Home Office Update for a New Parent Returning to Work
Published March 1, 2024
Lauren Comer is an avid DIYer, content creator and the author behind Pinch Plate Party. Through her blog, Lauren aims to inspire and empower others to transform their homes into their favorite place to stay, eat, and entertain! Lauren believes that It’s possible to have the home of your dreams with a few power tools, a simple recipe book, and a modest decor budget.
A Note From The Home Depot
Follow along as Lauren Comer, the powerhouse behind Pinch Plate Party, transforms her sister-in-law's home office to a space perfectly and beautifully curated for her every need in a heartwarming surprise renovation.
Table of Contents
Step One: Painting
Step Two: Trim and Molding
Step Three: DIY Shelves
Step Four: Finishing Touches
My sister in law and her husband purchased a home last year and had plans to update the office in their home, but after pregnancy, having a new baby, and returning to work this project started to feel out of reach. So she and I tackled this home office update together and were able to completely transform the space in three days! In this blog post, I’ll walk you through the process, sharing the tools and products we used and the steps we took to create a stylish and practical workspace.
Step One: Painting
For a fresh look, we opted for Behr's Marquee formula in the color Equilibrium. We used matte finish on the walls and semi-gloss for the crown molding. Although we didn’t want to fully color drench the space, we wanted to mimic this effect by using the same color for the wall's upper trim (and later, the bookshelves).
To start, we used the paintbrush in the paint kit to cut in along the baseboards and corners. We used the included 9-inch roller to roll the matte paint on the walls. We later used the paintbrush to brush the semi-gloss paint on the crown molding.
Step Two: Trim and Molding
To enhance dimension, we installed battens and molding on the back wall. After determining our cut list we used the Ryobi circular saw to trim our 1x2 and 1x3 pine boards to the appropriate lengths. Using a brad nailer, we installed 1x2 primed pine boards above the baseboards and beneath the crown molding. Next, we evenly spaced and nailed nine 1x3 primed pine boards along the back wall.
After installing the primed boards we trimmed the inside of each frame with 7/16 in. x 3/4 in Primed Finger-Jointed Stop Moulding and installed using the brad nailer. We used the hand miter shears to ensure accurate cuts for the finger-jointed stop molding.
After installing the lumber and trim, we filled any joints and nails holes with wood filler and sanded once dry. From there we caulked all the seams. We used matte paint to match the trim details with the walls (using paint brush and 4-inch roller included in the paint kit).
Step Three: DIY Shelves
Danielle had an existing bookshelf which was too short for the room and wasn’t deep enough to adequately house her books and office printer. We wanted this new bookshelf to better serve the space, so one of the updates we implemented was to craft deep open shelves to add more storage and visual interest to the office.
We painted four pine stair treads using the leftover semi-gloss paint and securely hung them with steel shelf brackets. These shelves function so much better for her office essentials and help make the room appear taller.
Step Four: Finishing Touches
Another great upgrade to the space was replacing her standard electrical outlets with Leviton outlets that have built-in Type A and C USB Chargers.
We added a large ombre rug to add another layer of dimension and to help ground the space and used tool hooks to hang her guitars on the wall.
To complete the office transformation, we moved Danielle's existing furniture, lamps, and plants back into the office and styled with additional plants. We wanted to bring a little bit of spring indoors and positioned the plants to create a relaxing and inviting environment.
This multifunctional space, designed with a new parent in mind, is adaptable to serve her family for years. Remember, a home office can be created in various spaces like a large closet, a corner, or a nook, proving that functionality doesn't always require a dedicated room.
By following this step by step guide, you can create a stylish and efficient workspace tailored to your needs, just like we did for Danielle. Happy renovating!
This post was created in partnership with The Home Depot. The author may have received compensation for this article and associated images or video, potentially in the form of products and/or services. All expressed opinions and experiences are the author’s own words.
