I am so happy that we are finally getting to share our home office space with you! What I love most about this room is how this is the first full room that Trey and I completely decorated together. I bought our home a few years before Trey and I got married. So many of the rooms in our home were pretty much complete before he moved in. Of course we updated lots of things together and added touches that feel very us, but our home office is the space that feels completely different since Trey moved in. I remember talking about how we wanted to decorate and reorganize this space while we were on our honeymoonโand now it's a reality!Here's a little peek how the room has evolved over the past two and half years. 1.) My brother and my niece lived with me during the first year or so that I owned this house. This space used to be my niece's bedroom. It was filled with toys, clothes and kid furniture. I left the room the color it was when I bought it (a yellow tan), and Penny added a few crayola drawings and stickers during her time there. 2.) Once Penny moved out (and after I finished mourning her departure!), I had the old, somewhat stained carpet replaced with wood laminate (closely matching what was already in the hallways and living room). I also had the popcorn ceiling scrapped and retouched white. That's all I had finished by the time Trey moved in. For the first month or so, this room became kind of a catch-all for things: mismatched chairs, yoga mats, musical equipment, etc. 3.) We painted the walls and baseboards a creamy white, added a wrap around standing desk, a curtain for the closet and lots of touches that made the room feel very us.The first thing we did when we started planning our home office was identify our needs and intended uses for the room. Trey plays and records music in his spare time. He has a band. And he needed space for all his music equipment, instruments and home recording studio. We built the standing desk for his studio. I guess I'm using the word "built" pretty loosely, as it was super easy to make.Well of course there's a crafting area. This is, after all, a blogger's home. In all seriousness, full disclosure here, I haven't made time to use my sewing machine yet. I know, it's terrible! My uncle gifted me this machine (my first) as a wedding gift. I really want to learn to do simple things this year, like hem jeans. I also really like our book shelves that we installed above the sewing area. This is a great place to store random supplies, books and my birthday card collection (so I hopefully don't miss a friends birthday this year simply because I don't have a card on hand).And we can't forget our macrame curtain, which felt like the perfect solution for the closet space. Funny story I didn't share in the tutorial. We have a beagle puppy slowly getting out of her teething phase and Steve (we're pretty sure he's an American dingo) who will chew literally anything. Together they can be, hmm, I guess we'll call it destructively adventurous. Because of that, we're always super diligent to shut the doors to the bedrooms/office when we leave the house. Well, apparently one day we forgot to shut the door to the office, and our dogs seem to have a knack for finding the worst things to chew. We came home and found the whole curtain rod on the floor with the rope in a knotted pile. They went straight for the macrame curtain that we JUST finished. Luckily they just honed in on strand, so the damage was manageable. But if you look extra close, you can see one strand is quite a bit shorter than the rest. ๐The last main area is this wrap around standing desk. This corner is communal but I think so far mostly I've been using it. I've done all manner of random activities here: personal finance stuff, wrap Christmas gifts, work on a writing a novel (personal project), edit our book (it's coming out this summer!), etc. I love having somewhere to work at home that isn't our dining room table or in bed with my laptop. I like having the option to sit or stand, sometimes you just don't feel like sitting.
The decor in this room is pretty eclectic and personal. I really wanted this space to feel inspiring and feel like us more than making the colors work together or anything like that. Most of the art hanging on the walls has some personal meaning behind it, the rug was something we both fell for in a big way. And even though the space is used for about a million different purposes, we still fit it all together somehow. It's a metaphor for marriage.
No? Too far? It's getting kind of weird now. Ok, ok. I'll tone it down guys, geez.Thanks for letting us share our home office with you! In case you missed it you can also see our livingroom, kitchen, bedroom and dining room too. Happy decorating! xo. Emma (and Trey)
Sources: rug/Turkish Crafts Arts, desk/DIY, curtain/DIY, shelves/DIY, sewing table/DIY, metal chairs/Amazon, orange chairs/thrifted, abstract painting/Elizabeth Chapman (my mom!), female figure print/Caitlin Shearer, constellation print/Ello There, quote art on white/Fifi du Vie, quote art on black/homemade from Youth Lagoon quote, desktop calendar/Elise, metal lamps/Target. If you have a question about anything else feel free to leave a comment.
