My Home Office Makeover With Little Greene Paint

Finally, finally another room apart from the boys is finished. And it’s my study! It was a study for the people who lived here before as well but it was distinctly a mans room – full of golf clubs and film posters from what I recall! So when we moved in, I just piled up my stuff in there and left it. As you can see – it wasn’t a very inspiring space!

It was a bit too…magnolia for my liking…

So, I spent many an hour browsing on Pinterest perving over paint schemes, and many more hours telling my husband that this one room was entirely mine and therefore I should have full decorating reign over it. I noticed there was a distinct theme going on in my mood board – pink, grey and metallic tones!

With that in mind I ordered various paint swatches before settling on some shades from the Little Greene Paint Company. I’d already tried Farrow and Ball on Rian’s statement wall and loved it, and I’d read that you got similar vintage textures and shades with Little Greene too. I went for Lead Colour, for a standout fireplace, and Confetti for the rest of the walls.

I could see from this first coat that it was going to be exactly how I pictured it, with a lovely smooth and chalky texture. The colours may not be in sympathy with what you would expect in a period house, but the look of the paint definitely is. It went on really easy, and those four pots you see there easily covered the walls twice and left me spare.

Next up was the alcove shelving. This whole room is really badly wonky – it’s a double breasted chimney so the fireplace is off centre, and the shelves on the left are way wider than the ones on the right. The poor chippie had a hell of a time putting them in too – the walls are all off key. I’ve just had a nightmare just trying to straighten all the photos and given it up as a bad job haha. Doesn’t the light reflect beautifully off the walls though? The room seems so much brighter even though I’ve got darker colours in there now.

Once the shelves (which are just double MDF jobs) were in I sealed them with a primer and then painted them in Wimbourne White, one of the F&B shades. Then it was time to fill them with all my books and knick knacks! I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed that. I’ve never had proper shelves before, only ever wonky bookcases or wonkier shelving units. Very happy girl.

I need something for that bare bit of the chimney breast…maybe a clock of some sort…?

Now I have to choose prints and bits in general for the rest of the walls – currently they are a sea of pink and I need a bit of contrast! I bought this corner chair from a friend of mine (well I will have bought it when I see her and give her the £50 I owe her for it!) I love it, it’s great to hide in for a quiet read. I think she may have got it from Oliver Bonas originally, but it didn’t suit her new Scandi-inspired house, so winning for me!

I’d also like to get a real plant in a belly basket at some point, and a nicer desk. I’ve also got a fantasy about pulling up the manky carpet to discover amazing vintage solid wood flooring but judging by the bounce in some parts of the room that isn’t likely, and possibly me tampering with said manky carpet may result in divorce so I’ll save it for next time Him Indoors goes away for work. Ahem.

But for the time being I’m completely delighted, and now that I’ve binge watched most of my favourite programs there’ll be no excuse not to get in there and make things happen.