How to DIY the office space of your dreams

I have finally finished painting my office! It’s been a lot of sporadic weekends, but I’m excited to show you how it’s progressing. I still have lots to do with curtains and setting things up, but it’s nice to share a progress update with you.

The vision

The room I have for my office is the smallest bedroom, and it doesn’t get a lot of natural light. Originally I considered white or light pinks to bring brightness to the space. However, they just weren’t working and I decide to lean into the darkness of the room.

I wanted to feel cosy and calm in this space, but at the same time I needed some energy. It is a workspace after all! I love the timeless English country style, and wanted to give my room some of that feeling, without LARPing. Our house is a classic 90s build, and so doesn’t have the grand proportions or original moulding that would truly lend itself to full on English country style. A light touch was needed.

The aim was the end up with a cosy room that would feel not unlike a snug in an old country house, with lots of visual interest while remaining uncluttered.

Finally, I do have budget constraints here. Anything I did to the room had to be something I could achieve myself (or with help from my husband). I shopped the house for things to decorate it with, and tried to work the theme with things I already had, or could pick up second hand.

Before

After

The DIY supplies

I used Dulux Wash and Wear interior paint (low sheen) in Atlantic Mystique for the walls and Dulux Aquanamel in Natural White for the trim. The ceiling is Dulux Ceiling White. I’ve used the same ceiling and trim colours throughout the house, which gives it a nice sense of continuity.

I started with three blue swatches, ranging from a very dark blue through to a bright one. Atlantic Mystique managed to hit the middle ground. In sunlight it brightens out, showcasing an ephemeral grey undertone. In darkness or artificial light, it warms up beautifully. Paired with rich wood tones it positively glows.

Given my trim, ceiling and walls were different colours, I did them a week apart and leaned heavily on the Frog Tape. This gave my trim and ceiling time to dry, so it wouldn’t be damaged by the tape. Then I taped off all the trim, including windowsills, door frames and all around the ceiling cornice. This gave me a nice sharp line between the colours at the end. Frog Tape is excellent for paint blocking, but I still had a few places that needed a touch up, mostly where I hadn’t got the tape completely straight.

I bought three new frames to hang some art, all from Ikea. They aren’t the most high quality frames, but they had the simple lines and colours I wanted. It’s also nice to be able to hang your art for under $60! I would definitely recommend Ikea frames if you’re looking for minimalist frames on a budget.

Art and decor

See that wood glow I’m talking about? I love how my wooden pear collection shines next to the blue. I’m hoping to find second hand or make a long, low bookshelf to hold my bits and pieces one day. But for now they are looking lovely on this little table.

The butterfly poster is actually a piece of bougie wrapping paper! I bought it nearly seven years ago in a bookshop and have had it rolled up in a tube, waiting to spread its wings. I love how it looks on the wall, next to my real butterfly. The other two are actually wallpaper samples! I got them when I was thinking of wallpapering the powder room. While that ship has sailed (the price for tapware alone is eye-watering), it’s still nice to look at these pretty patterns on my wall. And it’s a pretty cheap way to create a gallery wall.

My tips for creating a room you love

If you want to try something a bit different, I say go for it! I have been dreaming of painting a room a slightly out-there colour since forever. When we finally got here, I did have moments where I considered sticking with the all-white scheme, to be safe. But I couldn’t pass up the chance to try something a bit different. A carefully chosen blue felt like a good way to approach this. Which leads me to my next point.

While you’re welcome to try anything you like in your own home, you are more likely to end up with a successful outcome if you take time to carefully plan the space. Really think about the colour you want to use, and swatch like mad until you find the right shade for your room. Be prepared to let go of a colour if it really isn’t working. I did that with pink in this room. I could have found the perfect pink, I’m sure. But after four swatches, I was ready to go in a different direction!

I also thought about the rest of the house. While white and warm wood are the bones for the house pallette, I am also using red and blue throughout to give the house a cohesive pop. This is usually through rugs, art, furniture and soft furnishings, like pillows and throws. Going with blue for my office allowed me to carry on this theme, albeit in a bolder way.

Think about how your ‘fun’ room will translate across the rest of your house. Will it be a jarring transition? Are there colour threads you can pick up from the rest of the house?

This is definitely a departure from the light and bright approach I’ve taken elsewhere, but it still sits well because the colour is pulling on the other threads.

Think about how much light you get too. This room faces east and gets very little light, even in the mornings. I leant into the darkness by going with a darker colour, rather than trying to give the impression of light with a white or pale shade. The dark paint makes the room feel cocooning, rather than lacking in light.

Finishing touches

I haven’t quite finished here. There are still curtains to be hung, and I’m hoping to find something warm, bold and colourful to sit against the blue. I’ve also left space for a comfortable armchair too. I imagine sitting to work in the armchair on Friday afternoons, or perhaps doing some hand sewing or reading here on a weekend. But for now, it’s a lovely room to work in, and I’m excited to keep building on it.

What do you think of the blue room? Would you go for a bold colour? Let me know in the comments.