Basement Home Office Final Reveal – Week 8 of the One Room Challenge

This is the week I have been waiting for, our basement home office final reveal for the One Room Challenge (ORC). Well, waiting isn’t exactly the right word, as I have been working loooong days and nights finishing the many last-minute details that come with a project of this scale. I have been doing a happy dance as I take photos and stare at the many projects that have come to fruition. Did you know that I first envisioned this space several years ago? I finally took the plunge to tackle the project a couple months ago. I am writing this post from my new desk and it feels great to have a dedicated office space. Thank you to the One Room Challenge for giving me the push needed to finish this project and to strive for a creative and challenging design.

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In case you want to see the progress I made in the first seven weeks of the One Room Challenge, you can read my earlier posts here:

Our Home Office

If you’ve been following along with me and this year’s first One Room Challenge, you will have seen this before picture. My husband and I did the framing and drywalling last fall but it had been sitting in this state for a few months.

How to Paint Cabinets with Benjamin Moore Advance

This is a progress photo from a couple weeks ago.

Last week, I painted and wallpapered the desk wall and it made a huge difference to the space. I used Benjamin Moore Lush, a rich grey-green with blue undertones somewhere between a mid-tone and a deep tone. It’s from the Affinity Collection, AF-475. This is how the room looked on Sunday.

One Room Challenge Progress This Week

My main accomplishments this week were installing the desktop shelves and trim, adding baseboards and shoe moulding to the room, installing a door and casing, and bringing in furniture, decor and artwork.

Here’s my updated project list for the One Room Challenge Spring 2024 edition:

Construct window jamb extensions and frame the window ✔
Clean up the space- remove everything, sweep, and wipe every surface clean ✔
Plan an optimal layout for the space ✔
Prime and paint walls and ceiling ✔
Install vinyl plank flooring ✔
Design and construct a reading bench ✔
Plan and construct built-in shelves ✔
Design and construct a two-desk wall unit with storage ✔
Apply feature wall behind desk unit ✔
Prime and paint desk unit ✔
Apply and paint trim ✔
Install shelving on top of desk unit ✔
Install lighting ✔
Add freestanding shelves and a craft table ✔
Make a cover for the reading bench and choose/make pillows ✔ (no cover)
Decorate with rugs, cushions, plants, and accessories ✔

I accomplished just about everything (and more) that I set out to do. Yesterday my husband and I installed an interior passage door to the furnace room. It was relatively easy and satisfying to have the furnace room finally behind closed doors. I’m proud to say that I did the majority of work on this project myself. My husband did the electrical work and helped me with heaving lifting when necessary. There were several things I had never done before and it was a great learning experience.

Desk Unit

Building the desk unit was a big undertaking and you can read about it here. It’s a double desk with one side for myself (left) and the other for my husband. I gave him the larger side as he has been without a dedicated home office space for over a decade. Each side of the desk has a drawer unit, countertop, desktop shelf, tall cabinet storage unit, trim, and electrical and internet connections. The paint colour and wallpaper make the desk wall come alive.

Desktop Shelves

Building the desktop shelves took a bit of planning. First, I built a plywood frame and checked it to make sure it would fit perfectly in the space between the desktop and ceiling (it didn’t). After making a slight (but annoying) adjustment, I painted the frame green. Next, I made the shelves using 2 by 10 select pine boards glued together to create 1.5″ thick shelves. I then finished them off with an antiquing glaze and screwed them to the frame before lifting them into place and securing them to the wall.

Built-in Reading Bench/Daybed

One of the highlights of the space is the built-in reading bench. This space was designed for relaxing and reading. I added a wooden stool to support a coffee mug as this is the spot I’m drawn to with tea or coffee in hand. It’s where I most often sat to ponder the project throughout the process. It’s very cozy and there’s definitely room for 2 or 3 to sit comfortably and read.

Bookshelves

The bookshelves are Billy bookcases from IKEA and are conveniently located next to the reading nook. Books are currently scattered throughout our home and it will be nice to have a bunch of them all together in one room. My youngest son is an avid reader and I have promised him the smaller shelf.

I also purchased an IKEA Hauga storage unit that will be used for craft supplies. This will be where the kids (and future grandkids) can go for markers, paint, paper, and other supplies.

Craft Table

The craft table is the desk that I previously had in our bedroom. I can’t believe how tiny it looks in this space. It will be used for kid’s craft projects and any messy projects like painting or wreath making.

Artwork and Upholstered Bench

You can never have too much seating, so I moved this bench in from another part of the house. And at the last minute, I found some artwork from Desenio to create this pretty gallery wall. I wanted to play up the tropical feel of the wallpaper and opted for a tropical canvas (bottom right) as well as other art that incorporates green, beige, and white tones. You can use my code WILLOWBLOOM for 45% off prints @desenio (excluding personalized prints or canvas) until midnight on May 31^st, 2024.

Chairs

The lovely chairs are the Daily Chair from Branch Furniture in their Vegan Leather (Limestone colour). They are fully adjustable, ergonomic, very comfortable, as well as stylish! I wanted a light, neutral-toned chair to balance out the more colourful desk wall. I like that they’re not stark white though. They’re a soft, beigy grey.

Future Work in the Basement Home Office

I have a few finishing details that I hope to complete in the next couple of weeks. The picture light for above the built-in shelf unit has not arrived. My husband will install that as soon as it gets delivered. I’d still like to make a cover for the reading nook cushion. And we need to install the French Doors that lead to the yoga, mediation, and exercise room.

Summary

I hope you enjoyed reading about the Basement Home Office Final Reveal. Thank you for joining me for the Spring 2024 One Room Challenge. I can’t wait for you to see how this turns out! Please head over to the One Room Challenge site to check out the completed projects from the other participants.