Our office/library -- a work in progress

12 years ago

I've been working hard on our office/library and am really happy with how it's looking so far. I thought I'd share some progress pictures. Since my original post, I primed and painted the ceiling and walls, and am pretty far along on the trim. I love the Wythe blue. Right now I'm painting the double window with the diamond panes. I got the first coat of paint on this morning. It won't be fun to scrape the excess paint off all those nooks and crannies!

Last weekend DH and I went to Ikea and bought 3 new bookcases and got them assembled. This is the first time in more than 7 years that my books have been down from the attic and all in one place. I can't tell you how excited that makes me.

The two wicker chairs are at the upholsterer now, being stripped of all their old upholstery. My game plan is to paint them a medium gray and re-upholster them in charcoal mohair velvet. The lines of the chairs are kind of prim and proper, so I thought a serious color would be most fitting (plus I think the charcoal velvet is incredibly yummy!). I still need to get curtain rods and curtains up, plus decide what to do with the empty wall to the left as you enter the room.

So here is how the room looks now. Our printer, router, file boxes and office supplies are all in the old TV armoire.

Here are the wicker chairs "before"...sorry about the dark picture

Still deciding what to put on this wall. I'd love an enormous framed map of the world, but I'm trying to purchase as little as possible for the room. Ideas?

I'm loving the Wythe blue walls with the rug. At first glance, the blue in the rug is much more of a robin's egg blue, but there is a second blue in the rug that you don't notice right off that is dark and very greenish. The rug doesn't feel disjointed to me at all.

Here is a link that might be useful: original post about my room

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Comments (17)

User
12 years ago
Well, I kinda wish you hadn't posted photos, because now that I've seen Wythe Blue in your room, I'm having fantasies of painting my rooms that shade! (Ahhh! Nooooo! It's just a fantasy! I'm currently painting everything Guilford Green and shouldn't even entertain the thought of another color! But WB is absolutely gorgeous.) The color is perfect in your room, and perfect with the rug. I easily see the greenish-blue in the rug that is highlighted by the wall color. Besides, I prefer when colors harmonize and don't match exactly. This is going to be such a luscious space when you get it completed. I can't wait to see the finished product. It's already dreamy!
teacats
12 years ago
Seriously wonderful room!!! :)

JUST LOVE the whole room -- and the new bookcases look so fresh and clean!

A welcoming and well-working room for the new year! :)

Would a thin (maybe white?) console table (with a lamp or two) work along the wall -- along with a world (or even star charts?) map above it -- and perhaps a classic globe or two?

Please post pics of the wicker chairs as SOON as they get back from the upholsters!! :) The new fabric sounds just yummy! :)

