In this article: See how we turned a plain bedroom into a home office with a simple, budget-friendly makeover. Here’s how it turned out!
Our nest is finally empty.
We have been getting ready for this day since our first son was born, but I’ll admit it feels a little strange.
We’ve had small tastes of the empty nest over the years, but this time it feels official.
A few weeks ago the last box was packed, the piles of clothes came off the floor, and the posters came down from the walls. Our youngest son moved across town to rent a house with his older brother and a friend.
And then we were left with this…
A completely empty room.
We bought this townhouse with an empty nest in mind. It’s the perfect size for two… but a bit cramped for a family with grown boys.
From the start we knew this room would someday become something else. At first we thought about a guest room, but giving up the entire floor for a bed that might get used once a year seemed like a waste of space.
My husband has just enrolled in a Master’s Degree program, so there will be plenty of studying in his future.
We decided, just like that, that this room would be his office.
Some room makeovers take lots of plotting and planning.
But this one?
It came together so quickly!
How to Turn a Bedroom into an Office: Before & After Reveal
In two weekends it was painted and furnished, and for a total budget of less than $100, here it is!
Step 1: Paint
Paint came first. That beige had to GO! Up went Simply White on the walls, with an accent wall in Iron Mountain by Benjamin Moore.
It instantly freshened and brightened the space.
Related Article: How to Paint a Room
Step 2: Find practical furnishings
My husband wanted a warm, library-inspired feel, so I said out loud that I wished we could find an antique desk and chair.
A few hours later he texted me a photo of this: a set from the 1950s that a dear couple from our church was giving away!
Oh, how I love it so…
It was this sweet lady’s father’s desk. He worked for an insurance company here in Canada in the 50s, and when the company closed, they gave him his office furniture. The desk has all sorts of wonderful storage and fine details…
And I adore the weathered chair with so much character. If this furniture could talk, the stories it would tell!
My grandparents’ chairs make a cozy little sitting area off to the side.
I do regret having them professionally upholstered in red fabric (what was I thinking??), but they fit in well in this office setting.
New pillows with a black print tie in the black wall and add a nice texture to the space.
Step 3: Add functional storage
Once the furniture was in, we had a LOT of empty wall space! After browsing pictures on Pinterest, we decided to try long floating shelves above the desk area.
I love how they make the room feel larger, and they offer practical storage and decor all in one! It was a great budget-friendly solution. (They cost only $15 each to make. Click here to read how we made these floating shelves.)
Another budget-friendly wall art project was the old nautical chart above the chair area. In just a few minutes it went from rolled up in the closet to a large-scale art piece!
Since my husband loves music, we hung his guitar on the wall, and we’re trying our hand at keeping a live money tree alive beside it!
This room gets wonderful light, and I find my husband loves spending time up in “his” space.
Still to come are some roman shades for that window. I’m still on the hunt!
Room Makeover Budget
Paint: $40 Behr paint, mixed in Benjamin Moore Simply White
Paint: $0 Iron Mountain left over from a previous project
2 throw pillows for the red chairs: $10 each at Superstore
Floating shelf materials: $35
TOTAL: $75! Thanks to the beautiful furniture passed down to us. Thank you, dear friends! We are honored to have been gifted furniture with such a rich history…
More Budget-Friendly Room Makeover Before & After Reveals:
- Modern Boho Master Bedroom (Packed with so many easy DIYs. You won’t believe how little it cost!)
- Dining Room Turned Home Office
- Farmhouse Style Craft Room Office
- Beach Cottage Bedroom
Give your own tired rooms a fresh new look!
Thinking about a room makeover of your own but not sure where to start? Click the image below to sign up for the FREE Recipe for a Room Makeover course. (No big budget required!)
