Home tour: My office reveal!

Apr 18 2016
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Before we can truly start in on my office reveal we have to start by going way way back to literally the day I started remodeling the house. This room used to be what was left of this old house’s screened in porch. Back in the ’50s the other part of the screened in porch had been enclosed to create an entryway and my grandparents’ bedroom (so they could sleep on the first floor and their two girls could get the two bedrooms upstairs that is now my master suite). This part though remained a screened in porch and one of my very favorite places in my child hood.

OMG I can’t believe its been three years since this post came out! This part of my home has gone through as many transformations as I have myself! I’m a single gal now and I can finally make this home exactly the best that it can be. This is no longer my Office but my new guest bedroom and now I moved my office to my entryway!

before and after a renovation of a one hundred year old northern Minnesota farm house floor plan
After fifteen months of diy remodeling and renovation we converted our screened in porch into my office. Come and see my office reveal on our home tour

When my aunt and mom were little girls they would sleep out here throughout the Minnesota summers and both of them still recall it as being one of their very favorite things. I still pine a bit for the old screened in porch and now, from time to time, wish I had not had to enclose it.

However, this porch was only yards from the dirt road outside my house and I knew I would never be sitting out here to enjoy the dust and watching people drive by – not really what you would call a “scenic” view. And I needed an office!

I made the hard decision in the renovation to enclose the entire rest of the screened in porch and chose this corner for my future office reveal. Fifteen months later and I moved in!

You can see there on the left the ancient stained glass window that was once the front window on the house (until the screened in porch was added in 1925) it has seen better days but I were able to save it and managed to not break it during the renovation.

I had high hopes and dreams for this room and was absolutely stoked when I put my furniture in it and then, this happened:

After fifteen months of diy remodeling and renovation we converted our screened in porch into my office. Come and see my office reveal on our home tour

It just wasn’t working. The book case was too small and I HATED that my back was to the door when I was working. There was no way I could part with more books and there was no way that I wasn’t going to be buying more. So, I scrapped the entire idea I had previously for the Office and went back to the drawing board.

First, I moved the book case you see in that picture into the closet along with my Ancient dresser for storage. I had built a really horrible shelf in the closet before and it just wasn’t working AT ALL.

One thing I did love about my office though was the decision I had made during the renovation to put a phone line and electrical hookups in the closet so my modem and printer could be hidden out of the way – AWESOME.

After that I built some serious barnwood book shelves that you guys saw in last week’s blog post: How to build easy barn wood book shelves. So, without further delay, My Office Reveal!

After fifteen months of diy remodeling and renovation we converted our screened in porch into my office. Come and see my office reveal on our home tourAfter fifteen months of diy remodeling and renovation we converted our screened in porch into my office. Come and see my office reveal on our home tourAfter fifteen months of diy remodeling and renovation we converted our screened in porch into my office. Come and see my office reveal on our home tour

The wood floors out here had already been painted brown (over at least two other colors throughout the decades) so I just decided to clean them up and repaint them. I had leftover paint from painting my second floor Master Bedroom Suite so I just decided to use it on the floors out here.

It is a touch blue for my taste (for a floor) but something about these floors really makes me happy and they’ve totally grown on me. The color is called Sooty Lashes by Valspar. Yes, you’ve seen my old rocking chair before – to see what it looked like before check out my post about it: Eleonora’s Rocking Chair.

I don’t actually own a “desk” those two big tables my mom gave me for Christmas years ago and I love them, they had been a bit dinged up so I repainted them in black rustoleum and put a whole bunch of poly acrylic over them. I wish I had taken before pictures because they really turned out nice!

The ladder in the corner by the rocking chair was what I had leftover when I cut the ladder down that I’m using upstairs in my Master closet – to see how I did that you can check it out here: An old ladder into a shoe rack. I think I may hang it up on the wall eventually.

My dreams for this office were simple, I wanted lots and lots of book storage and a large enough work space that two people could sit across from each other and work without getting into each other’s way. The truth is I just dream in flat empty surfaces, I drool over craft rooms on Pinterest that offer big work tables.

