Room of the Day: A Light-Filled Home Office
This full-time working space is easy on the eyes and on the budget
Designer Kristen Montero worked with a blank slate when she helped these first-time homeowners in Pasadena, California, decorate and furnish their new space. “The clients had nothing when I arrived for their consult,” she says. Although most of the home now reflects the couple’s blended aesthetic, the home office is one space where there was no need to compromise. The wife, who works from home full time as a software engineer, asked Montero to tailor the room to her tastes and needs. “She wanted this space for herself,” Montero says.
Desk: Lamps Plus; filing cabinet: CB2; desk chair fabric: Ballard Designs
The rug came early in the project. It is pink and delicately patterned, as the homeowner wanted, but in a classic style that lent an ageless feel to the room, as Montero wanted. “We loved it so much,” Montero says, they decided to design the room around it. “That was a fun adventure to go on.”
Although Montero normally doesn’t design a room around a rug, she says it can be a great place to start in a redecorating project, especially if the rug is colorful. “Create the color palette of the room based on the rug, if you want, or a piece of art,” she says.
Rug: Lulu & Georgia
Although Montero normally doesn’t design a room around a rug, she says it can be a great place to start in a redecorating project, especially if the rug is colorful. “Create the color palette of the room based on the rug, if you want, or a piece of art,” she says.
Rug: Lulu & Georgia
With the rug in place, Montero designed the rest of the room’s color palette to complement it. Using other shades of pink and a mix of neutrals, she sought to keep the room on trend and energetic but cohesive and not overwhelming. Pieces with texture add depth in a subtle way. “The pink rug goes great with the rattan chair and leather ottoman because it’s still on trend but adds texture while still keeping it interesting,” Montero says.
To pull the design together, Montero also kept everything at somewhat the same scale. “There are a lot of textures and layers, but they are proportional to the room,” she says.
Wall art: Minted; leather ottoman and side table: Etsy; armchair: Dot & Bo; throw pillow: custom-made using fabric from a Chanel suit
To pull the design together, Montero also kept everything at somewhat the same scale. “There are a lot of textures and layers, but they are proportional to the room,” she says.
Wall art: Minted; leather ottoman and side table: Etsy; armchair: Dot & Bo; throw pillow: custom-made using fabric from a Chanel suit
Montero used a variety of sources to furnish the room, both to give it more depth and to manage the budget. “We used eBay and Craigslist, and would refurbish things,” she says. They found a vintage desk chair at a thrift shop and reupholstered it in a dalmatian fabric, inspired by another version they’d seen in an upscale vintage shop.
Shelving unit: Ikea, painted gold
Shelving unit: Ikea, painted gold
“I always mix my pieces when clients are conscious of the budget,” Montero says. “If we select a higher-end rug, then we may pair it with a chair purchased from a flea market or estate sale.” Regardless of price, she says all pieces should reinforce your concept to create a cohesive vision. But, she adds, don’t be afraid to have fun. “I often like an element of play.”
Bar cart: Target
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Bar cart: Target
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Location: Pasadena, California
Size: 90 square feet (8.4 square meters)
Designer: Kristen Montero Design
The homeowner wanted to include a bar area for entertaining and shelves for knickknacks from their travels. From there, Montero explored the mood the client wanted to convey in her office. “She likes pinks and of-the-moment trends,” Montero says. Additionally, the homeowner requested that Montero stay within a conservative budget.
Montero set to work creating the homeowner’s dream space from scratch — one that would feel contemporary while incorporating features that would make it seem timeless. “I wanted to add some unusual touches to make it more ‘collectible’ and a little more unique,” she says.
Wall paint: Decorator’s White, Benjamin Moore