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Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Spare Bedroom to Home Office Makeover On a Budget (Room Reveal with Before and After Photos!)

Spare Bedroom to Home Office Makeover on a Budget - Unique Home Office Ideas and How To's

Why hello there! 

You've heard me talk about my home office for weeks (because it was a big project and we started all the way back in September!) and you've seen glimpses here and there - but I thought today, I'd invite you into what has become my favourite room in our house - and give you the grand tour!

Spare Bedroom to Home Office Makeover Project - Before and After Room Reveal

It's still a work in progress, however, why don't you come inside?

Mind the puppies, and let me show you around!
Here's a look at my new home office! >> 


Spare Bedroom to Home Office Makeover on a Budget - Unique Home Office Ideas and How To's - IKEA Linnmon Table Top, Alex Drawers and Eames Chairs
The Details:  Chairs - OzSale (similar here) | Desk - IKEA Linnmon| Drawers/Cabinets - IKEA Alex 

As you walk into the room, the first thing you'll spot is my desk... or should that be desks?

The desks were the first thing I decided on when I first started this room makeover project. 


Complete Room Makeover - From Spare Bedroom to Home Office - Before and After

Here's the before shot of the room. The room is almost exactly 3 metres wide - and I really wanted a desk that ran the entire width of the room so I could have ample work space - whether I was shooting photos for a client, laying out fabric for a DIY project or lining up documents when planning for a training course. 

Luckily, IKEA had Linnmon Table Tops that were 150cm wide and would fit perfectly within the space.

Rather than having legs, I then added an Alex Drawer set in the middle and two Alex cabinets on either side - which Jesse then attached by screwing from the inside of the cabinets into the table top. 

On the far left-hand cabinet, you'll find my computer tower which is carefully hidden away out of site.

The Details:  Diffuser - Kmart | Speakers - Edifier

On top of the desk is my computer monitor - and I wanted to keep things really simple with this side of the desk as I hate having to move things out of the way when I'm working (and usually work with a notebook by my side as well as I needed room for that). 

I didn't want big bulky speakers so I went with this Edifier Sound to Go Plus speaker which is actually battery powered so I can unplug it and just have the smaller cable running to the computer). It's a small speaker - but the sound quality is awesome (which is a must as I constantly have music playing whilst I work). 

I've also got a pen container I picked up at TK Maxx and a little jar to hold the pins for my DIY To Do List Pin Board which is on the other side. Another must for me while I work is essential oils - and at the moment I have a little Kmart USB diffuser which is just the right size. 

Spare Bedroom to Home Office Makeover on a Budget - Unique Home Office Ideas and How To's - IKEA Linnmon Table Top, Alex Drawers and Replica Eames Chairs
The Details:  Chairs - OzSale (similar here) | Desk - IKEA Linnmon| Drawers/Cabinets - IKEA Alex 

I bought these padded Eames style chairs for the office initially (on sale at OzSale) which I kind of like - but I feel like they're too plain for the space. 

I'm currently waiting on these chairs from Brosa in turquoise that will add a pop of colour to the space and hopefully be more comfortable too! Stay tuned on that one - they won't arrive until after Christmas so I'll have to give you an update once they arrive!

I'm also thinking of adding a rug - but I haven't found one that I love yet!

DIY Cork Board Craft Ideas - How to Turn a Cork Board into a Personalized Weekly To Do List For Your Office -Finished
The Details:  Corkboard To Do List - Make Your Own Here.

On the other side of the desk is usually my DIY Custom To Do List Cork Board which you might have already seen in that post - but I switch up what's on that side depending on the season. 




As it's Christmas, there's currently a mini Christmas tree and a square letter board with a little stack of presents.

Spare Bedroom to Home Office Makeover on a Budget - Unique Home Office Ideas and How To's - IKEA Kivik Chaise Lounge with Color Coded Bookshelves
The Details:  Chair - IKEA Kivik in Orrsta Light Grey | Floral Cushions - Simply Cushions |
Fluffy Cushion - Amazon | Throws - TK Maxx

But if you want to see my favourite part of the room? 

You'll have to turn around. You may have already seen the little display nook on my Easy DIY Built In Wardrobe Makeover Project post. 

This is my little reading nook. I knew I wanted a really cosy chair or lounge in the room - but as the room is only 3 metres by 3.2 metres and I had a desk taking up one whole side, I was limited with how much space I had available. 

On one trip to IKEA I spotted the KIVIK Chaise chair and fell in love.... but then I ummed and ahhed about it for ages. 

I measured it up, laid tape out on the floor - and it just looked too big... 

We almost didn't get it - but then I bit the bullet and bought it anyway... deciding that I didn't really care if it left too little room as I knew it would become the perfect reading chair.

But once we brought it home and put it in the room, we realised that it was actually the perfect size. 


As you would have seen in the first photo, the puppies are very glad I bought the chaise as they spend almost all of their time there. If it's not Chanel up there asleep, it's Trixie snoozing away whilst I work - or both of them snuggled up together.

Spare Bedroom to Home Office Makeover on a Budget - Unique Home Office Ideas and How To's - Wire Blanket Basket Storage with Throw Rugs
The Details:  Throws - TK Maxx | Basket - Kmart or Similar Here.

The chaise constantly has a throw and pillows on it (the floral ones in the photo above are from Simply Cushions and the fluffy one is from Amazon here). 

I get all my throw rugs from TK Maxx as they're always super cheap (and super lush!). The ones in the basket photo were both under $30 - and I just picked up a super soft red and white one that I'm using for the Christmas period that was $29.95 (which I paired with this Christmas pillow which was CRAZY cheap!).

The Details:  Bookcase - IKEA Billy with Extension Units

But what good is a reading chair without books?! 

After finishing our Easy DIY Built In Wardrobe Makeover Project, I realised I had the perfect amount of space for a bookshelf - so I got the tallest IKEA Billy Bookcase I could get, along with a few extensions - and created my own colour coordinated bookshelves.

This is just a fraction of my book collection - mainly books to be read and books to share with my friends. I love that they can come over to browse and borrow whatever they like as it's all in the one place.

Kmart Peg Board Decorating Ideas - Rainbow Bookshelves Organised by Color - Felt Letter Board Quotes
The Details:  Blocks - Handmade using these instructions | Heart - TK Maxx | Lights - TK Maxx | Clock - TK Maxx | Peg Boards - Kmart | Felt Letter Board - Kmart | Pineapple and Jars - Kmart | Owl - TK Maxx

And of course, there's my little display nook. 

Lately I've been changing it about once a month (sometimes more) because it's so fun to play with! 

The Details:  Ceramic Tree - TK Maxx | Nutcracker - Spotlight | Lantern - IKEA | Wreath - Doors of Berry | Peg Board - Kmart | Felt Letter Board - Kmart | Candle - Innoscent | Reindeer - Spotlight | Gnome - Target | Globe - TK Maxx | Blocks - Handmade using these instructions 

With Christmas fast approaching, it currently looks like this! And whilst I loveeeeeeee Christmas decorations, I'm kind of excited to plan out my next display!

But tell me,
Do you have a home office?
And what room in your house would you love to give a makeover?!

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