DIY Our 1970's House Makeover Part 9: The Office Makeover

Hey ya'll! If you've been next along lately, y'all know I've been spending most of my complimentary time* finishing the office. And I finally experience similar it's decent plenty to share. Kinda.
*Free fourth dimension = that 1 weekend inward August when I wasn't traveling to see family/friends or traveling amongst Jesse for his work. For those of y'all who've been curious, Jesse is portion of a media startup too the to a greater extent than it's grown, the to a greater extent than oft he travels. And I acquire amongst him because it's precisely a slap-up chance to pass fourth dimension together, travel, read books (a passion I totally forget I take maintain unless I'm stranded inward a car), rest inward a comfy hotel room, too consume multiple breakfasts at Cracker Barrel.
Plus, I precisely kinda loathe beingness habitation alone, which I fully blame on Macauley Culkin, circa 1990.

Anyways, thus it's finally fourth dimension to break the portion inward it's updated state. And since the portion has been through multiple changes over the past times ii years, let's start at the beginning.

This is what the portion looked similar when nosotros foremost moved in.

It had dark forest trim, beige carpet, too peach walls.

I was running my foremost concern at the fourth dimension (finding novel too used wearable at thrift stores too and thus selling it on eBay) too in that location was ever precisely junk everywhere. At the time, I was transportation 100+ packages a week, barely making whatsoever money, too barely remembering to seat my pants on each day.

Decorating was at the really bottom of my to-do list.

So, if you're ever feeling a picayune less than awesome (something I usually experience when reading blogs or precisely perusing the mesh inward general), precisely know that y'all are worthy, y'all are capable, too most off all, if your solid looks similar a creepy 'before' picture, in that location is hope.

During my thousands of trips to the thrift shop to notice wearable for my eBay store, I began to come upwards across materials for our house. We didn't take maintain whatsoever coin at the time, too our solid was nearly empty, thus I started repurposing stuff.

One of my foremost finds was this desk for $50.

We didn't take maintain a dining room tabular array at the fourth dimension (and soundless didn't upwards until most a calendar week ago...and I can't hold off to present you!), but for some argue I decided to role the tabular array equally a desk inward the office. It was ii dissimilar colors when I got it, too I wasn't super excited most that, but I knew I could in all likelihood create it.

This was all happening around the fourth dimension that I had decided to unopen my eBay concern too start my weblog (which was terrifying too exciting at the same time). So, 1 of the really foremost posts I ever made on this weblog was most the portion makeover.

In the below picture, I had precisely painted the walls (Behr Sandstone Cliff) too painted the trim down too doors (Ultra Pure White). And then, I decided to pigment the top of the desk dark to jibe the legs.

I had never painted a tabular array before, too was precisely a total novice.

So, I ruined the tabular array on my foremost essay at painting. And too thus spent an entire even out scraping pigment off. It wasn't awesome. This moving ikon never made it onto the weblog before, too in all likelihood never should, but I know you'll notice some comfort inward my mess.

I finally got all of the pigment off the table, did a picayune to a greater extent than research, too eventually used a combination of dark chalk pigment too several layers of polyurethane. That ended upwards working, too it's held upwards perfectly ever since.
So, this is what the portion looked similar afterward the foremost makeover 2 years ago.

I soundless totally honey the to a higher identify version, but frankly, it was precisely fourth dimension for an update.

So, dorsum inward February, nosotros emptied out all of the furniture.

Then, nosotros ripped upwards the carpet too replaced the subfloor.

Then, nosotros installed the hardwood flooring, which took 4 months too nearly drove me insane.

Then, over the course of report of the past times month, I basically lived inward the haunted house room too spent my days sanding, priming, too ikon all of the trim down too all of the doors.

So, if you've been wondering why it's taken me MONTHS to complete the trim, I chose to take maintain the route less traveled (in gild to preserve money), too I apace learned that it's the route less traveled for a reason. Basically, nosotros got a bunch of raw forest from a mill too and thus nosotros had to sand it, forest fill upwards it, sand it, prime number it, sand it, pigment it, cutting it, install it, forest fill upwards it again, caulk it, too thus pigment it again. As it turns out, nosotros did preserve most $2000, but it's been an absolute nightmare too I'll never practise it this agency again.

