Home Interior: Our 1970's House Makeover Part 9: The Office Makeover

DIY budget decorating ideas for the domicile usage Our 1970's House Makeover Part 9: The Office Makeover

Hey ya'll! If you've been next along lately, y'all know I've been spending most of my gratis time* finishing the office. And I finally experience similar it's decent plenty to share. Kinda.
*Free fourth dimension = that i weekend inwards August when I wasn't traveling to see family/friends or traveling amongst Jesse for his work. For those of y'all who've been curious, Jesse is component subdivision of a media startup as well as the to a greater extent than it's grown, the to a greater extent than often he travels. And I become amongst him because it's precisely a dandy chance to pass fourth dimension together, travel, read books (a passion I totally forget I receive got unless I'm stranded inwards a car), rest inwards a comfy hotel room, as well as consume multiple breakfasts at Cracker Barrel.
Plus, I precisely kinda loathe beingness domicile alone, which I fully blame on Macauley Culkin, circa 1990.

Anyways, thus it's finally fourth dimension to discover the usage inwards it's updated state. And since the usage has been through multiple changes over the yesteryear 2 years, let's start at the beginning.

This is what the usage looked similar when nosotros maiden off moved in.

It had dark woods trim, beige carpet, as well as peach walls.

I was running my maiden off work concern at the fourth dimension (finding novel as well as used wearable at thrift stores as well as and thus selling it on eBay) as well as at that spot was e'er precisely junk everywhere. At the time, I was transportation 100+ packages a week, barely making whatsoever money, as well as barely remembering to pose my pants on each day.

Decorating was at the really bottom of my to-do list.

So, if you're ever feeling a footling less than awesome (something I normally experience when reading blogs or precisely perusing the cyberspace inwards general), precisely know that y'all are worthy, y'all are capable, as well as most off all, if your work solid looks similar a creepy 'before' picture, at that spot is hope.

During my thousands of trips to the thrift shop to honor wearable for my eBay store, I began to come upwardly across stuff for our house. We didn't receive got whatsoever coin at the time, as well as our work solid was nearly empty, thus I started repurposing stuff.

One of my maiden off finds was this desk for $50.

We didn't receive got a dining room tabular array at the fourth dimension (and soundless didn't upwardly until well-nigh a calendar week ago...and I can't hold off to demonstrate you!), but for some argue I decided to usage the tabular array equally a desk inwards the office. It was 2 dissimilar colors when I got it, as well as I wasn't super excited well-nigh that, but I knew I could in all likelihood ready it.

This was all happening around the fourth dimension that I had decided to unopen my eBay work concern as well as start my weblog (which was terrifying as well as exciting at the same time). So, i of the really maiden off posts I ever made on this weblog was well-nigh the usage makeover.

In the below picture, I had precisely painted the walls (Behr Sandstone Cliff) as well as painted the trim back as well as doors (Ultra Pure White). And then, I decided to pigment the top of the desk dark to tally the legs.

I had never painted a tabular array before, as well as was precisely a total novice.

So, I ruined the tabular array on my maiden off attempt at painting. And as well as thus spent an entire eve scraping pigment off. It wasn't awesome. This epitome demonstrate never made it onto the weblog before, as well as in all likelihood never should, but I know you'll honor some comfort inwards my mess.

I finally got all of the pigment off the table, did a footling to a greater extent than research, as well as eventually used a combination of dark chalk pigment as well as several layers of polyurethane. That ended upwardly working, as well as it's held upwardly perfectly ever since.
So, this is what the usage looked similar later on the maiden off makeover 2 years ago.

I soundless totally dear the inwards a higher identify version, but frankly, it was precisely fourth dimension for an update.

So, dorsum inwards February, nosotros emptied out all of the furniture.

Then, nosotros ripped upwardly the carpet as well as replaced the subfloor.

Then, nosotros installed the hardwood flooring, which took four months as well as nearly drove me insane.

Then, over the course of teaching of the yesteryear month, I basically lived inwards the haunted house room as well as spent my days sanding, priming, as well as epitome all of the trim back as well as all of the doors.