After fifteen months of diy remodeling and renovation we converted our screened in porch into my office. Come and see my office reveal on our home tour

I needed a place for my English saddles so I ran out to the barn and grabbed an old box my grandparents’ had made to catch saw dust under their table saw. I cleaned it up and put a coat of poly over it and viola! It also offers some extra storage. Is it kind of weird I have horse tack in my office? Yeah, I guess, but anyone who owns saddles (or leather anything) knows that a damp environment will destroy them and our barn is just not dry enough.

So, they have a home in my office. (And there is a perk to having them in here too that no one else has seemed to have noticed but me – they smell like my horses! So, every day I work in the office there’s just the lightest most wonderful smell of horse in here that I just love!)

The curtains are from my childhood (I believe I picked them out when I was about 14) I decided to nix the idea of curtains on the windows so I went to walmart and just bought a little white valance to go across the tops of each and then used my big curtains as closet doors.

After fifteen months of diy remodeling and renovation we converted our screened in porch into my office. Come and see my office reveal on our home tourAfter fifteen months of diy remodeling and renovation we converted our screened in porch into my office. Come and see my office reveal on our home tour

I had agonized over the paint color for a week going through ten different samples until I finally lost my mind and forced myself to pick one. Then I hung my curtains, my artwork and brought my rocking chair in and I looked around and just busted out laughing.

I guess I now know that these are my favorite colors (I had no idea) and clearly I was planning for the last fifteen years for all of these random elements to come together in this room and match. Even my two pieces of artwork that I’ve had since I was at least as young as eleven share a color that is in the fabric I chose for my rocking chair just two years ago.

Its really funny how things work out.

After fifteen months of diy remodeling and renovation we converted our screened in porch into my office. Come and see my office reveal on our home tour

I love my office now and hope you liked my office reveal 🙂 The big old stained glass window is breathing a sigh of relief, as it will not have to weather anymore Minnesota winters or summers, it is safe now, fully inside.

I hope it lasts another fifty years with me – personally I think it is absolutely gorgeous.

After fifteen months of diy remodeling and renovation we converted our screened in porch into my office. Come and see my office reveal on our home tour

I have plans on decorating the closet a bit more, you can see I have a couple of art prints that need framing and hanging just sitting on my old dresser hiding the modem, so they will probably go up in there somehow.

Have a great day guys, if you enjoyed My Office Reveal please consider giving it a share!

fifteen months renovation 100 year old farm house screened in porch converted into my office reveal home tour diy do it yourself remodel remodeling renovating

Comments

  1. Sherri
    April 19, 2016 at 4:14 pm

    Love it!!

  2. April 20, 2016 at 4:15 am

    Tarah, wow, I love your office! What a striking “before and after.” The rustic wall shelves are a great idea and the blue patterned chair is adorable. The whole room looks so cheerful and efficient.

    Thanks also for nominating me for the Liebster award. It doesn’t look like I fit the criteria to qualify anymore, but I am very honored and flattered that you thought of me. Congrats on being nominated yourself!

  3. Kathy from CT
    April 20, 2016 at 12:39 pm

    It looks lovely….truly lovely. How do you keep it cool in the summer & warm in the winter?

    • April 20, 2016 at 5:18 pm

      Thank you Kathy! We had the entire porch spray foamed after we enclosed it (including the floor!) with our wood heat in the main part of the house it stays toasty all winter long 🙂

  4. May 24, 2016 at 1:27 pm

    It looks amazing! (Just found you through Stone Cottage Adventures blog hop:)

  5. August 3, 2016 at 4:19 am

    Such a nice, clean new look in your office space, Tarah. You are one busy lady–your home is looking just lovely. Thanks so much for sharing your DIY and renovation projects with us at Vintage Charm!

    • August 3, 2016 at 1:38 pm

      Thank you Diana 🙂 I was so glad to finally get my office done, sitting in it right now is just awesome, thanks again!

