are from Goodwill. We bought cheap (.50-$1) frames and painted them black. Look for chunky frames or ones with interesting detail. Ignore the color and focus on the shape.
I love when decor is beautiful and meaningful. These wooden men are made of driftwood. Jeff's mom collected these for him. They are masculine and interesting because they are made of natural materials.
Now they are a focal point in the room.
Finally the rug. I couldn't think of any tricks for that
colorful rug. Paired with the red couch it was too much. Color is good, when paired with a neutral. So this shag from Ikea is perfect. I originally bought it for my bedroom. But I felt that the office needed it more :)
Happily the finished room got a 'thumbs up' from my husband. And if you have a room like this in your home, here is my advice for giving it a quick make-over.
- Find great curtains and follow the 3 Rules when you hang them!
- Edit artwork, keep the meaningful pieces, display collections.
- Neutralize loud colors with textured whites or creams.
And if you are loving my curtains--- well you are in luck, because I made them. Check back this week for a tutorial on how to make some for your home!
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