This Home Office Transforms from “Cramped and Gray” to Totally Groovy
If you work mostly from home, it can be difficult to separate your work life from your personal life, let alone create a distinct space that helps you do your best work. That was the classic dilemma facing author and professor Brandon Andrew Robinson (@drkittygirl).
Brandon worked with interior designer Michelle Fahmy of Haus of Meeshie to create their dream home office. When Michelle first came on board, Brandon’s office was “tight, cramped, and gray,” a far cry from their colorful, maximalist design sensibilities.
“We needed to make the space feel more appropriate for Brandon,” Michelle says. “They have accomplished so much and are such an inspiration, and we wanted their office to be a reflection of that. The ‘before’ needed to go.” Here are three ways the office got a much-needed update.
Decluttering helped create a sense of zen.
Moving everything besides the basics out of the space helped make things feel more organized, so Michelle and Brandon’s first step was to relocate all of the books to the living room space. This allowed for more room for a statement-making desk (CB2’s Reid Oval Storage Desk, to be precise), “and the essentials, [like Brandon’s] printer, white board, and easel,” Michelle explains.
Brandon’s rug is from Etsy, and the pendant light is from Letitfly. Although there’s lots of color and pattern in the room, there’s not much visual clutter because of the more minimalist staging.
The wallpaper is inspired by pop art.
Speaking of color and pattern, Brandon’s mushroom wallpaper is Lust Home’s “Fun Guy.”
“[Brandon was] inspired by pop art,” Michelle notes, adding that the wallpaper is a statement in and of itself!”
And the color continues to the ceiling. In order to balance that and bring even more serenity to Brandons’ work time, Michelle and her team decided to paint the office ceiling using a soft blue (Sherwin-Williams’ Cloudless) paint, which she says “gives the appearance of a light blue sky, which helped to lift the space.”
The result is a stylish, playful space that’s the exact opposite of gray and drab. As Michelle puts it: “Brandon is the coolest professor we have ever met, with an office to match.”
Looking for more home inspiration? You can check out Brandon’s full apartment tour here.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.