Credits // Author: Emma Chapman, Photography: Janae Hardy
104 Comments
Amazing room re-decoration! I’m so impressed with what you all have done!
http://nikitaandvesper.com/blogs/baby-blog
Love this. Which colour/brand white did you use on your walls?
I love that standing desk space soooo much! I can’t wait to own my own home and add touches like this.
Love it, specially the metal chairs ๐
Wow, what an amazing room! I love your rug alot! x
holljc.blogspot.co.uk
Wow!
I love it!
But, mostly I’m fascinated about seeing the way it turned and changed during the years!!!
xx
Novella
http://9lla.it/
A fashion & DIY blog…
Way to go! It looks so nice and organized and perfect for two people to enjoy. My husband and I share a home office too and keep talking about making it a better space to work in. I think this post has inspired me to quit talking and get doing!
I love reading your narratives “I’ll tone it down guys, geez” haha cracks me up! I would totally read your novel!
Love the space, thanks for sharing!
This looks incredible!
So happy for you guys!!!
xx- Elsie
Love to see the Cursive poster over Trey’s band station! As a gal from Omaha it’s always fun to see other midwest folks repping local bands!!
I love this, all the art together works so well! Also, I love emma’s grey jumper she’s wearing, where’s it from? x
Love love love your office space! It came together wonderfully, just like you and Trey ๐
http://bravefelicity.blogspot.com/
It’s Valspar. I will look the color up for you when I get home tonight. I keep (almost) all the paint chips we used in the house in a drawer. In case we need touch ups later. ๐
-Emma
So lovely how a room can evolve in a few years. We had the same with our study room. So cool to see xx
http://www.creativityandchocolate.com
Do you have a link to the metal chairs from Amazon? And I love your vest! Do you mind sharing where it’s from?
Love the metal chairs! How can I find them?
I love all the natural wood elements:) Where did you get the floor?
xoElieRey
http://elierey.blogspot.com/
Can you provide a link for the chairs? Love them!
I really love your standing desks and your craft shelves! I am always on the looking for organizing inspiration.
sewing table DIY coming soon?
Unrelated to your post but I really like your new haircut. It’s inspiring : )
Where are the awesome wire baskets from (the ones with the yarn in them!) I am desperately needing to reorganize my creative supplies…
it’s grrrreat! i love what you’ve done. i have those rifle notebooks too!
xx
My favourite part is the wrap around standing desk. It seems like you can do anything in that space!
I like how you store your crafting supplies so that you can see them all – threads, brushes, yarn.. endless possibilities!
Those Cursive and Mount Eerie posters are real cool, where may I find them?
that rug is just beautiful! what a great room. you can each do your own thing, but still be together. i love that ๐
xxoo,
nikki
http://www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
I adore the standing desk. Everything always feels so eclectic yet orderly in your home, I’m attempting that flow!
I have that same blanket! Found it in a thrift store a few years back. So funny to see it in your space as well. Looks great ๐
I love the story about your pup chewing on the rope. I looked closely and could see the shorter one, but not until after I read that part!
Thanks for shearing your beautiful home with us! I love posts like this)
itsabeautifulbeast.wordpress.com
Great work area, I really love that rug!
Love that blanket on the back of the old school chair. Is it vintage?
Soooo sweet! ๐ oyur hair looks great like that! ๐ I love your interior designs.
Wow this is really inspiring! We have a second bedroom in our apartment that is a catch-all right now, filled with books, bikes (4!), a desk, a sewing machine, tools, etc. I get frustrated trying to figure out how to actually make the room workable and viewableโฆso we don’t have to ignore it when we give a tour of our apartment. ๐
Do you have any suggestions for storage?
