The Office Stylist » Office Makeovers

Oval Office Makeover

The Office Stylist — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:35:35 +0000

You may have remember the video we posted a while back when President Barack Obama made his own changes to the Oval Office. Well it seems that he was ready for yet another makeover.

Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Sayeh’s Notes: Ah, Mr. President, what lovely taste you have. Though I can’t imagine any president make drastic changes to the Oval Office, the small changes Obama has done stay within the Classic/Traditional style the Oval Office has always had. Though you can’t really see in any of the photos, my favorite part is the new rug. The outside border of the rug is filled with quotes from past presidents like “THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF” — FDR’s inaugural speech. It’s personal touches like that which make an office truly yours. I know it’s technically only his office while he’s “in office” but that’s no different from many of you whom have a job. Obama has a big job to do and even he knows that you should put time and effort into making your office/workspace a place you love. Remember, we spend more time working than we do anything else, so why neglect such a large part of our lives?

Changes Made:

New carpet
Drapes
Wallpaper
Rug
Furniture

What I love about the Oval Office:

Classic American Style
Added understated personal touches
Calming color palette

Sayeh

The Office Stylist

A Moment in Time’s Office Makeover

The Office Stylist — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 18:24:11 +0000

When design is part of your everyday business, you’ve got to remember it when it comes to your workspace too. It’s not just that you want a pretty office, but your clients may question things if you’ve got a dark and dull office space. Jennifer House decided it was time to revamp her workspace, and what a difference! Take a look at her office transformation.

Before:

After:

Sayeh’s Notes: This office is definitely an office I would work in. Giving your office a full makeover doesn’t need to be expensive. If you haven’t noticed already, A lot of the pieces in her space are from Ikea, yet it doesn’t give you the catalog vibe. I love every part of her office, and I’d have to say the panels would be my favorite. Jennifer did a fantastic job making over her office, and I’m happy I got to chat with her about the process.

Describe your workspace to us:

My workspace is best described as warm and welcoming with a modern twist. I didn’t want it to have that “traditional” wedding planner feel, dripping with pink and white and bells and tulle. I wanted it to feel “girly” but not too “girly” and modern, but not too modern I tried to think about what a bride would want her wedding planners office to look like, what would make her feel comfortable during a 2 hour planning meeting. I based much of it around my logo and only used a splash of pink here and there. Against the gray base on the walls and the warms whites, the pink really stands out in the lighting and the decor, while not overwhelming my visitors with pink, pink, pink!

Why the office makeover?

The people who had my office before had been here for 15 years or so and it was desperately in need of some 1970′s wallpaper removal and major updating. This was my first office out of the home since starting my business 5 years ago, and I wanted it to be just as I had imagined it in my mind. My husband executed every detail down to the custom framing of the magazine articles. It was all in my head, I just sketched it out and planned it out for him. We spent many a day and night in Ikea!
Do you feel a difference in working in your new and improved office?

Absolutely! I worked at this office for a short time before renovating it and it’s vastly different. I’d say the biggest difference though, is not working from home and coffee shops anymore. It’s so wonderful to have an office of my own. I can spend hours here, it’s hard to get me to leave! It’s quiet, serene and it’s my own. Which is wonderful, priceless in fact.

Your favorite thing about your workspace?

I’d say my favorite thing about my workspace is the lighting. I hate fluorescent lighting in offices and I spent time early in my career in poorly lit, or overly lit “cubicle farms” and I hated every second of it! I love that I’ve created lots of options for brighter light, lower light, softer light etc. No matter the meeting, the occasion or the mood, I’ve got a few different lighting options.

Use one word to describe your typical work day:

How about two? Organized Chaos. Wedding Planning is a 7 day a week job with few breaks. I sleep in January. Meetings, phone meetings, more meetings, linens, cakes, dresses, time-lines, break-downs and melt-downs! You name it, I’m doing it. Every day is different, which makes it really interesting and really fun. It’s the most fulfilling job in the world though, I truly enjoy every minute of it.

If you could be any office supply, what would it be and why?

A Paper Clip. My job is to hold all of the pieces together!

Tell us about A Moment in Time Wedding and Event Production and what it means to work in a stylish, clean office space.

Securing and designing this office space is truly my biggest accomplishment to date. I’ve won lots of awards in this industry and have racked up tons of accolades, all of which I’m incredibly proud of and worked very hard for. But, I didn’t feel as though I’d truly made it until the sign went up on the door outside. I truly felt accomplished on my first day of work here on Main Street in little ol’ Plymouth Michigan. I feel proud to have clients here for meetings and I feel so at peace putting in a full work day in this office space.

P.S.

If you have a stylish, modern or cool office or office makeover you want to feature on TheOfficeStylist, or you need help transforming your space, please email us at hi@theofficestylist.com. Located in LA? We’d love to stop by and take photos of your space and profile your business.

Je Taime Home Office Makeover!

The Office Stylist — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:17:06 +0000

Bonjour! This week’s office makeover keeps to a black and white color scheme which we absolutely just love! As seen already with The Office Stylist’s own home office, black and white is a great way to decorate your office at home or at work. Let’s take a peek at this office makeover and see how it all came together from a blank slate.

Before:

After:

The Office Stylist and Stephanie Poli of Love & Lace, talked about her super chic, Paris inspired home office.

