I've been spending a lot more time behind my computer lately so I decided that because of this, I needed a clear and organized space for me to create in. I want to feel inspired when I'm writing and developing my concepts for projects, so completing my office space has been my new priority.
Over the past few months, I've picked away at a few things to make our spare room nicer but we weren't quite sure how we wanted to utilize the space. Before we finished our basement it was our workout room and we were debating on making it a spare bedroom for guests but honestly we could use the extra living space for ourselves so designating it into an office seemed like the best idea for our current situation.
In one weekend Ben & I transformed the space by adding an accent wall with wood slats. It's a fairly easy and inexpensive way that you can make a statement in any room so if you're looking for a weekend project, this could be it! I first drew out the pattern on a piece of paper and then we taped it out on the wall so we could ensure it translated. Once our pieces were measured and cut we simply air nailed each piece to the wall. I used a silicone caulking to cover any nail holes and hide a few seams, added a coat of white paint and it was complete!
To transform this room into an office I needed one key item... a desk. So, I've been hunting on Kijiji and came across this sleek wood desk that I thought would work perfectly with a little TLC from yours truly.
My office is a small room but with good window light so I wanted to keep the space feeling open and bright. I decided painting the desk white would help keep the space feeling bigger but I didn't want it to just be a coat of white paint. I took some time developing my concept by collecting images off Pinterest and creating a slide to organize my thoughts. I was eager to get to work and quickly jumped in.
I removed the hardware and started getting this baby sanded down for a fresh coat of paint. I sanded down any flat surfaces with my palm sander (using 80 grit and then 120 grit) and just roughed up the finish in crevices by hand to ensure the paint would adhere well. Just a note, if you are finishing your own project make sure you take the time to fill in any cracks or knicks with spackle and sand out these spots as smooth as possible. I've learned from previous projects that taking the time for these little details make a huge difference when it comes to your finished piece!
I started with a coat of primer, again I've learned over time that this step isn't worth skipping, especially when painting something white! Paint isn't cheap, especially chalk paint so when I have to add extra coats because I skipped priming, it hurts my heart, so learn from my mistakes and invest in this step! Once the primer had dried I added 3 coats of white chalk paint and then taped out where I wanted to add my accents. I decided to add gold accents to make the piece unique and elegant and to go along with the new handle I purchased. The final step was adding a clear coat knowing that this will be a highly used surface and I wanted to protect it from scratches and spills as much as possible. Because it is a chalk paint I decided to go with a wax finish that I had on hand and so far it has been holding up strong!
I added the desk into the office space with a new rug that really helped ground the room and give a more bohemian vibe. Added some plants and art work and voila, I'm now ready to get back to work! I foresee me continuing to grow this space as I continue to work in there more, maybe adding some shelves or at least some more storage options for craft supplies but this is a great start!
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