Hello Office

by Liz Dowling

Contractor gone.  Punch list finished.  Our old screen porch is now an office.  It’s time for me to focus on decorating the interior.  We figured out the desk while the office was being constructed.  A 10′ long x 24″ wide space where my husband and I can both work.  We also had the contractor build a shallow bookcase unit to fill a weird space on the other side of our chimney.  This would hold the TV and any other books and office stuff we had.

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The new office is right off the living room, so I wanted to be mindful of the color scheme in the room so it wouldn’t clash.  A painting by a Block Island artist was the inspiration for the room colors I would use: blue and orange.

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I found three fabrics I liked for pillows: a Lilly Pulitzer blue floral, an orange Duralee Pavilion geometric (that I also used on the back of the two desk chairs) and a Thom Filicia blue and white dot pattern.

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As far as furniture for the sitting area, that was decided a while ago.  I recovered my old 1992 living room furniture (AGAIN!) in a basic Calico Corners blue cotton duck with white piping that I got on sale for $12.00 a yard.

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This fabulous orange Madeline Weinrib rug finished things off beautifully and helped define the sitting room from the desk area.  We painted the office the same colors as the living room, Farrow and Ball “Tallow” with “Pointing” trim, so the flow would work between the two rooms.  You can see the office (below) from the living room.  We have a little pocket door that can be closed for privacy.  Our old screen porch is no longer wasted space.  We love our new office and now have a place to hide out!

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the wry home

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4 comments

Amy harden March 8, 2014 - 9:45 am

Love! We did same things few years back – turned three season porch into study for Paul and never looked back!! Though I like yours better! Love love love the fabrics and especially orange duralee. Love the end tables too – well done you! Again!

Elizabeth Dowling March 8, 2014 - 11:18 am

Thank you, thank you! I live in this office. It is so funny, I had no idea I would use it as much as I do. My little hideout!

Kathleen Perkal March 29, 2014 - 11:55 am

Love the pops of orange. I guess orange truly is the “new” black.

Elizabeth Dowling March 29, 2014 - 12:18 pm

I am in a pink and orange phase, much to Tim’s dismay. Orange is definitely my new black!

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