I moved into my new desk space in my home office/library last night, and it feels like a whole new world.  Throughout this remodel process, I was committed to the idea that I was not going to use anything industrial to hold my office supplies.  That aisle at Staples filled with black plastic letter holders and ugly paperclip dispensers makes me shudder. 

Months ago, I began collecting pretty little containers to hold my supplies because I wanted to surround myself with things that inspire me.  I pulled from thrift stores, antique stores, and discount stores to achieve a high end elegant look, without the cost. 

Here’s a peek at some of the non industrial containers at CG Central.

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I do not like plain mouse pads.  They bother me.  There are plenty of pretty pads available out there for purchase, but I wanted to recycle my old one with the use of some fabric.  This is such a simple project !

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Sometimes, you get really lucky being in the right place at just the right time.  My local Villeroy & Boch outlet was closing its doors last month, and they were selling all of their display cabinets for $20 dollars each.  My jaw dropped.  I was giddy with excitement!  At those prices, I could redo my entire home office/library for a fraction of the cost of new bookcases. 

Here they are in the store the day I found them.  Oh joy, what luck!

I bought two of the taller shelves you see in the middle for the desk and window side of the library, and two of the twin towers for the sofa side of the room.  I brought them home with the help of a friend with a truck, and they’ve been sitting in my garage ever since. 

They were a buttery yellow shade with country blue trim, and the paint was a little nicked up from traveling across town.  I really wanted a bright cream color to showcase my books and collectibles. 

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Okay, so I finally sat down to answer some of your questions from this recent post.  Quite frankly, I’d rather talk about DIY or design instead of myself, so I’m going to answer a few questions now and perhaps some more later.   Because I’d rather focus on some of my upcoming projects.  So here goes:

Q from Jen and Maman Tattoo, Your girl’s room is so beautiful. What does your little boy’s room look like? 

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I’ve been wanting pearlized grasscloth wallpaper since I fell in love with the line of York wallcoverings designed by Candice Olson.  I’m also a huge fan of Eddie’s celadon version.  Wallpaper is back.

Wanting to remodel my own home office/library space in shades of gray, spa blue, cream, and chocolate, I sought out the perfect luminescent shade of grasscloth from a book of exotic wallcoverings I found at Lowes. 

I gave you a peek a few days ago in my article about black and white photography.  Now it’s time for the tutorial!

But first, so you don’t fall asleep during my step-by-step, here’s a look at one corner of my room with the grasscloth installed. 

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