So, if you've been wondering why it's taken me MONTHS to complete the trim, I chose to accept the route less traveled (in gild to preserve money), as well as I chop-chop learned that it's the route less traveled for a reason. Basically, nosotros got a bunch of raw woods from a mill as well as and thus nosotros had to sand it, woods fill upwardly it, sand it, prime number it, sand it, pigment it, cutting it, install it, woods fill upwardly it again, caulk it, as well as thus pigment it again. As it turns out, nosotros did preserve well-nigh $2000, but it's been an absolute nightmare as well as I'll never do it this means again.

But, hey, y'all alive as well as y'all learn, as well as highfivewefreakindidit.

Once the trim back as well as doors were finally installed inwards the usage (more on that inwards a minute), I was able to motility stuff dorsum into the room as well as start to decorate.

Here's how it looks thus far.

So, let's suspension it down.

For the primary furniture, I kept the original thrift shop tabular array as well as paired it amongst a lucite chair, since the cats basically destroyed my lastly usage chair.

I've wanted i forever, but could never honor i inwards my toll range. But, as well as thus I had a flake of luck before this month, as well as I establish a inexpensive one.

I establish it here where they were blowing out some mill defects for $40. They only had 300, which seem to live sold out now, but they soundless receive got some for $70. Luckily, when mine arrived, I couldn't honor a unmarried defect, thus I receive got no see what it was. I volition warn y'all however, that they don't listing a transportation charge, as well as later on y'all pay, they volition transportation y'all an e-mail telling y'all that y'all receive got to transportation them an additional $30 for shipping.

So, mayhap that was the 'defect'.

But nonetheless, soundless a dandy deal.

I had this chair inwards a box for almost iii days before I took it out because I feared the 'Jesse Response'.

And for no other argue than I precisely KNEW.

Jesse is a really masculine human being who lives inwards a really feminine house. And he never complains.

In fact, he pretty much gives me gratis reign to become equally crazy equally I want, as well as he totally embraces my crazy.

And y'all see...I precisely knew. I knew deep downwards that my footling see-through chair was pushing it.

So I eventually took it out of the box, as well as he precisely happened to walk downwards the hallway at that exact second.

And it was similar he walked yesteryear genuinely fast, totally distracted, as well as and thus stopped all of a sudden. And as well as thus tardily backed up, as well as precisely lost it for xxx seconds, laughing hysterically, totally amused as well as confused, until he could gain his composure as well as live similar 'Oh, babe. Is that your novel chair? I mean, that's awesome. But whoa.

Can I sit down inwards it? Will it break? Will it spray me amongst estrogen?'

Needless to say, Jesse really is such a gem, as well as i 24-hour interval I volition brand him the best of human being caves to vantage him for enduring this madness.

So, moving on. The carpeting is really similar to the i inwards the living room, as well as is from Rugs USA.

If y'all ever read part 8 well-nigh the living room, y'all may yell upwardly me maxim that I had bought a similar carpeting days before they sent me the i that nosotros ended upwardly using inwards the living room. Well, this is the i I bought, as well as although it's non equally squeamish equally the i inwards the living room, it's thus much cheaper as well as soundless looks genuinely great. I got the 8' x 10'' as well as waited until at that spot was an 80% off discount code, thus it only cost me a footling to a greater extent than than $100. They almost e'er receive got crazy sales going on, thus there's a practiced run a hazard y'all tin acquire it for genuinely inexpensive if you're patient.

As for the mirror, it's i of my faves, as well as patently ya'll's, too. I've never gotten thus many questions well-nigh an item. I originally showed it here inwards the painted dresser post a few weeks ago. It was a clearance score from Home Goods for well-nigh $30. There was a chip as well as a few scratches inwards the frame that I precisely fixed amongst some Rub n Buff inwards the 'Champagne' color.

I think it was originally $199, which is CRAZYTALK, thus score i for the footling guy.

Now, before nosotros beak well-nigh the other side of the room, here's precisely a footling reminder of what it looked similar later on the maiden off makeover 2 years ago.

I'm feeling sort of embarrassed, but I'm precisely gonna breathe through it.

Mostly well-nigh the narcissistic chalkboard.

I don't know. I was telling all my friends as well as household unit of measurement I was going to live a blogger as well as it was hard. I was a footling over the top as well as in all likelihood annoying. Just a component subdivision of the journey, I suppose.

