Before & After
Room Of The Week
Interior Design
A Budget-Friendly Study Makeover for a Big Family
A thorough declutter, new hero wallpaper and luxe touches have taken this home office from dump zone to study supreme
In a Q&A format, we talk to the designers – and examine the creative thinking – behind some of Houzz’s most loveable rooms.
The study before works.
What was the room like originally?
It was an unused home office that had become a dumping ground for family clutter.
Now the whole family uses it for work, study and planning.
Looking to turn your dumping zone into something special? Find a local interior designer on Houzz to help you refine your vision
What was the room like originally?
It was an unused home office that had become a dumping ground for family clutter.
Now the whole family uses it for work, study and planning.
Looking to turn your dumping zone into something special? Find a local interior designer on Houzz to help you refine your vision
The study after works.
What was your brief?
To redesign the office so it could be used in multiple ways by the whole family (for example, for work, study, planning, craft, and so on).
The room needed to be connected with nature and have an energetic yet soothing feel.
It also needed to have a gender-neutral undertone, so that everyone in the family could enjoy it.
What was your brief?
To redesign the office so it could be used in multiple ways by the whole family (for example, for work, study, planning, craft, and so on).
The room needed to be connected with nature and have an energetic yet soothing feel.
It also needed to have a gender-neutral undertone, so that everyone in the family could enjoy it.
The original study lacked sufficient storage space.
Did you keep any features from the existing room?
Yes, we kept the wall-mounted shelves, the shutters and the overhead fan, which has a light.
Did you keep any features from the existing room?
Yes, we kept the wall-mounted shelves, the shutters and the overhead fan, which has a light.
What were the client’s must-haves?
- The study needed the ability to seat three people at a time.
- A freestanding desk needed to have a wall behind it to work with feng shui principles (this creates the feeling of being supported).
- The layout needed to ensure that no-one would have their back to the window when seated.
- A scheme and layout that would nurture productivity and efficiency.
Tell us about the navy section above the built-in desk
This is a corkboard that I painted navy. It’s super functional for pinning up important documents and reminders. Plus, the navy ties in beautifully with the wallpaper and suits the room’s styling.
This is a corkboard that I painted navy. It’s super functional for pinning up important documents and reminders. Plus, the navy ties in beautifully with the wallpaper and suits the room’s styling.
Before the transformation, the study lacked personality and the work surfaces were small, cramped and cluttered.
A new freestanding timber desk provides an expansive work surface for a third person to use. Having a freestanding desk such as this – rather than a second built-in desk – adds a sense of luxury and prevents the space from looking like a work hub.
The bland white walls in the original room did little to inspire focus and productivity.
What exactly did you do?
What exactly did you do?
- Decluttered the room.
- Changed the layout.
- Added a new wall-mounted cabinet to the wall above the timber desk to provide extra storage and help keep the work surfaces clutter-free.
- Replaced the old carpet with gorgeous vinyl-plank floorboards.
- Repainted the walls.
- Painted the shelves.
- Applied a feature wallpaper to one wall.
- Installed a new pendant light.
- Upcycled an old filing cabinet by painting it gold.
- Put in a new freestanding timber desk and stylish office chairs.
The bold, botanical-print removable wallpaper that Findlay chose to line one wall adds character to the room and draws nature inside. But with its splashes of navy, it is not overly feminine.
What challenges did you face?
Fitting everything in to seat three people, while still making the room feel spacious and luxurious.
What challenges did you face?
Fitting everything in to seat three people, while still making the room feel spacious and luxurious.
Findlay included plenty of greenery to oxygenate the air and boost the room’s connection with nature. Plants are also a great way to soften the hard lines in the room. Findlay chose hardy, low-maintenance and drought-tolerant plants so she could place them in harder-to-reach spots, such as the top of shelves.
Tell us about the unit of drawers
These are inexpensive flatpack units from Ikea, which I customised with gorgeous handles with a gold rim for a luxe feel.
Tell us about the unit of drawers
These are inexpensive flatpack units from Ikea, which I customised with gorgeous handles with a gold rim for a luxe feel.
An old filing cabinet gets a new lease on life with a lick of gold paint.
Key design aspects
Colour palette:
Key design aspects
Colour palette:
- The Frame Shop corkboard painted in Taubmans Elegant Evening.
- The pink shelves were treated with White Knight Laminate Cleaner. They were painted with White Knight Laminate Primer (underneath), White Knight Laminate Paint in half-strength, and Taubmans Ballerina (on top).
- Taubmans Miss Universe paint to the walls.
- Taubmans Miss Universe and White Knight Laminate Paint to the desk.
- Rust Guard Quick Dry True Bite Primer and Porter’s Paint in metallic Alchemy Liquid Gold to the filing cabinet.
Materials palette:
Your turn
What’s your favourite feature in this revamped home office? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Keen to see another before and after room renovation? Check out last week’s USA Bathroom Renovation Brings Back Mid-Century Modern
- Carpet Court Laneway vinyl planks in Natural Oak on floor.
- Rocky Mountain Decals ‘Moody Floral’ removable wallpaper on feature wall.
- Ikea drawers.
- Etsy door handles.
- DIY desk made out of old doors.
- Chairs and timber desk: Naomi Findlay.
Your turn
What’s your favourite feature in this revamped home office? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Keen to see another before and after room renovation? Check out last week’s USA Bathroom Renovation Brings Back Mid-Century Modern
Who lives here: A family of six with four children aged between six and 16
Location: Hunter Region, NSW
Room purpose and size: A family study measuring 9.3 square metres
Budget: Around $2,500
Most of the budget went on: The freestanding desk and chair, the flooring and wallpaper
Interior designer and renovation expert: Naomi Findlay