March 17, 2021
Turning a previously formal office into a multi-functional room for our young family.
The Background
We had this beautiful, custom-built office in our house when we bought it. The problem? It was just a little TOO nice for a family with 3 children under the age of three, who want to paint, color, run around with trucks, etc. (you know the drill). We made the decision that we would get a LOT more use out of this space if we renovated the entire room to be more family friendly. (Don’t worry – we didn’t throw this beautiful furniture away. We were able to disassemble it and give it to a friend, who now has a brand new beautiful home office). Say hello to our new office/craft/homework/reading room!
A room to grow into
We still wanted to have an office space for my husband and myself, but we didn’t need this entire room to work in. We wanted a space where the kids could do arts and crafts, and then a designated space for them to do homework in the future. We built the long desk across the far side of the room with spaces for each kid to have when they start school and need a space for themselves.
I absolutely LOVE how the children’s area turned out. They love the craft table. The artwork display wall was actually my husband’s idea – and it might be my favorite part of the whole room.
What do you need with three kids, 2 adults, and lots of craft and office supplies? STORAGE. This is my creation with an IKEA Billy Bookcase combination with doors. My favorite part? Hidden behind the door with the frosted glass is my handheld vacuum! We used a frosted glass spray paint on the inside of the glass, and my husband cut out a slot on the inside to get to the wall outlet. We then fixed the vacuum holder to the inside of the bookcase. Craft messes are a problem of the past 😁.
The “adult” work area provides for a serene and inspiring place to focus and get work done. Outside of the window is our outdoor pond/waterfall, which makes for some really amazing background noise while working.
I love that we were able to take a space that wasn’t suitable for youngsters, and turn it into a place where the entire family can be creative together. If you want to see more pictures of our home transformation – check out the rest of the blog!
