An Under-$200 Paint Project Adds Major Drama to This Impeccably Organized Office
ABOUT THIS BEFORE & AFTER
HOME TYPE: Apartment
PROJECT TYPE: Office & Dens
STYLE: Colorful
SKILL LEVEL: DIY, Professional
RENTAL FRIENDLY: Yes
Even in the most colorful of homes, there’s sometimes a room with white walls to add a bit of balance. In renter Imani Keal’s (@imaniathome) home, that’s the home office. It’s the first room she’s painted white (Sherwin-Williams’ Alabaster).
She describes the white on her home office walls as “white, but not stark” on Instagram, and it’s the perfect backdrop for her home office (which, by the way, still has plenty of color for the polychromatic fans out there).
The ceiling, trim, and doors are pink.
Imani decided to go bold on the doors and ceiling with pink paint (Valspar’s Frosty Berry.) But before that, she added a bit more architectural drama with rope trim, which Imani cut and nailed about 4 inches below the ceiling. She made sure everything was straight using a laser level. She caulked around the edges, then added her pink paint above it.
“This project required no power tools, and each piece of the trim was about $15,” Imani says on Instagram. In total, transforming the room with paint and trim cost less than $200.
Wall-to-wall shelving makes the home office more functional.
Where Imani splurged in the home office makeover was on her storage and custom shelving designed by The Container Store, which cost about $4,900.
Still, one of her favorite storage items in the room isn’t custom and is a game-changer for renters, she says, and that’s the over-door storage hanger. “I have three over-the-door racks,” Imani tells Apartment Therapy. “My bedroom closet, bathroom, and office all have one, and they’re the perfect storage hack.”
Furniture and accessories add more warmth and color.
Imani’s shelving units themselves are a neutral color, but her DIY supplies, accessories, and furniture keep this room far from being devoid of color (in addition to the pink paint, of course).
There’s a chartreuse rug from Ruggable, a daybed from West Elm to match, a cool green table lamp, and a vintage desk. The result? A personality-packed, productive space.
“I’m waking up early, going to bed late, spending hours organizing and labeling every inch of this room,” Imani writes on her blog. “And can you blame me?”
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Ashley — Here Are the Best to Suit Your Style and Space
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here’s What They Said