But, hey, y'all alive too y'all learn, too highfivewefreakindidit.

Once the trim down too doors were finally installed inward the portion (more on that inward a minute), I was able to motion materials dorsum into the room too start to decorate.

Here's how it looks thus far.

So, let's interruption it down.

For the master copy furniture, I kept the original thrift shop tabular array too paired it amongst a lucite chair, since the cats basically destroyed my in conclusion portion chair.

I've wanted 1 forever, but could never notice 1 inward my toll range. But, too thus I had a chip of luck before this month, too I works life a inexpensive one.

I works life it here where they were blowing out some mill defects for $40. They only had 300, which seem to live sold out now, but they soundless take maintain some for $70. Luckily, when mine arrived, I couldn't notice a unmarried defect, thus I take maintain no see what it was. I volition warn y'all however, that they don't listing a transportation charge, too afterward y'all pay, they volition transportation y'all an electronic mail telling y'all that y'all take maintain to transportation them an additional $30 for shipping.

So, mayhap that was the 'defect'.

But nonetheless, soundless a slap-up deal.

I had this chair inward a box for almost iii days before I took it out because I feared the 'Jesse Response'.

And for no other argue than I precisely KNEW.

Jesse is a really masculine human being who lives inward a really feminine house. And he never complains.

In fact, he pretty much gives me complimentary reign to acquire equally crazy equally I want, too he totally embraces my crazy.

And y'all see...I precisely knew. I knew deep downwardly that my picayune see-through chair was pushing it.

So I eventually took it out of the box, too he precisely happened to walk downwardly the hallway at that exact second.

And it was similar he walked past times truly fast, totally distracted, too and thus stopped all of a sudden. And too thus slow backed up, too precisely lost it for thirty seconds, laughing hysterically, totally amused too confused, until he could gain his composure too live similar 'Oh, babe. Is that your novel chair? I mean, that's awesome. But whoa.

Can I sit down inward it? Will it break? Will it spray me amongst estrogen?'

Needless to say, Jesse really is such a gem, too 1 twenty-four hr menstruation I volition brand him the best of human being caves to vantage him for enduring this madness.

So, moving on. The carpet is really similar to the 1 inward the living room, too is from Rugs USA.

If y'all ever read part 8 most the living room, y'all may recollect me maxim that I had bought a similar carpet days before they sent me the 1 that nosotros ended upwards using inward the living room. Well, this is the 1 I bought, too although it's non equally prissy equally the 1 inward the living room, it's thus much cheaper too soundless looks truly great. I got the 8' x 10'' too waited until in that location was an 80% off discount code, thus it only cost me a picayune to a greater extent than than $100. They almost ever take maintain crazy sales going on, thus there's a expert gamble y'all tin acquire it for truly inexpensive if you're patient.

As for the mirror, it's 1 of my faves, too patently ya'll's, too. I've never gotten thus many questions most an item. I originally showed it here inward the painted dresser post a few weeks ago. It was a clearance score from Home Goods for most $30. There was a chip too a few scratches inward the frame that I precisely fixed amongst some Rub n Buff inward the 'Champagne' color.

I think it was originally $199, which is CRAZYTALK, thus score 1 for the picayune guy.

Now, before nosotros verbalize most the other side of the room, here's precisely a picayune reminder of what it looked similar afterward the foremost makeover ii years ago.

I'm feeling form of embarrassed, but I'm precisely gonna breathe through it.

Mostly most the narcissistic chalkboard.

I don't know. I was telling all my friends too solid unit of measurement I was going to live a blogger too it was hard. I was a picayune over the top too in all likelihood annoying. Just a portion of the journey, I suppose.

And here's what it looks similar today.