And hugs to the dogs too! :)
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There are a lot of books and mag articles on such a topic, and I have come across lots of features in my years of taking too many magazine subscriptions, so you might browse a bookstore or search the net for great photos. The closet might be able to be outfitted as the actual "office," if you use the right doors and really outfit the inside. There are lots of decor features on that approach. That is more important, I think, if you and your nuclear family want to use the room more often as a cozy library/study and can then close the doors on printer, FAX, etc. but also is a great way to maximize floor space, since you can use a closet as an "indent" in a room for office equipement and desk, but can't sleep in the closet! Sofa bed vs. Murphy bed can be space-saving. There are furniture lines for installing Murphy bed and associated cabinetry. This approach is more for if you yourself don't need the sofa and want to preserve more floor space and a clean-lined look. Otherwise, a compact sofa bed would serve you and your family for library. Shelving is key and you should be prepared to design and install it so that it works for you--(or have done professionally). That goes for the whole room--by that I mean, draw your floorplan and wall views with windows, doors and really brainstorm on different ways to use the space. For example, you might be able to surround a sofa bed with built in shelves floor to ceiling for a great library look, whereas a lot of free-standing shelves would take up space. Or, you might be able to find free-standing shelf units you can pair and connect with a bridge. Lots of ideas like that. Of course you have a budget, but try to think outside the box and be prepared to buy a new item if it will really make the space work better--so if your current file cabinet doesn't work well, you might budget for one that fits better or is more streamlined, or maybe you need 2 matching and put over them a desk top. As in first paragraph, there are huge numbers of ideas on multi-tasking furniture for these purposes--file cab as bedside table or under a table top and skirt; rolling file or printer stand that rolls under desk top; storage containers that might let you "remove" a few items temporarily when guest using the room and needs place for luggage, and return later.
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Debbie: Congratulations on the move and so glad your accident turned out to be not too traumatic. Steph; congratulations on your clean out and demolition. Must be a huge weight lifted. Missouri; I have found Windows 10 to be more similar to previous versions than 8. I had a seamless transition and no hiccups with any of my software. I had a blast of work this weekend to round out the month. I made a trip to Ikea and found about half of what was on my list and things that weren't on my list. I got the underbed storage boxes, some divider boxes for my dresser, pendant lamps and lampshades, the wine rack which I turned into a reed rack to store the long tools for weaving. A pair of hanging planters were a complete impulse buy. My dresser is more organized ( I could use a few more boxes). Things that don't fit and/or don't like are in a pile for the thrift store. When I get the underbed boxes made up I'll go through my stash of smaller clothes to them and put them under the bed and check periodically to see if I have shrunk into them. That will clear out the closet quite a bit. The bedroom table lamp has a new white shade, the pink shade I bought for a pendant light over the dining table ended up on my old bridge lamp and the pink satin shade that came with the bedroom lamp is over the dining table. There's another plug in pendant to go over the circular sock knitting machine in the studio and that will let me move the floor lamp back over to its usual spot by the loom with the new warp. One thing I really wanted were some rollaround drawer units for the studio. Nothing at Ikea had the drawer depths I needed. When I got home I got online and did some searching and found a set of three, with the correct drawer configuration. The drawers are fabric boxes, which is a little scary, but most of things intended for them are not heavy items. The fabric is a pattern of birds on blue. I've been struggling with color for the loft, but I knew there would be birds, so this will give me a starting point for curtains and focal wall colors. Delivery will be slow on these. One thing I wished I had bought was a small stool. It had a small hole cut in the top and a small removable cloth bag beneath. Perfect as a hamper for my hand and machine knit socks that get washed separately. However I have a small table that needs a little sanding and varnish. I can cut a hole in it and make a bag for my sock hamper. The rubber broom arrived. It works well on hard floors and has a low profile, so it can reach under things better than a regular broom. It is not designed for rugs, I don't think it would work well, the 'bristles' are short and soft. It picks up hair off hard floors very well. I use it in conjuctin with my eye-vac, a cpu shaped vacuum 'dust pan' Sweep stuff up to it and it just sucks it in...no more chasing that last line of dust onto a dust pan. I saw a brilliant idea at Petsmart yesterday. A clerk was cleaning the entry matt with a little grooming slicker brush taped to a broomstick. I immediately tried the brush on my thick white fleece blanket which is polka dotted with tiny black cat hair pills tightly twined into the fleece...it worked perfectly. I don't have any rugs to try it on, but I bet it would work. Pity slicker brushes are so small. The new warp is about half threaded. I ordered a skein winder and some coned yarn to make up in skeins and dye when the weather finally turns warm. The snow is nearly gone from my yard. The cats are in a tenative cease fire. Fewer hissy fits, more silence and even some moments of friendliness. Ben really likes Razz, when Razz is hidden under a blanket, Ben will hunt for him, dig him out and give him kisses.
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Thank you so much for the helpful recommendations! Very much appreciate your 3D plan Stacey - I hadn't thought of that configuration. And yes, the wall with the window is the 8' wall. After a serious Kon Mari blitz of our books - we still have so many books (I'm a librarian - sheesh!) To fit them all, we would have to line an entire wall with bookshelves. I think we could reserve the bottom bank for cabinets. I do like the idea of carrying it over to the window wall and the bench. I'm having a hard time envisioning how to fit a 31" tv and a small computer screen. Could I put a small computer space closer to the window? Maybe like a small fold down like a secretary desk? My husband really wants to build a murphy bed in the room but I'm not seeing it.
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User
12 years ago
ah...it looks wonderful ! I haven't taken a pic of "my" rug yet for you :) I need to do that.

Where did you find the mohair for the chairs ? I looked on line after you mentioned it and all I found was material that was labeled for upholstery and it was in the $120 a yrd range..yikes ! It was beautiful but way out of my price range.