Thanks!
cool space! so bright…love your new hair
I love this room! I also love that you didn’t worry so much about the art co-ordinating or anything. I do the same thing to. I read somewhere (maybe an article on Apartment Therapy?) to surround yourself with things you love in your home and it will make you happier.
This room is so great! We love how eclectic it is and by far the best part- the artwork above your desk! Great job!
I can’t wait to post about our home office (It’s still in the works)! This turned out SO amazing. I absolutely love it. The lighting is great and it’s so unique!! ๐
Love this! I can’t wait to post about our newly remodeled office! (It’s still in the works) This lighting is great, it’s so unique. I really just adore this post!!
Yes…I have a question. Where can I get that adorable sweater/vest you are wearing…I love it!!!
Thanks
Kim Bolyard
love that rug and the high-mounted corner desk space, super creative!
I personally prefer slightly eclectic spaces. They remind me of the people living there and tell a story. I think that this room is one of my favorites that you all have shared here, and the eclectic-ness is probably why.
I love your new haircut, Emma!
Hi, could you please provide a link to the metal chairs from amazon? I love them!
I love the idea of having a birthday card collection to give out to friends and family throughout the year!
They are here: http://www.amazon.com/National-Public-Seating-6224HB-Adjustable/dp/B000WNYLSC/ref=sr_1_10?s=furniture&ie=UTF8&qid=1391804650&sr=1-10
I am just so crazy in love with the rug! And the standing desks. So awesome to have the option to sit or stand!!!
suuuch a lovely office ๐
xo, cheyenne
Are the cute milkshake/smoothies/soda glass drawings from Elsie ? I think I recognize this design from waaayy back!
Love, Elsa
How did you make the sewing table? I need something like that! I love the standing desk, too.
I think I’m in love with that rug!
Good job! Love that rug!!
Lulu xx
https://www.luluslittlewonderland.blogspot.com
THAT CARPET!!
I love the sawhorse desk that your sewing machine sits on. On the resource list you said it is DIY, but can you share some details about it? Did you buy the sawhorse from the hardware store? Did you make it? I am considering something similar for my home office. Thanks!
Yes, there’s a link two comments above. Thanks!
-Emma
it may or may not be a project from our upcoming book… so, uh, yes, it’s coming soon.
๐
-Emma
Hobby Lobby.
-Emma
Hmm. Well, first. I would find a way to hang the bikes. I actually LOVE how bikes looks, so hanging them can double as storage and “wall decor” if you know what I mean. Plus that will free up so much space but you will still be able to access them.
-Emma
Hi Kim,
I’m actually not sure as I got it at a clothing swap party. ๐
-Emma
Definitely an inspiring place to write a novel! I love this room! ๐
Yes! Elsie made those probably, like 5-7 years ago. I re-found them during the estate sale of our local shop and just had to display them in my home somewhere. I love them.
-Emma
It’s a project in our next book-due out this August (check the side bar for a link).
-Emma
Love the office it’s so awesome, And i really love your overhead lighting!!! Is it vintage? I’d love to find something like that.
Such a cool office love the colourful carpet and I love how it reflects your personality!
lilacandlove.blogspot.com
I love the rug! I am also impressed how much stuff you have in the room, but it still manages to feel very open and tidy.
Also loving the chairs. Thanks for sharing the details! I love that this room has so much personality… not even his and hers, but a great shared style. Super efficient. Congrats on getting it done! ๐
Color and function. I love this!
The Rambling Fangirl
YOUR HAIR???!!!!
Love this space! I’m still in love with those standing desks and can’t wait to have a space where I can build them. I agree: sometimes you really just don’t feel like sitting!
xoxo
Taylor
http://www.welcomehometaylor.com
Simple Times!!! Amy Sedaris is my idol, spirit animal, and love of my life!!! Her books are a hoot! ๐
Oh is it absolutely beautiful, clean peaceful and so serene!! Well done I am just in love with your rug, where did you buy it????
Hi Emma!
Where are the curtains on the window from? They are beautiful!
The room is lovely.
xo, M.
