In this post: Our study is a small dark room with only one window. We completely transformed the look with french style furniture and a soft light color palette.
Today I’m eager to share with you the transformation of our home office/study in our new home. Unlike the dining room which was very similar to our old home, the study is made up of almost completely new elements. It’s a small dark room with only one window, so to lighten it up, I focused on French style furniture and a light color palette.
The challenge for this space was to have it easily function as my office during the day, while offering a spot for hubby to do paperwork in the evenings. For hubby it was essential that the desk faced a TV, yet for me the character of the room needed to mix well with the rest of our home. For that reason it embodies the casual elegance I so often strive for and would best be described as a French Country study.
The “before” shot, above, shows you how small and dark the room looked when we first saw it.
The first thing I had to address was the layout of the tricky space. In order for the desk to be facing the TV, it had to be free floating in the center of the room. For storage I chose to put a large bookcase behind it and a bench for seating across from it, beneath the TV.
The next step was to determine the color scheme of the room, and so I consulted the concept board I had done before we had moved. You’ll notice in my upcoming posts as I reveal the remaining rooms, this is typical of the process I use to decorate a space. I rarely dive in without a roadmap to follow and the concept boards I do serve exactly that purpose. In this room, with my furniture selections concentrated on lighter woods and neutral tones, I opted for a creamy pale yellow called Mannequin Cream from Benjamin Moore.
To add a note of interest and a touch of playful pretty, I decided to add accents in lilac and berry.
The centerpiece of the space is the painted French desk, with curved lines and gilded edging. This lovely desk very much defines the room. (See resource info below.)
Picking up on the gilding, the one aspect of the room that comes right out of my previous library, is the wall hanging vignette comprised of chippy shelf, flourished mirror, acanthus sconces and vintage china pieces.
The generous bookcase captures the essential dichotomy I was going for in this room, just rustic enough to keep it from getting too feminine, with wonderful casement hardware reminiscent of old French window trim.
The French doors in the room allow for private working time, yet invite the light in from the neighboring rooms.
A painted galvanized bucket with French labeling is the perfect container for floral color.
The one small window in the room brings in a bit of light, but its limited use makes the pale walls all the more essential. The cream linen tufted chair lends both comfort and refinement.
None of my rooms would be complete without my beloved teacups. This one adds a cheery hit of color while delivering a nice work day snack.
The placement of the outward-facing desk affords a glimpse into the nearby living room. The color feeling in this part of the house is very much cohesive.
Desk accessories are both functional and lovely, with a vintage china letter holder used to hold business cards taking center stage.
For guest seating I used a white tufted bench with pillows added for comfort. It’s tucked between farmhouse style file cabinets, topped with family photos for a personal touch.
The decor on the shelf imparts the essence of my style ~ chippy wood mixed with refined white linen, delicate painted china reflected through gilt accented mirroring.
As lovely as the room is, it truly is functional. Much of my creative work is done in this space and it very much rises to the challenge.
French Style Furniture Source List
Click below for direct links to the items. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided similar options. (This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)
- Painted French desk
- Tufted chair
- Tufted ottoman
- Faux floral
- Casement bookcase
- Farmhouse file cabinets
- Sweater pillow
- China pitchers
- Gilded mirror
- Chippy shelf
- Gilded sconce shelves
If you liked this post, you might also enjoy these rooms with french style furniture:
The Breakfast Room | French Accent Chairs | French Blue Guest Room
Are you following Designthusiasm on social media? Please join us at the links below:
Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | Instagram
Linking with Dwellings Monday, BNOTP Monday, A Stroll Thru Life Tuesday, The Scoop, Savvy Southern Style Wed, 21 Rosemary Lane Thursday, BNOTP Thurs, Feathered Nest Friday
Wow, what a pretty space to work in. Love that desk and I have always loved that style cabinet.
Thanks, Kim! I always value your comments because I just love your style… 🙂 Thanks for visiting!!
Absolutely gorgeous!!! Everything in this room looks divine! WOW:) Love it all!!!
Thanks so much, Cindy! This was definitely the trickiest room in the house to do, so I’m glad it’s resonating with people… 🙂
This room is gorgeous! I would never get much work done because I would be too busy looking at all the pretty.
Ha ha! Best comment… 🙂 I like to make my work environment pleasant… lol. Even tried my best when I worked in an office!
What a lovely room! Enjoy working in your beautiful space!
