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My home office tour, plus an IKEA desk makeover

It seems like an eternity since I’ve posted an update on the progress of our home. To be honest, when we first moved in, there was quite a flurry of activity and projects. And then…things came to a stop for some reason. I suppose once the house was liveable, I just sat back and figured I would finish the projects when I got inspired.

IKEA desk before paint

But today I’m back with a little tour of my home office. Let’s start with one of the most important parts: the desk. Back in 2009, I purchased an expansive table top/trestle leg combo at IKEA to be my desk. It’s similar to the Linnmon table top and Finnvard trestle legs now being sold there. I was simply looking for a large desk with a lot of writing space; I wasn’t concerned with the color combination at the time. But I wanted a “big girl” office in our new house, and white furniture was more desirable. What to do? I thought about getting rid of the desk, but then decided it would be much better to attempt painting the current one. Since the trestle legs are technically not solid wood, I had to research a bit to see how to paint them successfully.

We purchased a pot of Glidden Gripper primer and painted the trestle legs and the border of the desk top to start. Then, we finished it all off with two coats of Rust-Oleum’s Painter’s Touch Ultra Cover in white semi-gloss. Is it absolutely perfect? Probably not…painting non-solid wood IKEA furniture is a bit of a doozy. However, I really think it turned out great, and it looks DARN good in the space. Plus – the price of two small cans of paint is definitely more palatable to purchasing a brand new desk.

painted IKEA desk

Did you notice the pretty floor underneath the desk? Back in December, we made a little discovery beneath the carpet in the room – the floor was hardwood! Alas, once all of the carpet was pulled up it was clear there was water damage to the wood. In the end, the floor was replaced with this pretty bamboo! It’s supposed to be very durable, and I really like the texture.

home office setup

That zebra rug had to go…it was too small. And I also decided to push my desk against the far wall of the office to create more space. So now it looks like this! This particular view is what you see when you step into the office. I’m definitely in need of some art for the wall, as well as on the wall to the left of the desk (which is completely bare at the moment).

home office floral rug

Much better than the tiny zebra rug, right? I found this awesome floral floor covering at HomeGoods for $149 and could not resist. I love how the colors pop against the black and white desk.

home office desktop

As for the desk top? Right now I’m attempting to accumulate some organizational items to keep it looking pretty. I found this fun black and white chevron box at Marshalls for $5.99. I think it’s supposed to be a dresser/drawer organizer, but it’s great for me to store sticky notes, pens, highlighters, and my phone. And of course, my trusty planner has to be close by. Right now, there isn’t anything stored on the shelves of the trestle legs…but I will probably change that in the future.

tassel curtains

When you turn to the right, you see the corner and my little window. And that chair? I’ve been working on it off an on for a few months now – I make a few new spots here and there when I remember. One day…it will be done, and I will show you how I did it!

tassel curtains

As for the window? I knew I wanted some sheer window coverings for the office (did not want to block any light, since the window is kind of small), and as soon as I spotted these tasseled sheers at Target, I had to have them. They add a fun bit of whimsy to the wall, I think!

home office wall and closet

Directly to the left of the office door when you walk in is another dead area…I’m thinking of some white Expedit shelves in that space. And if you look closely at the closet, you can get a peek of another project I’ve been working on…but more on that later!

So, I am clearly in need of things to hang on/decorate the wall. But do you know what else I need even more than that? Lighting. If you look up at the ceiling in my office you’ll see:

home office ceiling

…no overhead lighting. This room was an addition to the house by previous owners, and for some strange reason they did not wire it for lighting. What…the…heck? Yes, there are outlets throughout the room, so I could purchase various lamps, but I really want an overhead light of some sort. We have plans to get the room wired, but before that happens, I need to pick out a light fixture! Let the search commence!

So – there you have it! My office…in progress. Hopefully it will continue to come together piece by piece, and I’ll be able to show the completed project in the near future! Who knows…

Do you like to decorate an entire room at once, or is it a gradual project for you?

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