Bedroom Turned Office

Jeff C
by Jeff C
I finally found some pictures of the room before I started working on it. Now I'm able to show off the 99% completion of the bedroom turned office. The process took a few months but the end result is almost exactly what I had in mind when starting. One of the important lessons I learned during the transition was to never apply painters tape to the ceiling in order to get a nice clean line near the intersection of the ceiling and wall. Not only did it not work, but in two places where I removed the blue painters tape, some of the paint peeled off as well. This was pretty depressing but the only thing I figured I could do was apply a few layers of paint to these areas. Although I know exactly where these areas are on the ceiling, they are not immediately noticeable to guests.
Another disappointment I had regarding the ceiling is how the painted surface turned out. Instead of one continuous surface, it looks like you can see where I rolled, especially at the edges of the roller. I think I used a bad technique with the roller brush extender or I used a bad roller cover not meant for ceilings. Either way, I'm, not thrilled with the end product of the ceiling but after two coats, I said the hell with it.
As for the window trim, when researching how to cut and install it, I came across a technique that applied a different look to the windows. Rather than being a normal, frame around the window, I created a sill like feature on the bottom by flipping the trim upside down and applying an angle to the ends. While I applied a 45 degree angle, I highly recommend an angle of 25 degrees or less. 45 Was too much. You should go for a more subtle look than the typical 45 degree angle.
One of the hardest parts of this project was determining the paint colors which I've published on hometalk before. After attending a local home improvement show, I stopped by the Sherwin williams desk and told them my plans. They gave me some color suggestions and wala! They worked to a T. I'm using Meditation for the blue on the walls, Alabaster semi gloss for the trim and Pure white for the ceiling. The blue is not too dark and not too light which is exactly what I wanted. The blue also matches perfectly with the white.
As for the floor, it was in terrible shape but thanks to the folks at Mr. Sandless, I was able to have it refinished with a darker stain applied. I posted my review of Mr. Sandless and published detailed pictures on an earlier post here at Hometalk.
The window treatments were courtesy of Budget Blinds, a company local to the area. After doing some research, Cellular shades were just too darn expensive. I opted for the dark wood look and I have to say, the line covers on the blinds make a big difference in terms of looks. The wooden slats are easy to clean and so far, have been holding up well.
The wooden magazine racks were made via a tutorial I discovered on Pinterest. They are merely a half of a pallet with a pallet board placed underneath.
The metal registers were in bad shape. I took them outside and used a metal wire brush along with a spinning metal wheel brush to get most of the crud off of them. I then used Rustoleums Glossy white which was a paint and primer in one.
The desk was found on Craigslist after weeks of searching for an L-Shaped desk that didn't have a large hutch. The buyer wanted $600.00 for the desk which came with an office chair and two filing cabinets. I was able to talk him down to $400.00. We now have an area for my computer stuff and on the shorter end of the L is my wifes work area.
The two long shelves were custom made which I've also documented on Hometalk.
One of the things I really wanted in the office was an area away from the computer where I could just sit back, relax and read a magazine or two. I accomplished this by purchasing an $800.00 Leather lazy boy recliner. It was pricy but boy, it sure was worth it. I found the lamp with reading light at Home Depot, it's nothing special really but suits the little corner well.
One of the last things I will be adding to the office is a fish tank. Something I've wanted for a long time. As far as the closet area goes, I've left the doors off and have used the area for storage.
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  • Warren G. Warren G. on Oct 28, 2012
    Very nice job...
  • Z Z on Nov 04, 2012
    The wall color is beautiful @Jeff C. The wood tones look perfect with it! Great transformation. As for the ceilings, and I know real painters are going to think I'm nuts, but if I paint the ceilings I prefer to do them last since it's easier to mask off the wall. I know there's a chance of drips, but if I'm careful to not over fill the roller it's minimal if at all and I always have a helper that keeps an eye out for any spills so they can be wiped off immediately. The most important thing about using painters tape is to make sure the paint you're using it on has cured for at least a week and that you remove it as soon as you're finished painting before the paint is dry. If you don't then you should use an utility knife running it along the edge of the tape.
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