Thanks so much, Cindy… 🙂
Simply stunning! I’m loving the dest just gorgeous as is the rest of the office…
Smiles~
Mari
Thanks, Mari! Funny thing is, months ago when I thinking of getting that desk, I posted on Facebook asking if people thought it was too feminine for a home office that I share with my hubby. Lots of people thought it was, but the truth is, as long as he has his TV, he couldn’t care less what the desk looks like… 😉
I LovE your office! I love that French desk! I also like restoration hardware cabinets too… I have the smaller version of your French casement cabinet in my office (with the French partners desk) and st James in the bedroom! This looks so nice! Love it all!
Thanks, Angelina! Yeah, I’m a big RH fan… 🙂 The file cabinets are St. James. Sounds like your office is my taste too! Thanks for stopping by!
Beautiful!!!
Thanks!!
Lory, You nailed it; combining the feminine and masculine! The furniture pieces you used and placement of them is perfect. I love, love, love French metal casement hardware, and yours mimics it so well. I want those desk accessories….letter holder is absolutely divine! My home is still so disheveled… redoing almost every room. Your reveals encourage me not to throw in the towel, so thank you. I am really enjoying seeing your before and after photos because you have such a flair with design and the little extra touches that bring the rooms to perfection. Have a great day.
Bobbi, thank you so much for that comment. It’s fun adding in the before shots – it’s something I’ve never done in the past, but really helps to see the transformation. Nice to know my posts are encouraging… 🙂 The desk accessories are particularly fun for me, because those types of small pieces are usually from my travels and remind me of where I’ve visited. The letter holder is from an antique shop, but not too far from here. But the floral china piece is from Paris and I can still picture the little shop where I purchased it every time I look at it. Thanks for stopping by!
Ok, this is totally amazing. I am in love with everything. Gorgeous.
Oh, thanks so much, Marty! So glad it’s resonating with people because it was a tough room to do… 🙂
Incredibly beautiful! No room should have to stay in cramped, dark conditions! 🙂 Extremely well done.
http://www.kammyskorner.com
Thanks, Kammy! I couldn’t agree more. Sometimes half the battle is just lightening up the paint and clearing out the clutter. Add some pretty and you’re good to go… 🙂
Love, love love the desk and it totally has that nod to feminine without completely depriving the masculine. And you style things so beautifully!
Oh, thanks so much, Heather! I do think hubby was a little put off when he first saw the desk, but once he had his TV in place, all was good again… lol!
Such a beautiful space. I love everything about it!
Thank you, Carol!
Lory, this is such an elegant space! I’m so glad to see the Restoration Hardware bookcase in a blogger’s home. It is giving me a different look on it since it is on my wish list to buy. The hardware is divine and I love how it looks against your soft Benjamin Moore cream. I’m a huge fan of the Benjamin Moore cream choices. They are so versatile. Thank you for sharing your lovely office with us! Feel free to share it at the Make it Pretty party. Here’s the link if you have time. http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2015/07/make-it-pretty-monday-week-144.html Have a lovely afternoon! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Thanks so much, Kathryn! Yes, I’m a pretty big RH fan. I also have another bookcase upstairs in one of the bedrooms, so I’ll be revealing that one some time soon, too. Will definitely try to remember to link up, although I’m not great at remembering what I already linked where… lol.
Oh, my! What a transformation! But you didn’t show us the wall with the TV! I wish we could have seen how the TV plays with the bench and everything else. The difference between the old room and the new one is incredible, and the change is all for the better. The old room seem to be caught in some sort of 80s style. This is so much lighter and the proportions of the furniture are perfect. I share office space with my husband and I must say that it’s functional, but pretty ugly. The thought of a study/office like this makes me want to drool. Great job, Lory!
Ha ha… I wondered if anyone was going to call me out on the TV! I actually did have a pic with it queued up to go and then it fell out, in favor of the prettier pics with no TV. Now I’m going to make it a point to get a post done revealing all the TVs. Maybe after a few more of the rooms are revealed, I’ll dedicate a post specifically to that. Everyone always hides them, so it would be kind of fun to focus on that. In this case, it’s just a wall hung TV – not very nice looking at all, but at least clean and streamlined. Thanks for visiting!
Oh, and that embroidered hand towel is so, so lovely!
Ah yes, I do love my linens… 😉 So glad you appreciate the same things I do!
Your room is stunning! I would never want to leave it 🙂
Thanks, Eilis!! It does make working a bit easier… 😉
Kim, this is one of the most beautiful work spaces I’ve seen. What a transformation! I could spend hours in this room. Your setting would definitely make on feel comfortable and creative. I’m impressed that you and your husband share this space. Kudos to you!