I removed the bookshelf too brought inward the dresser that I painted amongst white crude oil paint, the gilt leafage art that I made, too I also changed the light fixture too curtains, too replaced the trim down too doors.

The picayune nook amongst the dresser too gilt leafage fine art is past times far my favorite portion of the room.

And I'm pathetic to inform y'all that my babe orchid has lost his blooms.
I tried thus hard, ya'll.
I forgot to give him his recommended shot drinking glass total of H2O before nosotros left for Statesboro, GA in conclusion week, too I came habitation to notice him one-half dead. I'm trying to resuscitate him inward the kitchen (where I'll recollect to H2O him), too inward the meantime, I precisely seat a fake orchid inward here. Because how practise all these people take maintain orchids too I precisely CANNOT brand it work?

I kept him thriving for a total calendar month before he succumbed to my inevitable plant-neglect.

Will he re-bloom if I give him the proper care? I'm non sure.
I'm feeling inept.

So, at nowadays let's motion on to the cupboard doors, because this is the portion that slowed me downwardly for a duad weeks.

Here's a picayune glimpse of how the doors looked inward the portion a few years ago. I had painted the door into the portion white already, but hadn't gotten around to ikon the cupboard doors yet. They are precisely your typical hollow meat 1970's doors.

Also of note: some other boob light.

They were EVERYWHERE.

I eventually got around to ikon the cupboard doors white, which was a temporary create until I could afford to supervene upon the doors.

It made a truly large difference, made me experience less gloomy most my house, too it held upwards pretty good over time. So, don't live afraid to pigment your doors if they põrnikas you. All I did was prime number them too whorl some semi gloss white pigment on amongst a high density foam roller.

During the flooring renovations, I removed all of the doors inward the solid too threw them away. It was my essay to forcefulness us to supervene upon them. And it worked. Granted, I removed them inward Feb too we're precisely at nowadays getting novel ones on inward tardily August, but nonetheless.

Also, that's the to the lowest degree amount of materials that cupboard has ever had inward it. It may precisely expect similar a pile of junk to you, but to me it's a glorious achievement.

Also, my mom gave me those ii picayune antique works life stands for my birthday, too I can't hold off to role them. But, first, I take maintain to tame the horror that is my yard. You know y'all saw it.

So, anyways, the doors on all of the closets inward this solid were bi-folds. And they were ever coming off of the rail too causing me to trace my pilus out, thus I decided to essay something different. So, nosotros went to Lowe's too bought a bunch of slabs. (Jesse has informed me that 'slabs' are what the doors are called when they don't take maintain pre-drilled holes for the doorknobs.)

The slabs were super inexpensive at only most $20 a door.

And too thus I spent most a calendar week of my life ikon them.

And too thus Jesse attached the doors to the cupboard too installed a magnetic closure to each door too to the top of the frame.

And too thus nosotros drilled ii holes inward each door too attached kitchen cabinets, only bigger. Not only practise I precisely honey the agency it looks, but it allowed us to preserve coin past times buying slab doors too past times non having to purchase a bunch of doorknobs.

And it was form of a hurting (simply because doors take maintain forever to paint), but it was thus worth the effort.

Switching the doors from bi-folds to french doors was such a unproblematic change, but it made 1 of the biggest differences inward the agency this room feels. I'll live doing this to every room inward the solid now.

You may take maintain also noticed the lite fixture inward the to a higher identify picture. This is the picayune fixture that used to live inward the master copy sleeping accommodation that I works life at a thrift shop for $5. It was originally a prissy 1980's brassy gold, but I spray painted it silver. It truly goes perfectly inward the office, too it saved me some dollars.

It could in all likelihood role a picayune Windex afterward getting dusted past times the flooring sander, but what tin ya do. Well, I suppose Windex it, but y'all know...who has fourth dimension for that.

As for the curtains, I was determined to brand my own. So, I taped upwards ii land white drape panels, mixed some textile medium inward some greyness paint, too I started ikon my curtains.

I've seen a lot of people practise this, too thus I figured it wouldn't live likewise hard. I was thus wrong.

