The client's request seemed simple at first. The idea was to transform a bland guest bedroom into an elegant home office. But Barbara Elliott and Jennifer Ward Woods, partners at the Atlanta-based design firm The Sisters & Company, are working with Decorating & Co., a collection of independently owned and operated design firms across the United States. Although he is part of Den Interiors, he soon realized there was a fine line between them. . The homeowners wanted the office to be distinctly masculine, or what the designers describe as a “casual gentleman's space.” However, since the room is located right by the front door and is visible as soon as you walk in, the decor had to be consistent with the rest of the house.
Additionally, while the office functions as a retreat with an atmosphere of privacy, it also needed to function as some degree of public space, as the attached bathroom doubles as a guest bathroom. They realized that what they needed to accomplish here was contradictory. This means that it is a sanctuary where visitors can still enter with peace of mind.
Elliott and Wardwoods solved the puzzle with a clever design that looks like a luxurious living room (albeit a mini one) while still having a fully functional workspace. Here's the guiding principle behind their transformation.
Avoid “office furniture”
Sisters & Company | Decorating the interior of the study
The pair quickly dismissed the idea of a traditional, imposing executive desk. I wanted the room to feel open and cozy without being blocked by a huge block of wood. Instead, they can order a custom cabinet wall that can accommodate the owner's dual monitors (creating a truly work-friendly space) and also provide storage space, making it more aesthetically appealing than pure practicality. Now you can freely choose the desk you want. The wood and lacquer model they chose has no heavy drawer stacks on the sides and floats off the floor on slim legs. The rounded corners and slim shape remind us of a well-designed table rather than just a place to put a table. Paper work.
Similarly, the bolster-back chair, “the centerpiece of the space,” sits at your desk when you're ready for a meeting, while its eye-catching pattern and delicate hammered metal frame invites party guests to relax. Equally suitable for giving. A place to stop. To further enhance that “walk in” vibe, Elliott and Wardwoods placed a pedestal cocktail table nearby. This is a subtle signal that this room is all work and not all play.
The chair's fabric, which combines black and earth tones, was also the starting point for the room's color palette, which the designer anchored with bold black paint on the walls and cabinets. “I think it has a moody, casual, elegant feel,” Wardwoods says. “It definitely screams 'masculinity'.”
Visible style shelf
Sisters & Company | Decorating the interior of the study
Another designer technique to make the room feel private and cozy was to lock up office supplies and other practical items in a closed warehouse. This allowed the open shelves to be used for beautiful decoration, making them more than just a place to put things, but a cleverly curated display. Behind the shelves, wallpaper woven with quartz shimmer reflects the room's colors, creating a textural effect that is the ideal backdrop for stone and ceramic pieces and accents. The result is a space that can only be perceived as an office through two monitors from the vantage point of the guest chair.
Bringing you a little shine
Sisters & Company | Decorating the interior of the study
Clients want office bathrooms (including guest bathrooms) to “feel like they're in a swanky nightclub,” says Ward-Woods. Achievement Unlocked: The white and black color scheme, floor-to-ceiling 3D tiles, and dramatic crystal teardrop pendants are clearly meant to be seen and admired in this flashy space. No one who enters feels like they are invading the world. someone's personal territory. Especially not when the lights under the spectacular backlit mirror and beckoning vanity automatically turn on when someone enters. Another ingenious detail that makes this home office as much fun as business.