Thanks, Sarah! I think he was a little concerned when he first saw the desk, but once he realized the room was functional and his beloved TV was front and center, all was forgiven… 😉 Someone else upthread asked to see the TV in the space, so I may do a post on that soon. Thanks for stopping by!
Just beautiful, your site is an inspiration!
Thanks so much, Lorie!
Wow, it’s gorgeous! Such a lovely space to create in…the desk is beautiful!
Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY!
Blessings,
Cindy
Oh, thank you, Cindy!! Thanks for hosting, too… 🙂 I always enjoy participating in your linkups.
Wow, just beautiful! Visiting from Dwellings – Amaze Me Monday link party.
Thanks so much, Mary! And thanks for stopping by… 🙂
Love this room. It is a gorgeous room to work in. Lots of beautiful details. The desk is my favorite and I also love the view to the living room.
Enjoy your new home.
Thank you, Janet! It’s a pleasure that it turned out well, given that there’s only one small window and it was an odd space to work out. So glad it resonates with others… 🙂
This is just gorgeous, Lori! I would love to work in that space! What an improvement from the before photo. I really like the soft neutral color scheme with accents of feminine color. And, of course the furnishings really elevate the room’s styling. Beautiful job!
Thank you so much, Julie! This room started out being the most difficult to do and it wound up as one that most resonates with people… 🙂 I do enjoy working there, so it’s nice that it’s appreciated by others, as well!
Love that bookcase and that beautiful french desk!
Thanks, Martina!!
Lory, this is such a beautiful space! Anyone would want to work in there! Thank you for sharing it with us at the Your Home Decor & More Link Party! I know more people are going to see it and love it too!
Thanks so much, Iris! So delighted to see a link party that’s decor driven!! Thanks for hosting… 🙂 Good luck with the new party!
What a gorgeous room – I love the colors you have used and the french theme is stunning. I also love the little pieces that you have added to the room to add personality. I’m visiting from Home Decor & More Monthly Link Up Party but I really like your site so am sticking around to see more. Thanks 🙂
Thank you so much, Jenelle, and welcome!! It’s always nice to know when the things we love resonate with others, as well. I tend to decorate with a lot of French touches… 🙂 Thanks for visiting!!
WOW! Your home, blog and this room is gorgeous! That shelf, the color and chippy! Oh man, so beautiful. Nicely done!
Omg, thanks so much for the wonderful feedback!! It’s so great to hear because this was a really challenging room to do. So nice to know when your ideas and aesthetic resonate with others. Thanks for visiting… 🙂
Hello Lori,
First let me tell you how I discovered this post- Interior Design UK shared a link on Twitter that then went to a peculiar looking webpage that linked to Cindy from Dwellings The Heart of Your Home. It was like this giant loop. Cindy is a favorite of mine and I will be following you as well.
Your desk looks similar to one made by Hooker Furniture. Both are truly stunning pieces of functional art. The wall color is the perfect yellow too. What a lovely space to work in.
Olivia
Reinvented Collection
Wow, thanks so much, Olivia! What a funny path it took to get here. The internet sometimes amazes me… 😉 I really do love the desk and I’m so glad the room resonated with you, as well. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and say hi!!
Gorgeous, Lory! I love this space so much — so beautiful and functional, too — perfection!
Thanks so much, Julie!!
This is a beautiful room, along with the rest of your home. Are you worried about deep scratches in the gorgeous wooden floor from the desk chair? Are you opposed to perhaps a soft rose, cream tan Oriental rug (or some other quality accent rug) under the desk that would bring in the colors of the accessories, tea cups, etc. ? Just wondering. I love how you pull in the antique tea cups in the various rooms; they remind me of the best of the past. Such lovely patterns and designs. Thanks for sharing! As always, very inspirational!
Thank you so much, Nancee! I don’t usually worry about things like scratches but it is part of my plan to add a rug to this room at some point, mainly for the warm look. And yes, I have a bit of a teacup obsession… 😉 Thanks for visiting!!
Your office/study looks so beautiful and yet very professional. Love the colors.
LOVELY! BRAVO!
May, I, suggest, a: tall—white-paned—starbursted-leaning-mirror; floor-to-ceiling; across, the room—from, the, French-doors?
— Lovingly, also-a-
DESIGNER, JAN ?
Thanks, Jan! I actually have thought about a large leaning mirror, although I had a different type in mind. Could happen in the future though… 😉