It really came out great, colorful, clean, and functional. Like your haircut.
The transformation is amazing
the room is so bright now, love the wooden floor, the carpets, the art wall
love everything!
How did you hang the guitars on the wall? I have a musical husband too!
Thank you
Hello!
First of all I love this room! It’s so impressive how many different activities fit seamlessly together in one space. Second. I love that rug!!!!
Third. I love your hair
Fourth. And most importantly. Where are the photos of the puppy!!!! ๐ xx
Hi Emma!!
Thank you for sharing your personal space with us, I totally love this room!
I’m stealing some of your ideas for my tiny appartment!
Home tours are one of my favorite posts!I’m looking forward to this summer, I can’t wait to have your book!
Best Regards from Paris,
Ester ๐
beautiful pics ..nice post click here for love couples and partner
GREAT work, from photos room now seems bigger:D well done!!!
That looks really neat! You guys must’ve worked really hard… but it looks uber cool and has really paid off xD I hope you enjoy using that area!
http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2014/02/red-riding-hood-film-review.html
The room is lovely, but I’m zeroing on your glasses, Emma. They’re exactly what I’ve been looking for. Care to share where you got those?
Love your vest, pretty lady! We’ve got a foot a snow here in IN and more coming! Would love to add that vest to my wardrobe. Can you share where it’s from?! xo- Jade
The room is great, Emma, but I’m zoomed in on those glasses! Do you mind sharing where you got your specs from?
That’s pretty much the most amazing rug I’ve ever seen in my life. This room is so great!!
I LOVE this room! I think it’s awesome how you made it both industrial and homey at the same time. I’m currently trying to re-purpose my dining room into an office, and so far it’s been a nightmare. It’s the first room you walk into when you open to door to my apartment, and it’s been extremely difficult to fix up! Thanks for the inspiration!
xx lauren
http://www.wheredyagetthat.com
I’m loving the new do, Emma. You seem to really be coming into your own ๐ congrats on the room looking great!
i like your shelf/desk. i’ve been thinking on getting something like that for myself for a while now, but i didn’t know if it was strong enough to support a computer. i’ll give it a try.
I love the homemade corner desk, it saves so much space. Are you going to stain or paint the wood its made from? I like the plain wood, but I’d probably stain it. Very beautiful. Just found your blog on “stumble upon”.
Glenda
Ummmmmm LOVE this space!! Such a unique office – I think it looks so cool how everything is hanging on the walls – desk, shelves, etc. Great job! Thanks for sharing ๐
Love the glasses! Where are they from?
Did you paint the cover of the notebook yourself or is it something you purchased? Beautiful office! Thanks for all the info!
Very nice, hoping to have a nice home office space with my partner James one day…need the house first though. I love the wraparound desk idea!
x Morgan
http://www.writtenbymorgan.blogspot.com
Love the space! So creative!
Gorgeous, this room is a really light, airy creative space. Perfect place to write your novel!
Such a wonderful room Emma, I love how you’ve styled it together ๐
Love it! Where did you get the overhead light?
Love the standing desk! Where did you get the shelf brackets? Thanks!
So…I’m always happy to help you with the sewing stuff. Just let me know if/when you want to get together. I can also recommend some good resources for you. You can totally do it ๐
Slightly off topic, but where did you get that knitted vest you are sporting? It’s lovely!
Emma, love the blend of band and blogger! Also trying to pick a project and go for it! We’ve been in our house almost a year and still don’t feel fully moved in or decorated! From a practical stand point, (I love the clean simplicity) but where do you organize all your albums and bills and mail and clutter? I need a better plan! ๐
Yes, where is the grey jumper/sweater vest from? I want one!
Where is the ceiling pendant from?? Can’t believe no one has asked yet!!
Great use of space! Inspiring! Also, love your vest! Is it handmade? Or did you purchase it and where?
The rug is lovely.
Good luck with your sewing machine! I learned to sew 2 years ago & now make my own clothes. It’s very therapeutic ๐ I absolutely love it.
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