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The Studio Makeover!

Our home studio is where I work during the day, and if I’m lucky, Scott, too. At the start of last summer, Scott took on a new role in his job that would allow him the flexibility to work from home every now and then, and aside from this being the most exciting thing ever to me (a human co-worker that I could talk to, or more importantly, someone who would talk back!), it really lit a fire inside to whip the space into shape once and for all!

Over the years, the studio has, more or less, been a dumping ground for our many house projects. It’s on the second floor with a near identical layout to our living and dining rooms, due to the fact that this used to be the second floor apartment of our former two-flat. (It still amazes us when we realize how far we’ve come! Remember when we did this?) The upside, of course, is that we had a lot of space to work with, something we’re still getting used to after many years of condo living! On the other hand, we had a lot of space to work with. As a result, we decided to split it into two zones: 1) the office and 2) the lounge. This way, we’d have a dedicated place to hunker down and work, and we’d also have a place to chill, brainstorm and feel inspired.

We began the transformation last summer, and we couldn’t stop pinching ourselves when our longtime partner Crate & Barrel wanted to help us create the space we’d been envisioning. You can watch it unfold on the Crate Blog in parts one, two and three, but since then, we’ve fussed and tweaked some more, much to no one’s surprise! It’s a quirky room with not-so-level floors and electrical outlets that were installed too high. It’s a room that has seen a handful of desks parade in and out and chairs come and go, and it’s no stranger to the game of Musical Rugs. It will likely continue to change as the years go by (that’s all part of the fun!), but after more than 3 years of indecision, it’s finally a room that we’ve come to love so much. Sources will be linked throughout, and all are at the bottom of this post.

I’m the kind of girl that needs to be sitting at a desk to get work completed. I need to feel like I’m at work, so a dedicated office space was a non-negotiable. We’ve tried our hand at an array of vintage desks in the past, and although we loved the look of them, I had a hard time feeling comfortable for long amounts of time – either the table aprons were too low or the drawers hindered my movement. My dream of a beautiful, old desk faded quickly, simply due to the shorter build of decades-old furniture. As soon as we laid eyes on this dining table, we knew it was The One. It was streamlined and leggy, and it was tall enough to allow our chairs with arms to slide underneath! These filing cabinets tucked nicely below, one for each side.

My view looks onto the second floor landing, and right around the corner is the shipping room. You can catch a glimpse of it below, and although the room is teeny tiny, it packs a big punch. I’m able to corral all of my shipping supplies for the Pet and Print shops, and I can easily spread out as I package paintings and prints across our trusty pink VARDE.

Although this room has two separate spaces, they still feel connected by keeping within a similar color palette (blues, grays and wood tones), and the addition of houseplants spread throughout helps as well!

You can see our bedroom, below on the left, and the door to our bathroom, below on the right. Because the studio is so connected to high traffic rooms, our goal was for the lounge half of the room to feel warm and inviting. The last thing we wanted was to have our work staring us down right before bed, so by keeping the office side paired down and filling the lounge with with things that make us happy – favorite photos, fluffy pillows, a soft rug and a sinkable sectional – we never feel anxious about our workload or to-do lists.

While we do sunggle into this room for Netflix binges, during the day, we like to use the television to go over ideas for upcoming projects. We’ll fling our laptop or phones onto the screen, browse Pinterest and share photos to demonstrate this and that for our DIY of the moment.

To highlight our almost 10′ ceilings, we installed this extra long curtain rod across our two windows and flanked them with white cotton curtain panels. Initially, we were going to hang two smaller rods with just one panel each, but after seeing this photo pop up in our Instagram feed, we nixed the idea completely and went for more is more. The brassy rod and curtain combo is one of our favorite accents in the room!

After years of waffling on how we wanted this room to function – including several failed attempts at furniture with a rotating cast of tables, storage and textiles – now, the studio is everything we hoped it would be. It’s a room that feels invigorating and productive, but with just enough separation to feel conducive to late night lounging, too.

You’ve come a long way, studio!

Source List:

Wall color: Behr Pale Bud | desk/table | office chairs | office rug  | living wall | metal filing cabinets | large white filing cabinetsalvaged wood shelves  | shelf brackets | ceramic jars | globe lamp| black task lamp | long arm sconce | brass frames | Dryden sectional in Fog | navy lounge rug | ottoman cube | brass curtain rod | gunmetal curtain rod | white curtains | black fringe curtains | fauxdenza | ‘C’ table | lumbar pillow (similar) | natural pillow | gray distressed pillow | indigo pillow (similar) | pom pom pillow (similar)wall clock | buffalo plaid throw blanket | ‘Work Hard’ print and frame | large drum pendant light | match holder (gifted) | felt coasters

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  • Oksana | FOXYOXIE.com2.2.17 - 8:13 AM

    What a gorgeous place to get work done! Don’t you just love it when you finally arrive at a point in the design process where you think to yourself, “This just may be it!” My favorite features are the gallery wall, the Martha Steward cabinet (with the simple but striking hardware update!) and, of course, the doggies and the cat – so sweet!ReplyCancel

    • Kim2.2.17 - 8:53 AM

      Right! I think the tipping point was when we landed on the desk and sofa combo. We could finally start to see where it was headed!ReplyCancel

  • Haley2.2.17 - 8:24 AM

    I must know what kind of cactus that tiny guy is; I just love him!ReplyCancel

  • Stacy G.2.2.17 - 8:25 AM

    It turned out beautifully! Congrats on the new “co-worker.” :)ReplyCancel

    • Kim2.2.17 - 8:52 AM

      Thanks! The bonus perk is some of my work from home friends have started working from here, too!ReplyCancel

  • Ann2.2.17 - 11:04 AM

    I think the photo of Libby sums it up perfectly: a comfortable place to land.ReplyCancel

