Serena & Lily Wallpaper

Serena & Lily Priano Wallpaper, Riviera Bistro Side Chair, Medium Olema Seagrass Basket, Striped Lamp (Old), Performance Indoor/Outdoor Rug (So soft!), Sutter Linen Quilts and Shams, and Balboa Rattan Mirror c/o / $169.99 Amazon Daybed with Trundle (Such a steal!) / MegMade Dresser c/o / Pottery Barn Lamps (Old.) / Similar Faux Fur Blanket / Minted Framed Palm Print, Pineapple Print, Dogs Print, Whales Print and London Phone Booth Print / $284 Turned Leg Target Writing Desk (But Dream Desk Here) and Bulletin Board / Amazon Letter/Message Board / Emma’s Cheetah Boots

Outfit posts aren’t really my thing when it’s been snowing for weeks and I’m four days away from being six months pregnant. 😂 So let’s keep going with that home decor content, shall we?! Up today is my home office, which doubles as a guest room, and I’m SO excited to share it. :)

If you’re new here, a little bit about our home:

It’s the bottom two floors of a small townhouse in Lincoln Park, Chicago. (Another couple owns the top floor, and they’re the absolute best neighbors we could ever wish for.) When Mitch and I were first looking to buy, we decided that we wanted to sacrifice space for location so we could live in our dream neighborhood. We’ve had zero regrets regarding that; I can’t tell you how much we love LP. But because we’re now running two small businesses out of our home and have a toddler–not to mention Baby #2 on the way!–we’ve really had to rethink how we use our home and work to reconfigure a few things.

When we moved into the house in 2015, the house had a huge master suite on the garden level and then a second bedroom and den on the top floor. This setup worked great for us since we didn’t have any kids; we used the second bedroom as a guest room and I turned the den into an office because I worked from home. (It looked awful, guys. I know, haha. I’ve come a long way in terms of home decor. YIKES.) And then came Emma, and the guest room became the nursery. (Here’s a little update we made to it when she turned two, and this is what her toddler room looks like.) But because we still needed a place for our parents and other visitors, we closed off the office by putting up a wall and a door, and turned it back into a super preppy (very green) guest room… and I simply worked at the kitchen table!

Not ideal, but hey: it worked. But then life got crazier… and we recognized that while we needed a guest room, we also really needed a home office again. 😂 So back to the drawing board we went, and we dreamt up this far more functional–and mature!–space: an office/guest room combo. And I think we *finally* got it right!

A big thanks goes out to Serena & Lily, a brand I’ve always adored, for graciously helping with the design and outfitting much of the room. (Btw: Serena & Lily now has a storefront in Lincoln Park on Armitage, where they’ll help you design your dream room, too! You must go. My goal in life is to wallpaper every room in my house in S&L. #kiddingbutalsoserious?)

I’m in love. With the help of our KonMari Challenge, I’ve worked really hard to keep it clutter-free, and because of that, it’s truly become a place that inspires me every day. No, there’s not much in it, and it’s a tad on the stark side. But that’s kind of exactly what I need! No matter how messy the rest of the house may be–because let’s face it; there are still messes even when you’ve adopted the KonMari Method–this room remains clean and tidy. And when I sit down to my computer, everything else disappears, and it’s just my work and me. That’s something I’ve been after for years! I’m so, so happy.

On the flip side, it’s a great space for guests. Because I don’t have much it in (just photography equipment in the navy MegMade dresser), the only thing I have to do is remove my laptop before friends or family arrive. In years past, when the room wasn’t as orderly, it was a massive undertaking to get ready for guests. Now, though, it’s a cinch, and it makes everything so much nicer! We just had our friends Emily and Doug as well as my parents stay this past month, and it was so easy.

A few notes on the furnishings/decor:

(Everything else is linked at the top and bottom of this post.)

Priano Wallpaper:

Oh my goodness. I was a little nervous that it would be too busy in such a small space, but everyone who enters the room tells me how much bigger it actually makes the room look! I can’t get over what a statement it is, or how much I adore it. How do you feel about wallpaper? Our entire house was wallpapered in Laura Ashley growing up, but then it went out of style and then we ripped it all down and went with solid paint. Now, though, I’m so back on the wallpaper train, and feel that if done right, it has the power to turn an ordinary room into something extraordinary. When we find our next home, I have big plans for so many other Serena & Lily wallpaper options!

$284 Turned Leg Target Writing Desk:

This is my dream desk, but it was WAY too big for the room. When I stumbled upon this gorgeous turned leg writing desk for only $284, though, I was like “Whaaaaaat?” Took Mitch about a half hour to put it together, but I feel like that’s not too bad?! (Thank you, Mitch.) Such a bargain, and the quality is definitely there.

Riviera Bistro Side Chair:

I get so many questions about this chair! It’s not padded, but considering that, I think it’s very comfy. I sit in it for hours at a time without complaint… and I’m pregnant, so that’s really saying something. ;) I also love that it wipes clean. We have another one that we use as an accent chair in our dining room, and I hope to one day have a complete set around a table. :)

Performance Indoor/Outdoor Rug:

As you know, our miniature dachshund is incredibly stubborn and will slink off to back rooms to pee in order to get out of going outside in the winter. It’s apparently a dachshund thing, but it’s the worst, haha. Because of this, we knew we needed an indoor/outdoor rug that could handle such disgustingness, and this one is GOLD. It’s super soft, but you can scrub it and then literally hose it off. Noodle’s only gotten it once, but it wasn’t a problem. I just love that you’d never know it’s an indoor/outdoor rug! Great for high-traffic areas or other dachshund owners. 🙄

$169.99 Amazon Daybed with Trundle:

Yes, it’s only $169! It comes in full, queen and king versions, too… and doesn’t it look just like the Pottery Barn version? But I don’t just love the daybed for its looks or price; I love that it’s a space-saver. Sure, it would be nicer for our guests to have a queen-sized bed in the room. But because the room functions as an office 99 percent of the time, we didn’t want a big bed overwhelming the space. The daybed + trundle option works great, and it’s very comfortable! Mitch and I actually slept on it for nearly a year when we were gutting our master bedroom! Highly, highly recommend.

Sutter Linen Quilts and Shams:

I initially ordered something navy but realized that I needed more neutral tones to balance all the blue out. ;) I admittedly have a real problem with incorporating colors that aren’t blue! 🙈 But really happy with how this simple quilt complements the rest of the room.

Balboa Rattan Mirror:

BOOM! Pricey, yes, but something we’ll definitely own forever. I love how the rattan looks against the wallpaper, too.

MegMade Dresser:

Meg, one of my friends here in Chicago, owns an incredible company called “MegMade.” They take vintage pieces and refinish them into true works of art! Our navy bamboo dresser, finished in a navy lacquer, is one of my favorite pieces of furniture in our home. It’s been moved to so many different rooms, and never fails to make a statement! Thank you, Meg. :)