I am looking forward to your finished pics. Here is a link to classic wall maps of the world. I only did a quick search but these are a very good price...don't know how big you want. Maybe post a separate thread and get some other ideas as to what is out there. Good Luck, c

Here is a link that might be useful: world maps
Boopadaboo
12 years ago
Gorgeous. Love the color and the bookshelves. The whole room! :)

I am looking for the perfect book shelves to tuck in somewhere so I can get my books out of the basement. I can imagine just how excited you are to have yours out of the attic.
megsy
12 years ago
Wythe blue is on of my BM favorites. It looks amazing in your office!
macybaby
12 years ago
looks very nice!

I work for a private grade school, and this spring they cleaned out a lot of storage areas and sold the surplus. They had one table full of old pull down maps taken out of the classrooms. I was so, so tempted to buy one, they had a silent auction and I think I could have picked one up for about $5. But I have no where in the house to put one.
They were old and outdated, but to me that would be even more perfect.
arlosmom
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks for the nice comments. : )

auntjen, don't let me be a bad influence! Can't wait to see your rooms painted Guillford Green.

teacats, a small console might fit there, but I'm trying hard not to add any more furniture to my house. I'm trying to be in a downsizing mode these days...but maybe I can justify a globe or two. I'd love to find old vintage ones. They'd be a great history lesson with all the old country names and borders.

trailrunner, I got my velvet at fabriccarolina.com. It's still expensive, but cheaper than you found. Mine is the infinity charcoal. Luckily, I didn't need too much fabric for the chairs. When you look online, Google wool velvet too and you might find more sources. Thanks for the link to world maps. I'm intrigued by the one that sticks straight on the wall, but can peel right off.

macybaby, that kind of map is exactly what I want. I'd happily pay $5 a few times over for an old schoolroom map. I wonder what I could find on ebay.
User
12 years ago
thanks will take a look...I hope you can find a map. c
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
12 years ago
You have done an amazing job! It looks marvelous. Can't wait to see the chairs when they are finished.
gingerjenny
12 years ago
I really like that paint color! Did you use any of the accent colors they designed to go with it...like battenburg? or is it just accented in basic white? It looks great. Now i'm in trouble since I googled that color!
User
12 years ago
Wow, that looks great. You sure have been working hard. I still love those floors. Can't wait to see it all complete.
franksmom_2010
12 years ago
That is just really, really lovely! The wall color looks fabulous with your floors and rug, and I can't wait to see those chairs! You're doing an amazing job! An old huge map would be perfect.
YoursTilNiagaraFalls
12 years ago
That's gorgeous! The Wythe Blue is perfect. The room looks crisp, clean AND cozy. Good job.
chitown_remodel
12 years ago
Every time I go to IKEA I go look at this world map printed on canvas. I love it. In fact, I am going to buy it this weekend after wanting it for over a year!!

Your room looks so beautiful!

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70119430/
birdgardner
12 years ago
what a beautiful room - lovely colors. lovely windows and door molding. mmm.

Inexpensive map: eBay? Nat'l Geographic map, maybe lightly antiqued with tea?
runninginplace
12 years ago
What everyone else said--it looks so great!

What kind of bookshelves are those from IKEA? I've got quite a few of the Billy bookcases but these look a bit more finished. And I can't argue with you arlosmom, books certainly are the perfect finishing decorative touch for any room :).

Ann
arlosmom
Original Author
12 years ago
I just picked up the stripped-down chairs from the upholsterer. They look so naked. Now I have to choose a gray paint that works with the fabric. I have a quart of fairly dark gray in the basement that I may try. I'll solicit opinions when I get some painted on the chairs.

gingerjenny, my trim color is the same BM soft chamois that I used in the rest of the house. I have enough trouble picking wall colors without switching trim colors too! : )

chitown, that map is great...huge! I may need to go see it in person. I haven't mentioned the map idea to DH yet. My goal was to pull this room together with stuff we already have and I've already bought new bookcases and am getting chairs re-done. I don't know if the map idea will make him cranky. I guess I should at least TRY to use art that we already own. Or not. We'll see.

runninginplace, the bookshelves are Hemnes. I look at both these and the Billys. Billys are less expensive, but I liked that these were wood and looked a little more sturdy and finished. Plus they have leg levelers which come in handy on our old crooked floors.

I got an email today that my curtain rods have shipped!! It's all pulling together. Yay!

Our office/library -- a work in progress

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