TheOfficeStylist: Describe your office to us:

Stephanie Poli: My office is my personal haven. I spend so much of my leisure time on the computer, designing, writing, reading and crafting, so I needed a room that could facilitate all those needs. I am instantly drawn to anything black & white, so I layered a lot of patterned accent pieces, with little hints of color. It’s a balance of my two loves: vintage charm and modern functionality.

TOS: What is your favorite part of your office and why?

SP: My new desk from Ikea! It’s the Expedit desk and bookcase combination. I love that the desk acts as a room divider between my workspace and the seating area. The bookcase is great because it’s sectional. I can display books and decorative items without it looking cluttered.

TOS: What was your inspiration for your office makeover?

SP: Black curtains. I loved the idea of adding high drama to a workspace. I’ve always had a soft spot for Parisian styling, there is just something intrinsically glamorous and feminine about it.

TOS: How did you feel working in your office before your makeover?

SP: When we first moved into our house, I was in the middle of a lot of craft projects for my wedding, so my office was a bit of a disaster. Things were haphazardly stored and none of my furniture had any sort of cohesion. I detest messy workspaces and that was what it was.

TOS: How did you feel working in your office AFTER your makeover?

SP: I adore it. It’s a place of calm for me. I am surrounded by lovely, beautiful things. Having a nice office also motivates me to keep things organized, something that is always a struggle.

TOS: Do you feel it’s important to have an office/workspace you love in order to be happy at work/while working?

SP: Most definitely! I wish my office at my workplace was this nice. I’d get so much more done.

TOS: Where do you find your inspiration for your blog Love & Lace?

SP: The internet is a huge source. I love seeing what other bloggers are doing, Martha Stewart of course, also Flickr, Google images and Etsy. I find that the production design of some of my favorite films serve as inspiration; like Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette.

P.S.

A Little Retro, Eclectic Home Office Makeover

The Office Stylist — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 18:36:53 +0000

Last Week’s Office Makeover was a big transformation from a bare and dark garage, and this week’s was a HUGE transformation too.

Before:

After:

The Office Stylist’s Notes:

I am starting to feel like as the weeks go on, I seem to get more beautiful office transformations. I’m not complaining by any means, but it’s so great to see that other people realize the importance of an organized, well designed, and inspiring workspace. One of my favorite things about this particular makeover is the design on the drapes. Joi, who we will get to know in a moment, painted the designs on herself!

-Sayeh

TheOfficeStylist.com:What was your inspiration for your office makeover?

Joi: Color and a nice chevron pattern {I painted the pattern on the drapes myself}. I am a habitual reader of design blogs and wanted my office to reflect the way my personal style has evolved. To say my inspiration came from one photo or source of wouldn’t be accurate. I just got comfortable mixing patterns and fabrics and wished I had been doing that for a long time.

TOS: How did you feel working in your office before your makeover?.

J: I always felt a bit off. My office, up until now, was not a true representation of me. I tried to get it right before {as you may see through my evolution of photos}, but I think I finally nailed it on the head this time around!

TOS: How did you feel working in your office AFTER your makeover?

J: I love it. I love the colors, textures, patterns, and layering. It makes me smile and it’s a happy place to be.

TOS: Do you feel it’s important to have an office/workspace you love in order to be happy at work?

J: I agree wholeheartedly. I am inspired by what I see in the design world and try to mimic {on a budget} that same aesthetic for my own home. It’s fun to have a small budget and create my own pieces from more expensive pieces I adore. As a teacher, it’s tough to make your classroom about you, since you’re there for the kids, but I try to infuse design at work as well.

TOS: Where do you find your inspiration for your blog?

J: The never-ending internet! I have come across so many blogs that have inspired my personal style and I have made many friends along the way. My interest in decorating has really just begun and I can’t wait to see where it takes me.

You can learn more about Joi and follow her blog at: www.daveandjoi.blogspot.com/

P.S.

Whimsical Office Makeover

The Office Stylist — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:32:38 +0000

A garage transformed into an eclectic and magical office studio…

Before:

More After Pics…

The Office Stylist Notes:

What a transformation! Though the way this office is styled is not my personal taste, it is still well organized and beautiful. The colors come together nicely and it has a lot of little touches like the hanging butterflies that I just love. It really shows you that any space can be made into your dream workspace with a little love and attention. Notice that her ceiling and floor is still the same as the before picture? It’s not a total overhaul, but the changes made the world of a difference. The total budget for this garage makeover was $900, pretty low considering what she had to work with.

What I love:

She took a depressing and dark space and turned it into a whimsical work area
Little touches like butterfly mobile, baby blue paint, set of pretty prints on the wall
TONS of character
Well organized

See more of this makeover over at Viv’s blog Ish and Chi.

Balcony Turned Office

The Office Stylist — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 22:43:53 +0000

What do you do when life events like having a baby cause you to run out of space for a home office? You get creative and that’s certainly what happened here when this spacious, beautiful balcony was converted into a home office.

Before

During

After

Via Lifehacker

The Office Stylist’s Notes:

Space is an ongoing problem for a lot of the offices/work areas I see. It’s not always possible to dedicate an entire room for a home office, but there are always other solutions like a closet office, corner office, etc. I thought I had office envy before, but nothing is like having a beautiful, sunny, and open air office like this one. I just love the dark wood floors with the white seat cushions. The green and the black together are a great color combination too.

Things I love:

Bright, open, airy space
Big windows
Gorgeous dark wood floors
Very creative
Lots of plants, but they’re not in the way

Get this look with stainless steel and green office accessories.