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The Challenge

This challenge started 9 months ago, November 2013, and I'm calling it successful.  I now have 3 rooms I am proud to share - my foyer, the main bath, and my home office.  I planned, then changed plans.  I shopped for deals almost non-stop, an effort I will do over and over as I love a good bargain!  Weekends and evenings were sacrificed.  My home gardening chores were vastly reduced to date - sorry neighbors.  Thankfully, my husband and daughter have supported my efforts throughout the challenge and beyond.

For the final review of the first two rooms, see these posts:



Here are the 'BEFORE' pictures:




Finally, it's time to reveal the last room, my home office.  Come on in.  Pardon the lighting as it was casting shadows all over and I'm not a photographer.






Those teal magazine holders were a bit of a disappointment in a couple of ways.
  1. My shelf space is actually about one half inch too short to store magazines in these holders.
  2. I bought a spray paint kit to use my own paint as spray paint without using my large paint sprayer.  Bad choice.  My paint started out too thick, then thinning it made it runny.  I tried numerous rations, but eventually the sprayer never pulled any paint through and I ended up using a sponge brush to paint the magazine holders which started out black.

Woodstock, our cat, has definitely taken ownership of the clean surfaces and loves to nap on the window bench cushion.  I'll have to catch a picture of her on the window seat for a future post.





My daughter's beautiful art.












Would I change anything?  Yes.  There is a decorative element above the cork board that I will replace.  I will need to stain the chip on the desk.  If I find art that is a better match for the room, I'll switch out Harmony's bridge which I love.  I may reupholster the guest chairs or slip cover the black chair.  I will be adding buttons to 'quilt' the display boards to the left and right of the cork board.  Other than that, I'm happy with the space.

I wouldn't call this challenge completed without reviewing the goals for the Home Office: 
  1. Goal #1 - Make this mess disappear!  DONE!
  2. Goal #2 - Make this office look professional. DONE! At least I think so.
  3. Goal #3 - Make this office inviting so that it is used as an office rather than a dumping ground. DONE! It even has the approval of Woodstock, our cat who has lounged on nearly every surface.
The challenge included scope, time, and budget.  I went down to the wire on time, but all three rooms were completed in 9 months.   As for budget...someone said in the beginning that you always go over budget on decorating projects.  In the end, I was budget conscious but I spent what was needed.  I just went through all my expenses, entering the last of them in my budget spreadsheet without watching the total line.  I was thinking I'd be over, but no more than 50 to 100 dollars.

The end result:


I am so pleasantly surprised that I actually have some money left!  Kids - you can't do this at home...that is, you can't if you don't have scrap wood and collect miscellaneous screws, brackets, material, and accessories. 

This challenge is complete.  Opinions and comments are welcome.  It's the only way one can improve.  I plan to continue blogging with more projects - my own and those of willing friends, so I hope you'll stick with me and tell others to tune in.  In two weeks I'll introduce you to my best friend of too many years to reveal!  She wants my help in redecorating her laundry room which also serves as her back door entrance which is heavily used by family and friends.  It's going to be another challenge, but after this experience I'm up for it!

Thanks to all those who have encouraged me along the course of this now completed challenge.  I've appreciated the comments, personal discussions, and suggestions for color and other decor.  I am so excited to work in my home office...REALLY!


Previous posts on this challenge can be found in the archive section to the right.

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