Home Office Project
The renovation of our home office had been a long-anticipated project. When Shirley and I first moved in, both of us used this space for work, back in the pre-pandemic days when our work primarily involved focused tasks. Shirley used to travel frequently, so I often had the office to myself. However, when the pandemic struck and we had to work from home more extensively, sharing the same room became impractical. It was impossible for us to attend video meetings simultaneously, so I relocated my office to the upstairs loft.
HOW IT STARTED
Here's a glimpse of our previous setup, captured right after we tidied up. Normally, it's much more cluttered, but we used this photo to sell the IKEA furniture we had previously used. As you can see, we sat back-to-back, making it impossible for us to be in the same room during virtual meetings. While this setup served us well, we realized that having our own dedicated offices was essential. This office space was going to be exclusively for Shirley... you're welcome, honey!
This looks okay, but this can be so much more.
THE DESIGN
The initial design concept had us contemplating whether to go for a darker theme, but with the abundance of natural light, it just worked. We opted for Benjamin Moore's "Midnight" with a satin sheen finish.
Concept Rendering
DEMO BEGINS
An electrical floor outlet was already installed, allowing me to position a desk in the middle of the room without unsightly wires running to the walls. I removed the old baseboard, which will be replaced with a more modern version.
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS
For the built-in shelving, I constructed a base using 2x4s. We also had a large all-in-one printer that needed to be concealed within one of the cabinets. Because the cabinets were only 12 inches deep, I had to cut an opening in the wall and the cabinet to accommodate the printer. I designed a custom sliding drawer to easily access and stow the printer.
On the opposite side of the room, we created a feature wall. I installed four sconces and routed electrical wiring from one of the outlets.
Pro Tip: To minimize drywall work with the new baseboard, thread the electrical wires through the wood studs behind it. This way, the baseboard will cover the wiring neatly.
For the wall, I employed a board and batten design and outlined the coffers with 1/4-inch half-round trim to elevate the aesthetic.
As for the shelves themselves, I designed them and ordered the wood pieces from Shelf Help on the Ana White website. Unfortunately, they no longer offer wood delivery, but assembly was relatively straightforward.
We added shiplap as the backing for the shelves. Here's a lesson learned: Instead of attaching the shiplap to the wall first, nail it directly behind the shelf carcasses. Walls are never perfectly flush, and nailing the shiplap to the wall initially can result in gaps between the shelf and the wall. I learned this the hard way and had to remove all the shiplap from the wall.
THE FINAL RESULT
And here's the final result! With careful selections, we balanced the room's moody ambiance with warmth and brightness. The lighting from the shelves adds a delightful ambiance to the room and allows for variation with dimmer settings.
