Before and After: This Home Office Nails the Beverly Hills Hotel Vibe on a Budget
After living in her house for five long years, Kate felt a burning need to shake things up. She admits her style has a tendency to change and evolve, and periodically needs to explore a completely new aspect of her personality. This time, she scratched that itch in her home office.
The home office had a lot going for it, with its soothing gray-green walls, comfy furniture, and plush shag rug. It’s the kind of room you want to hunker down in for days, getting work done, reading, or playing music. But when the decorating bug hits, sometimes you just need to shake things up and go a completely different direction.
And this, my friends, is a completely different look. Where before the room was cozy, the newly decorated space perks you right up, and gives you a shot of energy. Kate, who’s a wedding photographer by day, used the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel as her inspiration. The well-documented hotel is known for its retro glam decor with a side of tropical modernism, and is a favorite of celebrities and design mavens. Kate nailed the vibe.
Kate did a lot of clever things with paint here, using it to affordably delineate space and add interest. The classic banana leaf print—a mainstay of the hotel throughout its history—makes an appearance in small doses, but it’s those great broad blue cabana stripes that are the real statement. And, since they are painted on, Kate avoided the expense of traditional wallpaper.
Another wall, painted half-pink and half-white, adds yet another dimension. Kate did a great job choosing a classic palette of cool pink, greens, and blues, which are fun and swanky. (While you’re admiring all that color, say hello to Kate’s Boston Terrier, Charlotte.)
As seen in her recent living room redo, Kate loves the challenge of making rooms over on a budget. To keep the cost down, she reused her previous furniture—like the aqua console—and gave her old desk a new life with just a fresh coat of paint. Little touches, like the starburst wall hanging and record player, give the room just enough polish and newness.
Thank you Kate!