Having an office in the air is quite an exhilarating experience. An office in a loft! This elevated space above the house is inherently private and a wonderful escape from the hustle and bustle of home. That's why Emily Henderson, founder of Emily Henderson Designs, was totally captivated by the idea of creating a small, cozy writing room here, where she could get some blissful rest and still be within earshot of her kids.
Her home in Lake Arrowhead, California, had an unused wooden loft. “To be honest, I don't know what the previous owners used it for,” Emily says. “It was probably a lounge space, but for me it was the perfect place to write while watching and listening to my young children play.” The design was carefully thought out, with furnishings and fixtures chosen to create a wonderful sense of layering. Large windows allow constant light and views to stream in, lending the space a sense of comfort and warmth.
We caught up with Emily to find out more about how she transformed this loft space into her own home office.
in front
(Image courtesy of Emily Henderson Design)
The loft space was underutilized, but Emily Henderson, founder of Emily Henderson Design, decided to use it as a place to write, blog, and think.
“The whole house has a minimalist, warm Scandinavian feel, so we wanted this space to follow that theme,” she says. “Especially since it opens into the main living room, they needed to 'speak' to each other.”
rear
Image 1 of 2
(Image courtesy of Sarah Ligoria. Design by Emily Henderson)(Image courtesy of Sarah Ligoria. Design by Emily Henderson)
For the redesign, Emily settled on a neutral color scheme. Because the space gets lots of light and is surrounded by trees, “I didn't want to take away from that and go overboard with color and pattern,” she says. For furniture, she went for large, statement pieces that would make working with them easier and complement the room's aesthetic. “I added vintage Guido Faleschini chairs from my favorite LA vintage shop, MIDCENTURYLA, and a gorgeous dining table from Article,” she says.
A black vintage chair (previously in the living room but later moved here) occupies a corner, “and in the other corner is a wingback chair from Target that gives off a cozy vibe,” says Emily.
Get the look
Price: $309
Dimensions: 29.5″ L x 29.25″ W x 29.25″ H
This faux leather armchair from Target exudes midcentury vibes.
Price: $999
Dimensions: 29″ H x 86.5″ W x 37.5″ D
While not exactly the same as Emily's, this Article table has midcentury style legs and is very similar.
(Image courtesy of Sarah Ligoria. Design by Emily Henderson)
A cozy rug adds softness to this wooden space. “The rug is Annie Selke's Citra Grey Hand. It's a gorgeous wool rug, and it's very well made,” Emily adds. “I've used it in other places before, so I know it's very durable.”
When it came to choosing storage for this small space, the designer opted for handy cabinetry. “I needed a place to store all my parenting and self-help books,” she says. “The Skagerak cabinets do just that. Plus, they're super cute and have gorgeous hardware.”
Get the look
Citra Grey Hand Knotted Wool Rug
Price: $1,748
Size: 6×9
The rug Emily chose is a subtle checked pattern that brings great texture to the room.
Get the look
Price: $679
Size: 7.6' wide x 9'6″ long
Or, for a monochromatic look, try this alternative design from Saks.
Image 1 of 2
(Image courtesy of Sarah Ligoria. Design by Emily Henderson)(Image courtesy of Sarah Ligoria. Design by Emily Henderson)
Decorating the office wasn't a difficult project, but the designers faced some limitations when it came to the wood's tone. “The original wood was a deep orange color, and after a year of trying to find a solution, we blasted the walnut to create a really deep pink-orange texture,” she says. “Brian Henderson came up with the solution. We re-sewn tongue-and-groove, which are the horizontal pieces of wood that go between the rafters, and sanded the texture down on the rafters (or beams).”
“We used reclaimed beech from Ross Allan Reclaimed Lumber, the same as the flooring and cabinets throughout the house,” adds Emily. “I think we ended up with about $7,000 in labor, or at least that's what they estimated, but we paid for 'time and materials,' so it might have taken longer and therefore cost more. With normal ceilings it wouldn't have cost that much, but because the ceilings are so high we would have needed scaffolding and would have had to hire a company to haul it in, and overhead work takes a lot longer than, say, re-walling.”
The loft is now a seamless space, with a seamless floor and ceiling. “I love that the space is so quiet and uncluttered now,” says Emily. “I can sit here and concentrate on work, and the light coming in through the big windows is just magical.”