Kristen Welch

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And Now, I’d Like You to Meet: My New Home Office

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Our house is definitely not big, but it’s right for us. We use every spare inch of it, except for one room: our formal dining room. We just aren’t formal kind of people, but even rarely used, it holds an old table and thrift store chairs. And dust.

I’ve been itching for a home office for months. We can’t justify moving and I simply don’t want the expense or headache of one.
[I couldn’t find a lot of inspiration for such a transformation. I googled and asked friend’s opinions, I made my hubby move furniture in and out and was actually unsure of this idea.]
But I finally got up the courage! So. I talked my hubby into letting me change our formal dining room into a home office. (He was very agreeable, he just didn’t think it would look that great).
Before:

(Yes, that’s the table that got hung in the doorway at midnight. It was hilarious, but only to me. My hubby did not laugh one bit).
After:

This is now the busiest room in the house! My hubby included (yes, he loves it!)
What I did:
I kept the paint, curtains, rug the same and two of my dining room chairs. I just didn’t want to spend more money than needed. I also kept my dining room hutch.
Nearly everything else came from Ikea! You can really stretch a dollar in that store. We bought the gorgeous chair, shelves, desk (which is really a $69 dining room table!), and storage boxes. I got the desk lamp and skirt around the desk (which is actually one curtain panel I cut and velcro’d) at Target.
This room inspires me.
Who knows, I might even write a book in it!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  7. 7

    It looks great! Now if only I had a formal dining room I could turn into a sewing room I'd be all set. My current office shares a room with the playroom and guest room. No room left for more stuff!

    Reply
  16. 16

    Fabulous! My sister actually did the same thing with their teeny formal living room – since they do all their "living" in their bigger, comfier family room. Without seeing the results (yours and my sister's) I would think the idea sounds really weird, but it's really a great use of space. Families are living differently these days than when some of our houses were built, so you might as well change the rooms to suit the way you really live. Brava!

    Reply
  17. 17

    Oh, wow! WOW! LOVE. IT! Need to show my hubby to see if I can do the same with my "you walk into the front door and this is what you see" room in my house. We can't make up our minds what to do with it, but I think he might go for something as put together as that!

    Reply
  28. 28

    Love it, you did a great job!
    We just turned our formal living room into a home office, even put doors on the open doorway. We Love it and it gives my husband more privacy and quiet when he works from home.

    Reply
  30. 30

    Love it, love it, love it! Love the skirted table…and the shelves…and the chair. I was waiting to see that hutch on the curb, though! 😉 If it starts to feel too crowded in there, I know someone who will take it off your hands!

    Reply
  33. 33

    That's an incredibly cool transformation for use of space!! I wish someone would come and do that to my entire house… I haven't any creative genes whatsoever!

    Reply
  38. 38

    Just doing a little blog surfing tonight and hit upon your blog. Love the new "office." Great transformation.
    I also appreciate your candor and honest testimony in He said She said.
    It is a blessing to others to see you work through this and continue on in Faith and Trust. What the devil means for evil, God transforms into good. Paraphrased by me:)
    I also hope your trip to Kenya is one of great reward. I went to Tanzania in '08. A trip I will never forget, and hope to be able to repeat in the time I have left here on earth.

    Reply
  46. 46

    wow- that's fabulous! I LOVE it! I may have to bookmark this one for inspiration later. 😀

    Plus, it looks like the perfect place for sipping sweet tea!

    Reply
  50. 50

    I love love love how this turned out!! We didnt build a dining room in our house for the same reason, it wouldnt get used but wish I did just so I could do what you did 🙂 very very very jealous of ikea though, closet to me is about 9 hours away!

    Reply
  54. 54

    Fantastic! It doesn't look too much like an office with the hutch still there and the cozy chair. I would want to be in that room all the time. 🙂

    Reply
  57. 57

    I bet that room is feeling so happy and loved right now!! Good for you and it looks so beautiful. Oh, and um, manly too for your husband.

    We are using our tiny dining room space for a sitting room and I'm so happy with it. Although, really, we still never use it. Sad.

    Reply
  60. 60

    Wow.. great transformation! I use our living as an office, but it looks NUTHIN like this! You have great creative skills.

    I might have to steal the shelving, I KNOW that is what is missing here. And to think I was gonna use a cork board, but this looks so much better!

    Great job!

    Reply
  64. 64

    Oh my lands, I love it. So does my husband.

    After seeing this we spent 20 minutes staring at our dining room- we could do this, and this, or that….

    I love how you use things like curtains from Target my fav store too, and re-purpose them.

    You are talented, woman!

    Reply
  73. 73

    Oh my! Can I come use your desk? I love it! Makes me want to drive 2 1/2 hours to the nearest idea and make a home office. Beautiful space. {I came over from the Nester's tumblr site.}

    Reply
  77. 77

    I LOVE it!!! Great choice for color and decor! 🙂

    Yay! A fresh new place to be creative in…

    Can't wait to hear more about that book. 🙂

    I have been working on one for about 5 years now.

    Blessings

    Reply
  79. 79

    You have such great color sense and taste! I love how you were able to use a lot of your things, and since you did, it blends right in. I love it!

    Reply
  85. 85

    I really, really like this! Weonly use our dining room when we have company, about 8 times a year… I don't know why I never thought to claim that space before…

    Reply
  88. 88

    So pretty. Love the black and white with red. So classy. I think it would be one of my favorite rooms in the house too. Glad hubby likes it too. 🙂

    Enjoy it!
    Cindy

    Reply
  91. 91

    Your new office is gorgeous. I am loving your blog so much! Just stumbled onto it a couple of days ago and watched your Chik-fil-A sweet tea vlog. Well today I found this video by Tim Hawkins singing a song called Chik-fil-A and I immediately thought of you. It is hilarious. He's a Christian comedian if you've never heard of him, so nothing to worry about there–he's just really funny. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsJHqstPuNo&feature;=related

    Reply
  92. 92

    Looks great! I love Ikea, but unfortunately (or fortunately if you ask my hubby) we have to drive 2 hours to get to one. We've started changing our formal dining room into a project/sewing/creating area for my boys and me. I agree it is a much better use of space. GREAT JOB!

    Reply
  97. 97

    Kristen, I know this has been said 95 times, but it looks awesome!! Very nice. I especially love the shelves and black storage boxes!!! =)

    Reply
  99. 99

    I love, love, love it! I have always thought of offices as kind of junky looking and pretty boring. You have changed my mind completely. We do have a dedicated office that is kind of junky and boring, but I am so inspired to remedy that now! I have about 15 other projects lined up first, but I am looking foward to making our home office looke beautiful

    Reply
  106. 106

    Your post totally inspired me (and my husband). We had 5 (yes 5) people and 4 computers sharing our current office (formerly the formal living room). Within 24 hours, the dining room is now MY office and I can breathe again. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

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