JC Buck
Trendy freestanding desk study room photo in Denver with white walls

Trying to find a quiet corner in one's house for an office can be tough, but it also can be an adventure! Reworking spaces in our homes so that they work better for our families as they grow and change is something we all need to do from time to time-- and it can give your house a new lease on life. One room that took on a new identity in this old farmhouse was the third floor attic space--a room that is much like a treehouse with its small footprint, high perch, lofty views of the landscape, and sloping ceiling. The space has been many things over the past two decades- a bedroom, a guest room, a hang-out for kids... but NOW it is the 'world headquarters' for my client's business. :) Adding all the funky touches that make it a cozy personal space made all the difference...like lots of live green plants, vintage original artwork, architectural salvage window sashes, a repurposed and repainted dresser from the 1940's, and, of course, my client's favorite photos.

Example of a beach style sunroom design in Detroit

Photo by Casey Dunn
Mountain style courtyard concrete paver patio container garden photo in Austin with no cover

Home studio - eclectic medium tone wood floor and brown floor home studio idea in Chicago with white walls

Karla Garcia
Inspiration for a mid-sized coastal freestanding desk concrete floor and beige floor study room remodel in Miami with white walls

Inspiration for a contemporary built-in desk dark wood floor study room remodel in New York with white walls

Inspiration for a small transitional built-in desk medium tone wood floor study room remodel in Houston with multicolored walls

Study room - small scandinavian built-in desk light wood floor and beige floor study room idea in Dallas with white walls

When an international client moved from Brazil to Stamford, Connecticut, they reached out to Decor Aid, and asked for our help in modernizing a recently purchased suburban home. The client felt that the house was too “cookie-cutter,” and wanted to transform their space into a highly individualized home for their energetic family of four. In addition to giving the house a more updated and modern feel, the client wanted to use the interior design as an opportunity to segment and demarcate each area of the home. They requested that the downstairs area be transformed into a media room, where the whole family could hang out together. Both of the parents work from home, and so their office spaces had to be sequestered from the rest of the house, but conceived without any disruptive design elements. And as the husband is a photographer, he wanted to put his own artwork on display. So the furniture that we sourced had to balance the more traditional elements of the house, while also feeling cohesive with the husband’s bold, graphic, contemporary style of photography. The first step in transforming this house was repainting the interior and exterior, which were originally done in outdated beige and taupe colors. To set the tone for a classically modern design scheme, we painted the exterior a charcoal grey, with a white trim, and repainted the door a crimson red. The home offices were placed in a quiet corner of the house, and outfitted with a similar color palette: grey walls, a white trim, and red accents, for a seamless transition between work space and home life. The house is situated on the edge of a Connecticut forest, with clusters of maple, birch, and hemlock trees lining the property. So we installed white window treatments, to accentuate the natural surroundings, and to highlight the angular architecture of the home. In the entryway, a bold, graphic print, and a thick-pile sheepskin rug set the tone for this modern, yet comfortable home. While the formal room was conceived with a high-contrast neutral palette and angular, contemporary furniture, the downstairs media area includes a spiral staircase, comfortable furniture, and patterned accent pillows, which creates a more relaxed atmosphere. Equipped with a television, a fully-stocked bar, and a variety of table games, the downstairs media area has something for everyone in this energetic young family.

Study room - large french country freestanding desk carpeted study room idea in DC Metro with brown walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Will Edwards
Entryway - large contemporary entryway idea in Orange County

To create a clean updated look in our client's home office we used white, low sheen, painted cabinetry and shelves. To coordinate the existing chandelier, our client selected crystal hardware and satin nickel bar pulls. The final touch in this coordinated space was custom painting our client's existing desk. All of the elements come together in this clean, transitional space!

Inspiration for a contemporary home office remodel in Chicago with white walls

Architect: Sala Architects | Builder: Merdan Custom Builders Inc. | Photography: Spacecrafting
1950s freestanding desk light wood floor study room photo in Minneapolis with white walls

This expansive Victorian had tremendous historic charm but hadn’t seen a kitchen renovation since the 1950s. The homeowners wanted to take advantage of their views of the backyard and raised the roof and pushed the kitchen into the back of the house, where expansive windows could allow southern light into the kitchen all day. A warm historic gray/beige was chosen for the cabinetry, which was contrasted with character oak cabinetry on the appliance wall and bar in a modern chevron detail. Kitchen Design: Sarah Robertson, Studio Dearborn Architect: Ned Stoll, Interior finishes Tami Wassong Interiors

Study room - small traditional built-in desk study room idea in Los Angeles with white walls

Vivian Johnson
Inspiration for a mid-sized 1960s freestanding desk dark wood floor and brown floor study room remodel in San Francisco with gray walls

The home office is right off of the kitchen and is packed with practicality and clever storage solutions. Office supplies are concealed in the slim pencil drawers. Computer towers and shredders are inside vented cabinets. Each child has a drawer for school and artwork projects. The printer and accompanying paper is hidden behind the armoire style doors on the right.