First of all, trying to record straight off lines on a drape panel is similar trying to brush a cat.

Impossible.

Second, I made my stripes likewise broad too past times the fourth dimension I was done taping too ikon the foremost panel, I realized I had iii jumbo in-your-face stripes.

And third, I spent nearly iii hours precisely on that 1 panel, too and thus I realized that it totally sucked too that I was going to take maintain to start over if I wanted to salve the project.

Basically, cutting to me laying on the floor, crumpled inward a ball...covered in tears too sweat.

And rage.

So, equally luck would take maintain it, I was walking around Marshall's on Mon looking for a faux orchid, too I precisely happened to spot a pair of striped drape panels inward the clearance aisle. I've never seen striped curtains anywhere. Much less for $20.

I'm pretty certain I cackled to myself similar a maniac too in all likelihood did a round-off or something. It's a blur.

A few of y'all guys asked most the picayune gilt mug inward the in conclusion post. It's precisely a thrift shop notice that made for a terrible java mug (it gets agency likewise hot), thus instead I turned it into a pencil holder. By putting pencils inward it.

And those pencils are an Etsy find, too I form of gaze at them longingly each too every day.

It's the dorsum to schoolhouse phenomenon where y'all acquire excited over schoolhouse supplies.

Even if you're old.

And of course, the flowers are precisely some pinkish roses from the grocery store.

I don't take maintain flowers inward my portion every twenty-four hr menstruation (although I wouldn't seat upwards a grapple if someone tried to convey me some), but I'm an average lensman at best, too a picayune acquit on of flowers ever makes fifty-fifty the worst photos expect better.

And I weblog for a living, thus sometimes y'all take maintain to practise crazy things similar purchase flowers too sit down inward your kitchen for an hr arranging them, knowing fully good that your truthful cat is going to essay to consume them the infinitesimal y'all exit the room.

Please take maintain Federal Reserve notation of the orchid, fighting for his life inward the corner.

I'm guessing that hacking upwards roses amongst my pair of scissors in all likelihood didn't encourage him.

Furthermore, my roses started dying off past times this morning. They lasted a day.

I gauge that's what y'all acquire when y'all purchase the $2 bundle from the clearance bin.

Half of them were slightly moldy.

And that's how y'all ruin the mirage of a perfect habitation amongst fresh flowers everywhere.

So, anyways, ya'll. That's the office.

I truly practise honey it. I'm certain it volition alter fourth dimension too fourth dimension again, but it has a fighting gamble of staying the same at to the lowest degree for a picayune chip piece I motion on to other rooms inward the house.

Plus, at nowadays I truly take maintain a identify to weblog again, which is awesome since I literally blogged from my bed for most 4 months piece the solid was nether construction.

Cheese likes this novel life upgrade, too.

That pic was taken when I had the desk facing the door. I truly similar it that agency better, but demand a slightly smaller desk if I'm going to proceed it that way.

I suppose that leaves us room to improve, right? :)

Speaking of Cheese, before I go...

So, I'm certain you've seen the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge all over social media these past times few weeks. Jesse too I were nominated past times a handful of people, too since nosotros were traveling too tardily to respond, nosotros donated some of our dollars too Cheese too Tootie offered to assist us out, too.

They're obsessed amongst ice/water/anything they tin splash in, thus I figured nosotros could indulge them precisely this once.

So, here's my picayune video amongst Cheese.

Jesse did his video amongst Tootie, too it's the most precious affair I've ever seen, but I'll spare him precisely this once.

Cheese's sweetness picayune personality is on major display too it's fourth dimension y'all acquire to run into her inward action. She played inward the bathtub for a total 20 minutes batting shaved H2O ice around afterward nosotros were done. She's absolutely ridiculous.

And also, if y'all take maintain a few spare dollars, I encourage y'all to transportation a few to ALS.org. Feel complimentary to follow my lead, also, precisely for fun, too sprinkle a shot drinking glass worth of H2O ice on yourself, too. :)