office/school room reveal

(My new favorite place in the house...)

After the hubby moved into his "real" office, I knew that the space needed a major overhaul to accomodate the chirren's learnin' and stuff. Also, I really had to have a place to put all of our "home" paraphernallia (i.e. bill paying stuff, files, manuals, paperwork) and my crafting/sewing stuff. This room is multipurpose if there ever was one. Sooo, here 'tis.

Like I said, this is my favorite spot. It is the reading "nook". I have one more little touch to add, in the way of some decoupaged letters, but that is for another post (and tutorial).

I saw this petite little chair at Pier 1 months and months ago. I fell in love! Something about the little ruffles and pops of bright color in the midst of the cream and brown just got me. I just didn't have a spot for it, so I forgot about it. Then, the other day, as I was sketching out my new office/schoolroom, I realized that I had a perfect place for it..and it was on sale! SOLD! I adore it...and it is kid sized, but perfectly comfortable for the vertically challenged, such as myself.

A book "nook" for each kid. I got them at Hobby Lobby (when they were on sale for 50% off, of course) for $20 each. I sprayed them white (they were scuffed and the finish was worn when I bought them...they were ALL that way), and added little metal book plates and finished it off with their names.

I am obsessed with this print. I got it here. I purchased it, downloaded it to my computer and had it printed off at Costco for $2.99. It is 12 x 12, perfect for my cheapo IKEA frame.

I have a magazine fetish. Books are great, but they are a time commitment. I can commit to about 15 minutes at a time, and I am am immediate gratification girl, so magazines fit the bill. Wow, more than you wanted to know, right? Anywho...I got these at IKEA. They come in packs of 2, and at $10, I thought it was quite a steal. I really wanted wood. I didn't think the cardboard ones would hold up, and these, I could stain and bring in a natural element to the space. I just went all designer's challenge on you...you like that? ;)
Okay, so I just had to show the frame peeking out from the picture above. Honestly, I gasped when I saw it. It looks like it is made out of shell or something. It is perfect! Well, almost...have to fill it with something ;)

The paper boxes are from IKEA ($8 for 2), and the wooden crate came unfinished from Hobby Lobby. They were $10 each ($5 with a coupon). I distressed, stained and (will) wax them (when I get a minute).

My work space. Let me put a little note here. I am having a heckuva time with the corkboard. I got it at Homegoods for $50. It is BIG. The frame is about 5 inches wide. It was originally a brick red color, and although it was gorgeous, I knew it wouldn't work in this space. I primed it and painted it orange/coral. No bueno. It just didn't work. So, I went for pink. I like it okay, but I really think that I am going to go with the color of the desk and bookshelves. That or apple green. The verdict is still out, but in the meantime, the pink will do just fine.

This candle mold came from a nearby antiques shop. So did the kid's chairs you'll see in a minute. It is perfect for holding all of those necessary (and not so pretty) office supplies. The weathered star is from Joann's fabrics. I am always surprised when I go in there. They have neat little stuff every now and then.

Can you believe this is a fake plant? It looks very realistic EVEN in person (not so much on the website though). It is from IKEA, as is that pot. It just goes to show you that IKEA isn't strictly modern design. They also have hanging pots to match this one. I had to show some restraint or I would have loaded my basket with them for the back patio.

The woven star is from Hobby Lobby (I have one hanging on my living room wall as well) and was $5. The notebooks are from Target. $2, I think. The colors were my inspiration for the color palette of the room. You never know where inspiration with strike!

The prints above are of vintage alphabet flash cards. I got them here, & just printed them out on some heavy carstock, trimmed them up and framed them in IKEA frames. Super cheap art. They are my kiddo's initials.

Vintage banker's chair from Craigslist. I think I paid $30. It needs a little work, but I have a thing for these kind of chairs and they last forever.

More storage. The bakets on the bottom are from Hobby Lobby...all together..."ON SALE". Under $10 a piece.

The wicker topped jar is from TJ Maxx ($13) that holds those fun little shaped erasers. I am going to fill it with little goodies for the kids that they can use for school. The gumball machine is from TJ's as well from forever ago. It was cheap. Notice it is almost empty. Wonder how that happened? I may need to rethink this little accessory.

The whiteboards are from Mardel. I think I paid about $10 each and they are held on with 3M velcro hangers. We can pop them off if we need to, but they will probably stay right here. I am going to write each munchkin's assignments for the day on the board, and they can cross them off as they finish them. That is the plan. It may just end up being a drawing space. Either way, the kids LOVE them.

Old school desks painted white. I got them for $4, then painted them out and purdied up the tops. The one on the left was painted with chalkboard paint (not sure it is staying...it's kinda messy) and I decoupaged some magnificent wrapping paper on my little girl's desk.

This is a close up of the paper...love love love... (Found it at TJ Maxx)

I got the chairs at the same antique shop. There were 2 of them. I paid $20 a piece. The chairs are just a bit different from each other, but finished out the same. The seats were originally upholstered, but the fabric was removed and some woven caneing was added. I think it is fun and definitely a departure from the regular kid's chair.

Easel from IKEA. Chalkboard on one side, whiteboard on the other. For $5, you can buy a big roll o' paper. It came unfinished and I just spray painted it. I like the white, but a bright color would have been fun too. I just had the white spray paint on hand. I smell a masterpiece a comin'!

These Lenda curtains from IKEA are $20 a pair. Yes, you read that right, a pair. They are 96" long, and they come with tabs at the top. I simply cut the tabs off, cut 1/3 of the tab off, refolded it and reattached it to the panel where the top of the folded tab came about an inch or so from the top of the panel. I sewed them in place, then sewed on a piece of gathering tape right, gathered it up and hung them on my existing rods.

Easy peasy and cost about $11-$12 a panel. The fabric is nice and thick and it has just a hint of a stripe running vertically. Looks good, don't ya' think?

By the way, I got the idea from this post. Gathering tape is my new friend. It made this project ridiculously easy.

This little spot is to the left of the desks. I finally (after 10 years) framed my diploma. It only took me 7 1/2 years to get it. I was on the 8 year BA plan, but graduated early. HA! I thought the cute little old framing dude at Hobby Lobby was going to stroke out when I said I wanted to mat it in hot pink. I thought it was fun, and why the heck not? The pillows are from TJ's way back. They can be thrown on the floor to read or sit or be jumped on too. Seriously, that is what will happen if you know my kids.

The giant basket looks familiar...but I got mine on clearance from Hobby Lobby for $15 beans less & I liked the finish better...whooo hooo! It is where I keep my sewing maching and other sewing related thingamabobs and dohickeys.

So, there's the grand tour! I thought I would break it up into separate posts, but I just got too excited to show it all and couldn't wait. I love it. I love that it is the one room that I feel like is totally me. I wanted to love everything in it and not worry about if it was the proper or popular thing to do. I like the quirkiness of it. It is so much more intersting that way. It makes me smile :)

So, are you freaked out like Hobby Lobby mat dude? Are you shaking your head? Or do you love it?

P.S. Anyone else having trouble with Blogger? It won't let me publish straight from the edit page. Also, when I add a picture it automatically puts it at the top of the page. Is that normal?