Do you have one of those rooms in your house?  You know, the room where all of the unwanted items in your life go to die.  The room that just doesn’t feel right to you
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That was my office.  Here’s a refresher…



Everyone else told me that they thought the room looked just fine.  I just wasn’t feeling it though.  Probably because it normally looked like this…



Embarrassing.  I really shouldn’t post photos like this on the interweb.

I spent the past two week-ends cleaning up the pit.  I even went through all of the cupboards and drawers.  You wouldn’t believe how much storage space I have now that I rid the room of junk.  It’s refreshing.

Cleaning the room just wasn’t enough.  I also decided that the space needed a little style.  I wanted it to feel like a cozy library.

Here’s how I ended the week-end…



We added beadboard and trim behind the computer monitor.  This is something that we had been meaning to do for the past three years and just now got around to it. Time flies.  I tried painting the beadboard with magnetic paint but that was a DIY fail.  One of my employees gave me her left over magnetic paint.  One of us didn’t stir it well enough because no magnet will cling on the beadboard.  Oh well, it still looks pretty.  I’m afraid the area may end up looking cluttered if we were able to hang things on it anyways.  That’s my story.



I “wallpapered” with burlap behind the shelving areas.  Nate was certain this was going to be a DIY disaster but we both like how it turned out.  It gives the area a little color and texture.  And it’s non-committal.  My favorite type of project.  I’ll share this how-to tomorrow.



Lastly, I attempted to style the bookshelves with old books and thrifting finds.  The book hunt is a ton of fun.  I can’t wait to keep adding to the collection.  Who doesn’t like a book titled “Lines about Wines” or “How Never to Be Tired”?  I might need to read that one.  Most of these books were purchased for less than a dollar from thrift stores.






I fell in love with these book-ends while thrifting with the parents.



They were even approved by my dad. Weird.  He was for sure that I was going to paint them.  Brass is back Daddy-o.  My mom did remind me that I would have hurled at the thought of brass in my house a year ago.  She may be right on that one.  It’s good for moms to be right on occasion.

And look, baby Nate and Michelle.  Our engagement photo in a brassy gold frame from the Salvation Army.  What is this world coming to?



I love how this room seems to fit in better with the rest of our house.  It feels a little more like us.  I’m also enjoying the new air freshener…the smell of old books.  Mmmm.  Nate thinks the room needs a good airing out.  Someday he’ll get my obsession with old.  At least he puts up with it. And installs beadboard.



It may have taken us three years but we now have an organized office with a little style.



Any make-overs happening over at your place?  What’s holding you back from tackling that dumping ground room?  Who thinks I’m crazy with the burlap?  Anyone else love that delicious old book smell?

I was compensated for this Winter Home Projects post by BlogHer but all opinions expressed are my own.