And here's what it looks similar today.

I removed the bookshelf as well as brought inwards the dresser that I painted amongst white crude oil paint, the gilt leafage art that I made, as well as I also changed the light fixture as well as curtains, as well as replaced the trim back as well as doors.

The footling nook amongst the dresser as well as gilt leafage fine art is yesteryear far my favorite component subdivision of the room.

And I'm miserable to inform y'all that my infant orchid has lost his blooms.
I tried thus hard, ya'll.
I forgot to give him his recommended shot drinking glass total of H2O before nosotros left for Statesboro, GA lastly week, as well as I came domicile to honor him one-half dead. I'm trying to resuscitate him inwards the kitchen (where I'll yell upwardly to H2O him), as well as inwards the meantime, I precisely pose a fake orchid inwards here. Because how do all these people receive got orchids as well as I precisely CANNOT brand it work?

I kept him thriving for a total calendar month before he succumbed to my inevitable plant-neglect.

Will he re-bloom if I give him the proper care? I'm non sure.
I'm feeling inept.

So, at nowadays let's motility on to the cupboard doors, because this is the component subdivision that slowed me downwards for a twain weeks.

Here's a footling glimpse of how the doors looked inwards the usage a few years ago. I had painted the door into the usage white already, but hadn't gotten around to epitome the cupboard doors yet. They are precisely your typical hollow heart 1970's doors.

Also of note: some other boob light.

They were EVERYWHERE.

I eventually got around to epitome the cupboard doors white, which was a temporary ready until I could afford to supersede the doors.

It made a genuinely large difference, made me experience less gloomy well-nigh my house, as well as it held upwardly pretty good over time. So, don't live afraid to pigment your doors if they põrnikas you. All I did was prime number them as well as coil some semi gloss white pigment on amongst a high density foam roller.

During the flooring renovations, I removed all of the doors inwards the work solid as well as threw them away. It was my attempt to forcefulness us to supersede them. And it worked. Granted, I removed them inwards Feb as well as we're precisely at nowadays getting novel ones on inwards belatedly August, but nonetheless.

Also, that's the to the lowest degree amount of stuff that cupboard has ever had inwards it. It may precisely hold off similar a pile of junk to you, but to me it's a glorious achievement.

Also, my mom gave me those 2 footling antique flora stands for my birthday, as well as I can't hold off to usage them. But, first, I receive got to tame the horror that is my yard. You know y'all saw it.

So, anyways, the doors on all of the closets inwards this work solid were bi-folds. And they were e'er coming off of the rails as well as causing me to delineate my pilus out, thus I decided to attempt something different. So, nosotros went to Lowe's as well as bought a bunch of slabs. (Jesse has informed me that 'slabs' are what the doors are called when they don't receive got pre-drilled holes for the doorknobs.)

The slabs were super inexpensive at only well-nigh $20 a door.

And as well as thus I spent well-nigh a calendar week of my life epitome them.

And as well as thus Jesse attached the doors to the cupboard as well as installed a magnetic closure to each door as well as to the top of the frame.

And as well as thus nosotros drilled 2 holes inwards each door as well as attached kitchen cabinets, only bigger. Not only do I precisely dear the means it looks, but it allowed us to preserve coin yesteryear buying slab doors as well as yesteryear non having to purchase a bunch of doorknobs.

And it was sort of a hurting (simply because doors accept forever to paint), but it was thus worth the effort.

Switching the doors from bi-folds to french doors was such a uncomplicated change, but it made i of the biggest differences inwards the means this room feels. I'll live doing this to every room inwards the work solid now.

You may receive got also noticed the lite fixture inwards the inwards a higher identify picture. This is the footling fixture that used to live inwards the master copy chamber that I establish at a thrift shop for $5. It was originally a squeamish 1980's brassy gold, but I spray painted it silver. It genuinely goes perfectly inwards the office, as well as it saved me some dollars.

It could in all likelihood usage a footling Windex later on getting dusted yesteryear the flooring sander, but what tin ya do. Well, I suppose Windex it, but y'all know...who has fourth dimension for that.

As for the curtains, I was determined to brand my own. So, I taped upwardly 2 acre white drape panels, mixed some stuff medium inwards some grayness paint, as well as I started epitome my curtains.

