Hubby's Birthday Surprise Office Makeover

What to get the man who kinda already has everything and wants for nothing?  How about a functioning office?

It annoyed me beyond belief that our new home was incredibly organized and yet my husband's home office, where he works to provide for our family, wasn't.  It was an eyesore and looked like a catch-all room...a room that we would close the doors when we had company.  At a loss on what to get him for his upcoming birthday and after a few weeks of watching him try to work without a filing cabinet of all things, I began to put my ideas in motion.

My husband has a desire, no, an addiction to coffee.  If I had a dollar for every time he said, "Want some coffee, babe?" throughout the entire day in the short time we've been married, I'd probably have about $700.  The reason I say this, is because it came as NO surprise that the color he chose for his office (out of the many shades of brown) was "Mocha Latte" from the Behr selection of paints at Home Depot.  Once I had that on the wall, I just had to add the bronze stripes as I knew it would completely transform his coffee-coated walls a step further.

It's often said that I'm frugal and my husband is Jewish.  Let your mind wander on that thought a bit and you'll begin to see how much of a low budget I'm on with my endeavored projects.  I keep saying I'm going to host a "Tightwad Housewarming Party" but I never get around to it.  Maybe vicariously, you're invited!

 BEFORE

  AFTER  

   AFTER

A few important things to note here...like most of my home, all furniture was purchased from Craigslist.  The little decorative furnishings were purchased from garage sales, estate sales and an antique mall.  The only thing purchased new was the planter I got on clearance at Home Depot for $12 (marked down from $60).  The two desks and the lateral filing cabinet were purchased for $600.  The rug, lamps, baskets, framed artwork and decor items were purchased for around $120 while $35 worth of paint and a very tired glazing right arm sealed the deal.