The Evolution Of A Farmhouse Style Home Office – Before And After
When we first looked at our house, about two and half years ago, I knew what I would do with the front room that the former owner was using as a formal living room. as soon as I walked in the front door. Located right off of the foyer, it was the perfect spot to become our home office! But, first I had to remove the pink carpet (yes, pink), lavender walls and outdated window treatments that were left behind when the seller moved out.
We painted the walls, (Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige), removed the window treatments and replaced the carpeting with new hardwood floors (stained with Minwax Special Walnut). I placed much of the office furniture from our previous home in here until I could get to the makeover of this room. BUT – the total transformation of the space would have to wait. Given that we gave this house a total remodel (from top to bottom),the completion of this room was not at the top of our priority list. We lived with it like this for about a year or so.
THEN, I made my first decorating mistake in this room. We had so many irons in the fire….so many rooms to complete…that I let my impatience get the best of me. I purchased two chairs just because they were a really great price. I loved the chairs (and still do!), but they’re currently living in another room that’s waiting for its makeover. I’ll either use them in there or pass them along to my step-daughter when she’s ready for more furniture.
After the purchase of the chairs, I realized that I was going about things all wrong! I needed to come to a decision about the direction I wanted to go with the whole house. Annnd…this is a big one…I needed to focus on one.room.at.a.time.
The direction/vision was an easy one for me. I was in love with farmhouse style and knew that I wanted to emulate that look in my home, except with my own stamp on it. So, in comparison to all of the floundering around I had been doing, once I made the decision to complete one room before moving on to another, the makeover of the my family room, breakfast area and dining room was completed!
Then – it was time to get started in the office! I began by replacing the two mistake-purchase chairs with two tufted back gray ones. The starburst mirror was replaced with vintage printer’s trays and drapery panels (from HomeGoods) were added to each window. The drapery panels help to frame out the whole wall.
I loved what I had done to my dining room table so much, that I copied the same idea on the legs on the desk by painting them, but leaving the top in its original state.
Not too long after that, I completed what is hands-down my favorite project in the whole room – the total transformation of our cheapo, traditional, cherry bookcases into a farmhouse thing of beauty! You can see the before and read about how this transformation was made HERE.
I continued the planking from the wall in the dining room onto the wall behind the desk, except that we only took it a little more than halfway up the wall and topped it with a small piece of trim. You can read about how we added the planking to wall HERE. 
On the opposite end of the room, I came up with a farmhouse style office storage solution and some rustic/industrial wall decor. This corner of the room was truly a hot mess before!
The last big decision to be made was what in the world to do on the big blank wall behind the desk. I had a idea that I was mulling over, but couldn’t make myself fall in love with it and then…THEN – I stumbled across an antique mail sorter at a barn sale! Be still my heart. It’s heavy and huge and just what this wall needed. My pictures just don’t do it justice.
I have it filled with all sorts of little goodies, but I left a lot of the cubbies empty. I love that you can still see what I assume are street names. I wish that I had asked where the sorter came from. My brother and sis-in-law became all choked up when I explained to them that those airmail letters were written by him when he was in Vietnam. And yes, that’s the real deal grunge. I cleaned it up, but the grunge stayed and I wasn’t about the scrub it off and destroy that patina!
The last component that I felt the space needed was a chandelier. I had been saving the original light fixture that came out of my breakfast area for just such a spot! All it needed was a few coats of black spray paint and to have the cage thingy on the bottom replaced with a wooden ball, that I attached with hot glue. The cage piece simply unscrewed from the bottom of the light fixture. Here’s what it looked like before – forgive the blurry photo.
Once my electrician installed it, the office makeover was complete and we couldn’t be more pleased with how the room turned out!
Next on the makeover list – the foyer!
The bookcase makeover is one of my favorite projects you’ve done., but that ,ail sorter is the cherry on top!! It is awesome, and you’re right pictures don’t do it justice!!! Not do they do justice to the bookshelves. Love it , love it, love it!!!!
Love it, love it, love it!!!! The bookcase makeover is one of my favorite projects of your s, but that mail sorted is the cherry on top!!! Pictures don’t do justice of either one!!!
Love the room.
Where do you store files? In the two drawer across from the desk?
Such a calm color.
Hi Jill. Yes, that’s a two drawer lateral file across from the desk, so that’s where we store all of our files.
Love love love your ideas !!! Love the sliding barn door on the bookcase. Unique! Beautiful transformation !
Great transformation! I appreciate that you don’t buy all new furniture for your makeovers, but take what you have and adapt it. That provides more practical ideas for the average person.
Love this office! Love the bookcase idea, love the colors! Well, guess I just LOVE it ALL.
That bookcase is gorgeous! I found your post on Dishing It & Digging It! Stop over and visit us at the Homesteader Hop! http://www.achickandhergarden.com/homesteader-hop-40/
Well done! I’m liking the tables or desks I’ve been seeing with natural tops and painted bottoms – looks great! Love the décor! Blessings, Janet
Suzy, I LOVE everything about this room. Amazing what it did to just paint the legs on that desk, and your bookshelves and that post office cubby are fabulous. So much inspiration in this room.
Suzy, First let me thank you for inviting us into your home and sharing your beautiful ideas with us. You did a fabulous job with the makeover and the room is so warm and inviting. I must admit that I am coveting that gorgeous vignette with the wooden horse!
Every last thing about this transformation is beautiful and I especially love your desk! Thank you for sharing with us at Funtastic Friday! Pinning & sharing
As an academic librarian, I felt obligated to research your postal cubby. (I couldn’t help myself) I discovered that Khar, Juhu, Santacruz and Azad Nagar appear to all be in India, ward (think neighborhoods or suburbs) of Mombai, India. I don’t know how it came to be here in the US, but it’s definitely a most unique and well-traveled piece! Love it.
How cool and so interesting! Thank you so much for doing that, Stacy, and for letting me know what you found!
Hi Suzy,
Nice makeover!
I love that wooden horse you have – is that a one off or is it available to buy somewhere?
Thanks.
Hi Julie. I found my wooden horse at HomeGoods. Here a link to a similar one: http://fave.co/2l3d5eI .
Hi Suzy, Thanks for your reply. The link doesn’t work for me sorry, my computer blocks it. I went to HomeGoods & searched for it but no luck there either.
Hi Julie. Instead of trying to use my link, you might have better luck going to Wayfair.com and doing a search on wooden horses. That’s what my link is to. 😀
Thanks Suzy!
Very pretty. I agree – those grey chairs are perfect in there. I love that tone of grey and how you’ve carried it throughout the room. And that barn door on the bookcase – so clever!
It’s absolutely beautiful.
Absolutely stunning transformation – just WOW!
Very very well done, ma’am. BRAVO!!!
I love the office Suzy!! Fantastic job on it all. I especially love that storage solution piece!! Sure need something like that. Thank you for the wonderful inspiration!!
Love the transformation….especially the desk and bookcase. Makes me want to paint an antique hutch of mine….now! (Did I mention it’s 6:45 am?)
Working on our home office makeover as I type this comment. Your ideas give me hope that I too can successfully turn our home office into a farmhouse style office.
The office is just beautiful! Love the chairs and that bookcase is to die for!!!