  6. August 10, 2016 at 1:19 am

    Excellent job! Love that rocking chair 🙂

  7. October 3, 2016 at 8:26 pm

    Tarahlynn it looks so much better and is really functional now. I know how you feel about having your back to the door. Anyone can just creep up on you.

    • October 4, 2016 at 3:17 pm

      lol Mary, isn’t it funny how that is though? Its not like anyone is actually going to creep up on me but it doesn’t matter, I still don’t like working with my back to a door! Thank you 🙂

  8. October 5, 2016 at 1:37 pm

    Wow – you’ve been busy! Thanks for sharing on the Pleasures of the NW’s DIY link up!

  9. October 7, 2016 at 4:11 am

    Shared on Facebook and Pinned. WONDERFUL redo! Best wishes, Linda @Crafts a la mode

  10. October 11, 2016 at 7:12 pm

    You did an amazing job on your office! I think the painted wood floors are gorgeous. Thank you for linking up at the #HomeMattersParty this week.

    • October 11, 2016 at 7:20 pm

      Thank you Nicole! I love those floors too!

  11. October 14, 2016 at 12:14 am

    What a lovely office space! I love that you have your saddles in the office and that it smells like your horses, I can’t imagine anything better. (My saddles are western though and would take up a lot more room in my little office… but I sure wish I could keep them in there. I do use a horse shoe as a paperweight though.)

    Thank you for sharing this at the Our Simple Homestead blog hop this week.
    Kathi at Oak Hill Homestead

    • October 14, 2016 at 3:02 pm

      Thank you Kathi! Yeah I have a couple of western saddles too, they’re out in my tack shack because they are big! Thanks so much for coming by 🙂

  12. October 19, 2016 at 1:58 pm

    How wonderful is that! Your making this house so special! I love it! Thank you for sharing at Home Sweet Home!

  13. October 19, 2016 at 7:29 pm

    This office has turned out beautifully!

  14. October 21, 2016 at 6:20 pm

    This is beautiful and I love the chair. Actually, you have some beautiful vintage pieces that are awesome. Love stopping by and thank you for linking up at Dishing it and Digging it link party. We love having you and hope you have a great week. Don’t forget party this Sunday.

    • October 21, 2016 at 8:44 pm

      Thank you so much Vanessa for always coming by and for putting on a great party! I was so relieved when I finally got my office done, it felt like the house just wasn’t complete for me without it!

  15. October 21, 2016 at 11:22 pm

    Tarahlynn, this is amazing and it’s the most night and day transformation I have ever seen. Thank you for sharing with us this week at Celebrate Your Story, have a great week.

    • October 24, 2016 at 4:38 pm

      Thank you so much Sandra, a lot of love went into this room!

  16. October 22, 2016 at 3:42 pm

    I love love love that chair!

  17. October 22, 2016 at 4:28 pm

    You just keep moving ahead and making your house an amazing space, don’t you! Keep it up! I just took over an unused room for an office/craft room and have yet to really “find myself” in my space. Thanks for the inspiration and thank you for sharing at Celebrate Your Story!

    • October 24, 2016 at 4:32 pm

      Hey Chloe, it really took me awhile to find myself in this space too, it was so worth it though! Thank you for coming by!!

  18. October 25, 2016 at 7:55 pm

    Wow…everything looks so great!

    I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

  19. October 26, 2016 at 5:35 pm

    Everything came out beautiful!

    I was excited to read this post because in the weeks coming up I will be redoing my office and in my head anyway, it is all coming together nicely! lol.

    What a blessing to be living in your grandmother’s home to carry on the legacy. 🙂

    Thanks for sharing!

    • October 26, 2016 at 6:46 pm

      Thank you Karen! Good luck with your own office redo 🙂

  20. November 2, 2016 at 5:34 pm

    Tarah, I love what you did here! My office is my sanctuary and I can see it’s yours as well. I especially love that rocker … I wish I could find one around here to redo. My rocker is getting a bit worn and I simply can’t live without it lol xo

    • November 2, 2016 at 6:01 pm

      Thank you Carla, it took me awhile to get it right but without my office it felt like the whole house was incomplete! Thanks for coming by 🙂

  21. November 10, 2016 at 6:48 pm

    I love this transportation. You do great work! Thanks for sharing with us at Family Joy Blog Link Up Party this week.

