Our House | Before & Afters
It all started
on an older generation Mac Book Pro. My office went everywhere! Then I started this crazy business and I invested in an imac…. best decision ever. I can’t imagine culling, storing, editing, blogging, etc. on my laptop….even my new one! My imac was one of my smartest business decisions. However, once I got my first imac in college, that meant I had to have a desk…. and that’s when the “Office Evolution” started. My business and my dorm room were the same thing for almost 2 years. Once I upgraded my imac…. I had to find even more space! Talk about a cramped lifestyle! Thankfully I had a room to myself and I cannot thank my roommates enough for that!
If I had to share a room with someone else AND try to keep a business running while graduating college… I probably wouldn’t have made it. I was so thankful for my little room in the Middle House. It was my first “Official Office” and I loved it. It was the best option for me at the time. My files were stored in a little teal Martha Stewart Living file organizer and whenever Christmas or summer rolled around, I would pack up everything into my little VW bug and the office moved home with me. It was CRAZINESS. After graduating and moving home before the wedding, once again, I had to create an office. I had a summer ahead of me that was FULL of weddings and I needed somewhere to work!! So my office evolved into THIS. I like to call this my “Ten minute office” because I literally set it up in 10 minutes. From that little office space in the landing area of my Parent’s house, I edited 17 weddings, re-designed my website and totally re-branded my whole business. It worked for one summer…. but oh how I dreamed of the day when I would have a REAL office! My desk at the time was made of metal and was on wheels…. a $49.99 Target special. I longed for a REAL desk!! A desk that actually had DRAWERS and would hold FILES! I just wanted a real space to be able to say “Here…. come into my office”.
.
Michael and I were so SO thankful that God has perfect timing and we were able to find a house in the middle of June last summer. It wasn’t just adorable on the outside, it was exactly what I had hoped for on the inside. I wanted an office upstairs with slanted rooflines and since we bought a Cape Cod… my dream came true! I now have an office that looks like a little cottage and I’m obsessed with it! Ahhh!!! It’s SO me and so my brand! I really believe that when you work in a space that doesn’t inspire you, you can very easily lose your desire to be creative (that was a constant issue in my Ten Minute Office). Now that I’m working in a space that I LOVE…. I feel more creative AND productive! And guess what…… I have a REAL DESK…and it’s huge….. and I LOVE it! I’m beyond thankful for my space to work and grow this business. It has a few little areas that need some tweaking but that’s just because I’m picky about decorating:). Enjoy these before and afters!!!
.
.
BEFORE…Gross.
Thank you Wendy for advising that I look for “Settee”…. I now know a new furniture “term”.
Comments (144)
Comments
Add a comment
[...] Katelyn James, probably one of the most talented photographers in the area, designed her home office and did this all herself. She has such an amazing eye and I’m so envious. If I could ever get an empty room somewhat close to what she has done here, I’d be proud. You can see this empty room’s transformation, here. [...]
[...] OUR HOUSE | MY OFFICE [...]
Your office space is awesome. You could come decorate my house anytime.
Can you tell me where you got the leather chair sitting behind your desK?
I love it! If you don’t mind sharing, what paint color did you use? I’m thinking it would be perfect for my kitchen!
[...] (which I love even more), emailing, researching, etc. Ya get the point? Reading about the office make-over of the lovely Katelyn James (which was recently featured in PPA! Congrats, Katelyn!!) made me so [...]
Amazing! You are very talented!
wow. this is gorgeous!
[...] Katelyn James, probably one of the most talented photographers in the area, designed her home office and did this all herself. She has such an amazing eye and I’m so envious. If I could ever get an empty room somewhat close to what she has done here, I’d be proud. You can see this empty room’s transformation, here. [...]
[...] I were “house shopping”…. I selfishly had one big requirement. I wanted an office that looked like a little cottage. When we found this little cape cod, tucked away in the west end of Richmond, we fell in love with [...]
Katelyn, your office is amazing and the colors are beautiful. I would love to add this to the paint and room galleries on my site and include you in a feature post. Let me know if you’re interested!
[...] of Katelyn James Photography has the most amazing shabby chic office. It is so bright and cheery. I love the angled walls and [...]
[...] Photo from and by the talented Katelyn James Photography [...]
Gorgeous space! I linked it to my offices post too today, for inspiration!
I love being on pinterest and seeing your office desk repinned by someone! i was like…. hey i think i’ve seen that desk before!
this is my DREAM office. colors and everything. omg.
I need the deets….where did you get the perfect white desk? I need it. I need it in white. I need it for my studio. I need it now!!! Help?
i’ve seen this posted at least 10 times on this post but Oh My goodness I love this room and desk. Can you tell me where you got it?
Just found you through HofT. Love your office space! I also love that you’re in Richmond. I just moved here this summer! I actually just stalked your website and passed along your info to my second cousin. I’m just starting out in portrait photography and she asked me to do her wedding and I had no one local to refer to her. Now I do! I like to stick to the babies! xoxox Julia
OMG!!! If I’ve already loved Turquoise before, imagine now, after seeing this office based on this divine and marvelous color!!!!! God is Turquoise Blue, for sure!!!! Congrats!!!!
I simply love your office. I found the post via Pinterest. I just want to say that you could start a home design business! Cheers all the way from Orange County, CA!
[...] to redecorate pronto! Check out the before’s and after’s over at Katelyn’s blog, in addition to lots more great photos…of this and sooo much more! SourcesDesk: Pottery [...]
I read your blog all the time, but must have missed this post! I saw your room on House of Turquoise and was like, No way! Katelyn James…I read her photography blog! I write a design blog also, so this post is just up my alley. I adore everything you’ve done. Quite the design eye, girl! xo Michaela
I naturally love everything turquoise and I came across your beautiful blog. Thanks for so much inspiration in one post!
I am remodeling my home office now! What an inspiration yours is for me! I l love that color would you mind sharing it? I could only home to have an office as beautiful as yours
Thanks,
Katie
[...] source [...]
[...] by: Katelyn James colorful home office, cool home office, home office decor, home office design ideas, [...]
So beautiful! It’s shaped very similarly to my own office, and I love the colors you chose! Great job. I saw it on pinterest, btw ;-)
[...] More grey love! I love that polka dot chair! Pretty pretty mint office from Katelyn James [...]
Beautiful! We share the same initials and favorite colors in decorating. :0) Were all the chairs from Marshall’s? I love them!
[...] notes…I was so ready!!! Katelyn greeted me outside with a hug and we went upstairs to her adorable office!! It’s way cuter in person too! We went over all of my questions and more. Katelyn is so easy [...]
I love this room! What paint color is it?
Amazing transformation, so inspiring!I love that desk, and have been looking for one like it, where did it come from?
[...] sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and [...]
GORGEOUS! I love me some aqua & white! Where did you get the wall filing system from? I think I need that!
[...] via [...]
Hey there! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this website?
I’m getting tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at options for another platform. I would be awesome if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.
It’s hard to come by educated people for this topic, however, you sound like you know what you’re talking about!
Thanks
This is ridiculously gorgeous! So so jealous! Amazing transformation!
What color did you use on your walls??
[...] is another beautiful color that would be gorgeous in a bathroom, bedroom or an office space like Katelyn James used on her wall to revamp her [...]
The room is beautiful! I love the color combination. what is that delicious color you used on the walls?
Will you please tell me the color of the paint, it is so lovely!
Thank you!
This office is SO beautiful!! Where did you get your desk?