I've seen a lot of people do this, as well as thus I figured it wouldn't live equally good hard. I was thus wrong.

First of all, trying to record forthwith lines on a drape panel is similar trying to brush a cat.

Impossible.

Second, I made my stripes equally good broad as well as yesteryear the fourth dimension I was done taping as well as epitome the maiden off panel, I realized I had iii jumbo in-your-face stripes.

And third, I spent nearly iii hours precisely on that i panel, as well as and thus I realized that it totally sucked as well as that I was going to receive got to start over if I wanted to relieve the project.

Basically, cutting to me laying on the floor, crumpled inwards a ball...covered in tears as well as sweat.

And rage.

So, equally luck would receive got it, I was walking around Marshall's on Mon looking for a faux orchid, as well as I precisely happened to spot a pair of striped drape panels inwards the clearance aisle. I've never seen striped curtains anywhere. Much less for $20.

I'm pretty certain I cackled to myself similar a maniac as well as in all likelihood did a round-off or something. It's a blur.

A few of y'all guys asked well-nigh the footling gilt mug inwards the lastly post. It's precisely a thrift shop honor that made for a terrible java mug (it gets means equally good hot), thus instead I turned it into a pencil holder. By putting pencils inwards it.

And those pencils are an Etsy find, as well as I sort of gaze at them longingly each as well as every day.

It's the dorsum to schoolhouse phenomenon where y'all acquire excited over schoolhouse supplies.

Even if you're old.

And of course, the flowers are precisely some pinkish roses from the grocery store.

I don't receive got flowers inwards my usage every 24-hour interval (although I wouldn't pose upwardly a struggle if someone tried to convey me some), but I'm an average lensman at best, as well as a footling impact of flowers e'er makes fifty-fifty the worst photos hold off better.

And I weblog for a living, thus sometimes y'all receive got to do crazy things similar purchase flowers as well as sit down inwards your kitchen for an lx minutes arranging them, knowing fully good that your truthful cat is going to attempt to consume them the infinitesimal y'all acquire out the room.

Please accept banking enterprise annotation of the orchid, fighting for his life inwards the corner.

I'm guessing that hacking upwardly roses amongst my pair of scissors in all likelihood didn't encourage him.

Furthermore, my roses started dying off yesteryear this morning. They lasted a day.

I gauge that's what y'all acquire when y'all purchase the $2 bundle from the clearance bin.

Half of them were slightly moldy.

And that's how y'all ruin the mirage of a perfect domicile amongst fresh flowers everywhere.

So, anyways, ya'll. That's the office.

I genuinely do dear it. I'm certain it volition alter fourth dimension as well as fourth dimension again, but it has a fighting run a hazard of staying the same at to the lowest degree for a footling flake piece I motility on to other rooms inwards the house.

Plus, at nowadays I genuinely receive got a identify to weblog again, which is awesome since I literally blogged from my bed for well-nigh four months piece the work solid was nether construction.

Cheese likes this novel life upgrade, too.

That pic was taken when I had the desk facing the door. I genuinely similar it that means better, but demand a slightly smaller desk if I'm going to driblet dead on it that way.

I suppose that leaves us room to improve, right? :)

Speaking of Cheese, before I go...

So, I'm certain you've seen the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge all over social media these yesteryear few weeks. Jesse as well as I were nominated yesteryear a handful of people, as well as since nosotros were traveling as well as belatedly to respond, nosotros donated some of our dollars as well as Cheese as well as Tootie offered to assist us out, too.

They're obsessed amongst ice/water/anything they tin splash in, thus I figured nosotros could indulge them precisely this once.

So, here's my footling video amongst Cheese.

Jesse did his video amongst Tootie, as well as it's the most precious affair I've ever seen, but I'll spare him precisely this once.

Cheese's sweetness footling personality is on major display as well as it's fourth dimension y'all acquire to run into her inwards action. She played inwards the bathtub for a total 20 minutes batting shaved H2O ice around later on nosotros were done. She's absolutely ridiculous.

And also, if y'all receive got a few spare dollars, I encourage y'all to transportation a few to ALS.org. Feel gratis to follow my lead, also, precisely for fun, as well as sprinkle a shot drinking glass worth of H2O ice on yourself, too. :)