  • patricia2.2.17 - 11:24 AM

    no source for the furbaby? he is so cute… and matches your room perfectly. :-)ReplyCancel

    • pat2.2.17 - 11:27 AM

      your gray furbaby that is… didn’t want to leave out the golden furbabies but I love cats and he/she is perfect!!ReplyCancel

      • Kim2.2.17 - 11:30 AM

        Haha, she’s Libby, and she IS perfect!ReplyCancel

  • Jennifer2.2.17 - 11:40 AM

    such a beautiful space! although if it were me, i would destroy it with a general explosion of work paraphernalia in a hot second. i may have missed it, but have you ever done a “day in the life” post? i have a creative sidegig in photography that i dream about doing full-time and wonder what other work from home creative types’ days look like. part of me wonders if i’d bomb out without office structureReplyCancel

  • Kim2.2.17 - 12:12 PM

    I’ve never done a day in the life, because to be honest, it would be pretty boring!! I will say that I’m pretty disciplined, and I work a pretty true 9-5 or 9-6 day. It’s a lot of sitting at this desk typing, editing photos, and SOMETIMES getting a head start on the weekend’s projects! Also a lot of talking and singing to Jack, CC and Libby. :DReplyCancel

  • Sophia2.2.17 - 3:02 PM

    This is beautiful! It is cozy without being cluttered, and so light and bright! Wouldn’t mind working in that green corner :) For anyone else who wants to renovate there is a great free tool for homeowners to estimate the cost of a renovation: https://app.mykukun.com/Home-Renovation-CostsReplyCancel

  • Kate2.2.17 - 7:54 PM

    Is the hairpin leg and wood bench in the landing from a store or a DIY? I am interested in something similar for the foot our our bed.ReplyCancel

  • ten2.3.17 - 9:49 AM

    I just love seeing your dogs cuddle. :) Looks like a cozy place to work every day. Did you guys scrap that awesome vintage desk/table you had before?ReplyCancel

    • Kim2.3.17 - 10:09 AM

      We had to scrap both of them! So sad. I kept putting up a fight, but in the end, we knew it wasn’t right for all day comfort.ReplyCancel

  • BB2.3.17 - 12:14 PM

    Beautiful home but who am I kidding, I just come here to look at pictures of your sweet doggies!ReplyCancel

  • southern gal2.3.17 - 2:12 PM

    FINALLY info about that sofa!!!

    i was just ready to send you an email about it… had spied it and a few of the other new things for awhile…

    i would be sprawling on that chaise and working there all day ! haha.. no i know it would be counterproductive.

    so gorgeous as usual!

    is there a source for the wall lamp?

    also love the look of the Avenue C table but it may be too small for my 15″ chromebook and a mug… i am using something i ordered on amazon but not loving it and need to spray paint the top black… had used an ikea (the triangle one) but somehow one of the pin screws that holds the table top to the base worked its way out and then it was wobbly and of course the hardware store had no replacements (its a double end screw with a nut) still have it in hopes of finding the right screw.

    another smash hit – you must be excited with the scary room on the way in its reno … what WILL you do next? start on the attic?

    ;o

    as usual inspiring and beautiful!ReplyCancel

  • Cate2.4.17 - 6:11 AM

    Your home is inspiring. I’m interested in creating a gallery wall of family photos and I equally like the geometric one and the tv wall one. Geometric seems easier to get right. Lol. Where are the frames from?ReplyCancel

  • katie2.7.17 - 8:05 AM

    Comfortably stunning!!
    Question: does the hanging wall planter damage the wall or paint at all? I read that in some of the reviews, but I still want one- very cool :)
    Thanks!ReplyCancel

    • Kim2.7.17 - 9:15 AM

      Nope, no damage here! It has some sort of waterproof lining so the moisture never touches the wall. We’re several years strong!ReplyCancel

  • Abby Femino2.8.17 - 9:52 AM

    Do you have a post about painting walls and ceilings, and what supplies you use? I saw your IG story a few days ago where you were painting a ceiling and you made it look so easy! I’m totally overwhelmed thinking about tackling ceiling painting, so any tips or advice would be so great!ReplyCancel

    • Kim2.8.17 - 10:06 AM

      We don’t have a post that rounds up all those supplies (although we really should!), but when we paint ceilings, we use this extension pole! (This one also gets great reviews.) I will admit that Scott makes it look REALLY easy though. I can’t do it as effortlessly as him!ReplyCancel

  • Ross4.12.17 - 9:33 PM

    Love your choice of throw pillows for the couch. And being a cat lover I cannot fault your choice of feline either.

    https://society6.com/skylinesquirrel/collectionReplyCancel

  • Xing12.16.17 - 2:37 AM

    I have to say this is the dream house that I want! I love the TV cabinet, the two white ones, both in first floor and second floor, where did you get them? Thank you so much!ReplyCancel

  • Xing12.16.17 - 2:39 AM

    I have to say this is the dream house that I want! I love the TV cabinet, the two white ones, both in first floor and second floor, where did you get them?ReplyCancel

  • Caitlin9.11.19 - 6:11 PM

    I just want to point out your printer. I’m currently designing and renovating my husband’s office in our new home. #1 issue is he has stuff and there’s no place for the stuff. And every design site ever shows photos of offices and “inspiration” with absolutely ZERO functionality. Like where are these people’s printers? their paper shredder? their stuff? So thank you!!ReplyCancel

    • Kim9.11.19 - 8:14 PM

      Hahah, happy to hear this! We’ve since hidden it away inside a cabinet, and we just open the door when we need to print something. We try to print as little as possible, but it’s still unavoidable for certain things.ReplyCancel

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We’re Kim + Scott, Chicago based content creators behind the Home + Lifestyle brand Yellow Brick Home.

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