The Home Office Problem: Decorating with Your Spouse and Not Getting a Divorce

The Big Issues:

• My husband and I both own separate businesses - and work from home.

• To keep from killing one another we needed separate workspaces.

• We have very different taste. (He loves DARK. I love LIGHT.)

The Challenge:

When we bought our home it already had a room dedicated for an office.

The problem with the current space was:

1. It felt wrong - it was long and awkward.

2. It was outdated and would NEVER work, if we used it at the same time.

3. There was a ton of wasted space

The top picture is from the realtor when we bought the house - see how wide the room looks.

• Look at the picture below, and you can see how narrow the room really was.

• There were nice built-ins at both ends of the room. (We kept them to same money.)

• Notice my contractor's dog Scooter- he was the construction supervisor

**One of the first things we teach our clients is to determine your decorating style.

(Click here to take the quiz to determine your own style - it only takes 5 minutes)

That created the 2nd big challenge for us:

My husband wanted a dark & moody masculine space. I'd swear he would be happy living in a cave, as long as there was food and TV. LOL

I wanted a light & airy whimsical feeling.

Solution: Divide and Conquer

The Plan:

• Put up a wall in the middle of the room dividing the space into two individual spaces.

• We each get what we want, and the space gets full utilization.

• Remove the single door in the middle and make 2 separate office entrances.

The Results:

Office 1 - His Office:

• We kept the existing built-ins and just reworked them

• We added a cabinet and drawers on the right.

• Added crown molding and wainscoting and a TV.

• Painted a dark color to create a dark & moody vibe. (CAVE like. LOL)

Office 2 - My Office:

• Added doors to the left and right to hide the clutter and opened up the center.

• Updated existing lower doors with caning to include a space/crates for our 2 dogs.

• Painted the walls and builtins a light color.

• Added recessed and a ceiling light.

The BIG Payoff for Us:

• My husband and I are a team, but when we had to work in spaces we didn't like, it made us unhappy and kind of short tempered with one another.

• This project has changed the way we work from home.

• I made us happy we had a space that reflected our individual styles.• We are no longer embarrassed to have Zoom calls. LOL Personally...

• I am more productive and focused having a space that is organized, exactly the way I want it.

• I feel more creative & motivated because this space reflects me and my personality!

Our Advice:

1. Learn your style. (Free Quiz Link)

2. Don't be afraid to communicate with the people living in your home about what they want.

3. If you are stuck - GET HELP!

We can work with you 1 on 1 (Link) or you might like our instant solution community membership. (Link)