Pepper Design Blog

Office Makeover: Wall Collage Part 1

I’ve been jumping all over the place when it comes to finishing up this office. My corkboard project is taking muuuuch longer than anticipated and while I wait on the prime opportunity between work and Liv’s naps to nail gun that frame together, I’ve started experimenting with the wall collage for the guestroom portion of the office.

Wall collages! They’re awesome. It’s all about how many photos can I stuff on a wall creatively. Here’s some of the inspiration that I’m working with:

But this image really nails it on the head:

There’s something about that cluster of pictures that I’m especially drawn to. Love the neutral theme and the natural wood frames (kind of matches the theme of the office) and the organized chaos that the wall evokes.

But the wall collage isn’t all about slapping pictures up on the wall. I want each and every photo, painting and object to mean something to our family. Maybe a souvenir from a trip, an art project by one of Kevin’s amazingly crafty family members or a photo of a place that we love.

So while I hunt down the perfect pieces (I know they’re buried around here somewhere… I just need to hunt – aka ‘shop’ the house and garage) here are a few layouts that I think will look great on that dark brown wall in the guestroom:

Or maybe this one:

I’m a visual person. I need to see just how the artwork (or bookshelf, closet or anything else I’m organizing) will look before committing. Especially to lathe and plaster walls! These poor walls can only take so many misaligned holes. I’ve learned the hard way.

PS I’m just beginning to really use the magical tool of Pinterest… for more beautiful wall collage inspiration, check out my board here.

Images: Unabashadely Prep, Walking Around Where the Sidewalk Begins (found at a veiled aside), Pottery Barn, Decor Chick

Office Makeover: The (New) Inspiration Board

Thank you so much to everyone who sent their condolences yesterday, I really appreciate the notes. I’m so grateful to have such kind readers! We’re back from Omaha and the dust has settled, it’s good to be distracted.

I thought it might be fun today to share the ‘inspiration board’ behind the new office. This isn’t an exact and I’m sure our minds will change again and again over the next month, but it’s an outline that helps to narrow down furniture, accessory and ‘do we need this?’ choices.

Back before we were even close to finishing the space, I shared this layout idea (with an initial color palette) and these inspirational rooms. Wow, much has changed in the last eight months! But you know, looking back so many ideas have stayed the same, too. Some stuff just sticks with you.

Key pieces in the above room include: a desk, bookshelves, refrubished credenza (not pictured), wallpaper for credenza, grasscloth, new platform bed, a wooden office chair (I’ll add plenty of padding to make it comfy), a French-style occasional chair (a Craigslist find like this would be so cool), bedding, window curtains, side table with a handmade skirt, new lamp and chic office organizers. So I’m maybe half way through the list?

Inspirational fabrics include: Arden Chocolate by Ballard Design, Joann’s Dot Brown, Calico Corners’ Thomas Paul in Silhouette, Aviary Thomas Paul in Robin, Robert Allen Roman’s Circle in Pool and Thibaut’s Jubilee Collection. Love, love, loving these prints!

Creating an inspiration board is usually high in my process for building out a room. It keeps you from distraction and really focuses you on the functions and feel of your finished space – it’s especially useful if you’re tempted with an impulse buy!

Wow it feels like the office is ALMOST there! Especially considering the room started as this:

And once the kitchen was removed (and the wall between the old office and kitchen was knocked down), turned into this:

Little by little!

For more Office Makeover posts, check out: new lamps, wallpapering open shelves, finding the perfect credenza, new trim, dining table-to-desk, a new desk & bookshelves, installing remnant carpeting, grasscloth wallpaper, painting the office nook, finding carpet for the office, chocolate brown wall ideas, plastering progress,  inspiration for a diy desk, back in action!, desking hunting for under $300, bookcases under $300, inspirational rooms, room layout options, demo part 1 & demo part 2.

Office Makeover: A New Pharmacy Lamp

You may have noticed two new additions back when I posted about the living room here and when I shared our guest bed find here.

I’ve been on the prowl for attractive task lighting (or pharmacy lamps) for a while – I love their vintage feel and the brass or oil rubbed bronze finish that they usually come in. I was secretly holding out for a great thrift store find of a one-of-a-kind buried treasure, but a couple of searches in I turned to the big ole web.

Here are some of my favorites:

1. CSN Lighting ($74.25) 2. CSN Lighting ($38.40) 3. Ballard Design ($219) 4. Staples ($39.99) 5. JC Penney ($59.99) 6. Lamps Plus ($152.90) 7. Rejuvenation ($194)

And then one day, as with all best buried treasure stories, I stumbled upon a box at the back of Joann’s Fabrics that was covered in sale items (and lots of dust!). Turns out, they carry a set of pharmacy lamps and they were marked down 50% off – best part? It was a set. For just over $75 I found a great desk lamp and a new living room light to boot. Alas, they wouldn’t accept my 40% off coupon on top of that (did you know there’s an app for that? I always forget the paper coupon…) but I was really happy to score two new lights for under $40 a piece.

Here is the table lamp in the office:

And the floor lamp in the new living room:

The best finds always happen when you’re not looking!

For more Office Makeover posts, check out: wallpapering open shelves, finding the perfect credenza, new trim, dining table-to-desk, a new desk & bookshelves, installing remnant carpeting, grasscloth wallpaper, painting the office nook, finding carpet for the office, chocolate brown wall ideas, plastering progress,  inspiration for a diy desk, back in action!, desking hunting for under $300, bookcases under $300, inspirational rooms, room layout options, demo part 1 & demo part 2.