  22. December 7, 2016 at 7:52 pm

    I love how bright and clean this room is! I can’t get any work done if my office is dark and cluttered so I love this. Thanks for joining us for the Wednesday Showcase this week.

  23. May 3, 2017 at 5:41 pm

    The room looks a lot more open, bright, and airy, now. It looks like a calm and inspiring place to work.

  24. May 4, 2017 at 1:12 am

    I love how light and bright your office is after you redid it!

  25. May 7, 2017 at 3:51 am

    That patterned chair is gorgeous and the large windows, such a nice place to work. I was surprised about the English Saddle, I don’t remember you mentioning horses before.

    My hubs currently has two thoroughbreds and they smell so warm. Sometimes it almost reminds me of a warm oregano. They are the most amazing of gods creatures.

    Thank you for sharing your office, all the pieces certainly fit together, it is funny how cohesive it all turned out. I guess you know your signature style Tarahlynn.

    • May 8, 2017 at 3:14 pm

      Hi Leanna, yup I have two horses, my gelding I’ve had since I was 11 which means he’s been with me for 20 years 🙂 I don’t ride anymore and I just like having them and loving them. Every morning when I’m getting ready for work I get to watch them and it really is just awesome. Thank you!

  26. May 9, 2017 at 8:46 pm

    Loving your office Tarahlynn and love that you kept that stained glass window 🙂

    • May 10, 2017 at 3:02 pm

      Thank you! That stained glass is one of my very favorite features!

  27. July 21, 2017 at 12:45 pm

    What a great place to work! I love the stained glass window.

  28. August 1, 2017 at 3:14 pm

    Thanks for sharing with us at #BloggingGrandmothersLinkParty. I’ve shared on social media. Love the procrastination window.

    • August 1, 2017 at 3:24 pm

      Thanks so much for coming by, have a great week!

  29. August 15, 2017 at 3:17 pm

    Turned out GREAT! love the whole things (especially the floors). Hope you join us at this week’s Reader Tip Tuesday xo http://www.jodiefitz.com/2017/08/15/reader-tip-tuesday-craft-recipe-party/

    • August 15, 2017 at 3:32 pm

      Thank you Jodie! Have a great rest of the week!

  30. Ann @ Live The Old Way
    September 13, 2017 at 3:24 pm

    Your office turned out absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your renovations on the Homestead Blog Hop #151!

  31. December 5, 2017 at 1:13 pm

    It is a beautiful space! I would so love to work there myself!

  32. December 5, 2017 at 2:53 pm

    What a lovely room, I absolutely love that yellow stained glass window, such a beautiful feature! I love your stools too! x

  33. December 6, 2017 at 10:18 am

    Oh wow. What an incredible transformation! I’m totally jealous of your office space.

    #TwinklyTuesday

  34. December 7, 2017 at 3:46 am

    What a beautiful office transformation! Thanks for sharing and linking up at TrekkingThru.com

  35. January 10, 2018 at 12:46 pm

    Love all the antique finishes in your office. The dark floors look amazing! Visiting from Whisk It Wednesday.

  36. January 16, 2018 at 10:24 pm

    This looks awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your post with us on Whisk It Wednesday this week. Hope you have a great week and come back soon! Carrie

    • January 17, 2018 at 4:09 pm

      Thanks Carrie, have a great rest of your week!

  37. January 19, 2018 at 3:09 pm

    What a lovely office space! Great post 🙂 #thatfridaylinky

  38. January 23, 2018 at 6:46 pm

    Wow, what a great before and after difference. I love, love, love the stain-glass feature and I am so glad you have it in your office space, what a great way of incorporating the history and legacy of the house as a great reminder and it’s beautiful too.Thanks for linking up with #TuneInThursday

    • January 23, 2018 at 6:53 pm

      Thank you so much Debbie! Have a great week!

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