I have worked on many office spaces but was super excited to tackle this one, as it was more male oriented and a completely different space than I was accustomed to working with. This room was the place where “things went to die”, as my client said. Old furniture, boxes, books, and anything else they couldn’t let go of. I was overjoyed with results of this clean, masculine office.
First things first, I wanted to create the most dramatic wall treatment ever. This is a large room and I wanted it to feel cozy and warm. I used MDF shiplap by Metrie which covered almost all the walls in the office. The existing door casing was built out with a back band to ensure a proper edge with the shiplap. Dramatic baseboards from the Pretty Simple Collection were added to really finish off the room. All trim was painted with Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White – CC-20.
The only wall that we did not add trim to was the back wall where a stunning open book shelf was added. I made this a feature wall by adding in a dark colour; for this one wall we used Banjamin Moore’s Wolf Gray – 2127-40.
Next it was time to choose the furniture. Here I really wanted to go custom and manly. I worked with Harkel Office with their new West Elm Workspaceline, produced exclusively with Inscape. This line is simply stunning.
Working with West Elm’s Workspace, I was able to completely customize everything. From choosing amongst many different patterns for the chair and sofa upholstery, to the finish on the bookshelves, I was able to choose exactly what would work for this client.
In today’s world, it’s really a must to have a TV in an office. For this space I chose a Sharp 55” 1080p HD Roku TV. Simple to use, this TV is built for streaming so it’s a perfect addition to the office. It has a great remote control but it also has a mobile app so you can control it from your smartphone, and even cast music, photos and videos to the big screen.
While the design of any space is important, an office has to also be equipped for function. In this office I installed the new Linksys Velop Whole Home Wi-Fi system. This system blankets an entire home or office with Wi-Fi, no matter the size and shape. I also love the look of the system, as it can easily be incorporated right into the décor.
I love to include personalized artwork into offices. I chose to get all the artwork here from Posterjack, Canada’s photo art experts. I uploaded gorgeous personal photos from the client’s recent vacations and fun memories from their cottage. Of course, you can see my love of dogs also shines through in this space with photos of their family pooch. I used a myriad of Posterjack’s different options, like their Canvas Minis, Lacquer Frames, Woodstand Prints, Acrylic Blocks, and more. It really allowed me to create a great diversity of photo art in this space.
Lighting, oh how I love you! Proper lighting can set off a room and create a focal point. In this space I swapped out the small ceiling light that was installed there for this stunning, artistic piece from Harkel office. It has a dimmer option so my client can adjust, depending on the natural light coming in from the large windows behind the desk.
Finally, the pretty. This is perhaps my favourite part of any design project, and what really creates the “wow” factor. I had so much fun shopping at Homesense and my budget went a long way to find a wide-assortment of masculine accessories to…”. I had a huge bookshelf to work with and had tons of fun searching for the perfect manly items to fill it. I found great bookends, globes, greenery and more. Finally, I topped it off with the perfect cushions and curtains that were made for this space!
Until next time . . .