When a local attorney recently needed to move from his home office to another space off-site, the interior design couldn't be anything less than, well, homey. The attorney and his wife, two friends of mine, called me about this challenge earlier this summer. Their new baby was due (and arrived!) in September but Dad's home-based attorney's office downtown had to move off-site to be up and running by mid-August. Luckily, my client had an office space near Wrightsville Beach already but he needed all of the furnishings to make the room not only functional but also feel more like it did at home. The room itself had loads of potential with built-in shelving and nice wood paneling but the stain on the wood had yellowed over time. We also wanted less of a hunting lodge look and more of a cool, clean vibe. Usually when you're visiting an attorney, it's not for the best of reasons so, overall, we wanted to be especially certain that all of the clients felt welcomed and at ease in this commercial office space.
Before:
A gorgeous desk and painting of the gardens nearby served as the perfect starting point for the office design. But the wood paneling gave the space a rustic feel and had to be refreshed. And, of course, we had to fill those shelves with some coastal-inspired accessories. The bare window needed a little interest and softening with custom treatments. We decided to match the existing paint color and keep our color palette inspired by the nearby beach with sandy beiges and soft blues and greens. A few wooden touches would tie in the existing wood finishes and keep the office from feeling too cutesy.
After:
We painted the paneling Benjamin Moore's Yarmouth Blue to match the wall that had already been painted. My client had tons of great artwork already so we didn't have to worry about finding any- just hanging it in its proper place. A comfortable desk chair was at the top of the list and we found the perfect combination of comfortable and corporate with this Staples desk chair. We also wanted a nicely curved settee with tufting and linen upholstery and this one was the perfect size, shape and color. But the fun part was bringing in the beach vibes- we mixed an antique distressed demilune table and brass sand fiddler figure with new seaglass colored bottles, a rustic wooden oar and hand painted sign to give the room all its personality. And since we wanted this attorney's office to feel particularly welcoming, we added ivory London shades with tonal taping, which softened the room and added extra interest.
Both my client and I were so pleased with the end result! Even though this is a corporate space, nothing about this office feels too stuffy or serious. It's a clean, comfortable room that my client can be productive in and his family members and clients can enjoy spending time in as well. Sometimes we all feel like we live at work- and there are times when we really might- so, when that's the case, I want to be sure the offices I have a hand in live up to that need, whether it's because a family is growing or a case must be argued.
Congratulations to this sweet family on their new bundle of joy as well!! I can't wait to meet their precious baby girl tomorrow!!
Thanks for stopping by today and stay tuned for more updates and inspiration next week!
