Like so many other professionals across the U.S., homeowner Shannon started exclusively working from home when the COVID pandemic hit in March 2020. She and her husband quickly realized that sharing an office was simply out of the question. So she moved a folding table and chair into her bedroom where she could be separate from her three small children to conduct business meetings. The problem was, her new “office” made a “hideous and embarrassing Zoom backdrop,” she says.
Shannon called on designers Tina Wolff and Lauren Berry of Wolff Interiors to help transform her office/bedroom into a space she could hold Zoom meetings while also creating a place to relax at the end of the day. The homeowner has worked with Wolff Interiors for eight years. “Because of our long history, I trusted Tina and Lauren and knew they would pay the same level of detail and attention to any job they work on regardless of scope, size or budget,” Shannon says.
A large desk with lots of storage, built-in cabinetry and a comfortable desk chair were high on the priority list. The homeowner also requested adjustable lighting that could be changed depending on the occasion as well as a sitting area. The only specification she gave the Wolff team was that she wanted something dark, dramatic and sexy, yet still polished and pulled together.
Tina and Lauren proposed a charcoal gray and camel color scheme with accents of black, white and a pop of olive green. Lauren says the room’s tall ceilings helped keep the dark walls from feeling too heavy. The designers layered as many textures as possible to give the space dimension. “Our client has very dramatic and high-end style,” they note. “We tried to incorporate all the things she loves without making the space feel too busy when shown behind on her calls.”
To address the “office” element of the room, Tina and Lauren designed and drafted by hand the shelving and desk area built by Markway Construction. The main priority was a workspace. Shannon needed enough desk area to make working easy, but not so much that the bedroom felt like an office. Plenty of drawer space was key for storing files and papers and concealing any office clutter. “It was important to me that I didn’t have to wake up to the piles of paperwork on my desk as soon as I opened my eyes,” Shannon says.
Six large drawers to the left of the desk serve as the homeowners’ dresser and are incorporated into the built-in. The custom piece also includes outlets and USB ports above the desk for quick access to devices. Tina and Lauren surprised Shannon with a dark, fabric-covered pin board above the desk with brass hardware on the corners that is not only beautiful but highly functional.
Lighting the bedroom was critical to the design. “The homeowner wanted a luxurious and cozy feeling, which I think we nailed with the right lighting,” they say. Behind the crown molding there is cove lighting, and everything in the space operates on a dimmer to adjust as the day goes on. “I can dim any aspect of the room from a small remote on my desk or an app on my phone,” the homeowner explains. The designers chose stunning sconces instead of bedside lamps for each side of the bed that fit perfectly into the high-end style. Tina and Lauren framed the sconces for an extra special touch.
Finishing off the space are new furniture pieces and accents like the olive green velvet chair, lucite accent table and rich burlwood bedside tables with lucite hardware, which add warmth to the room. “I love the sitting area because it gives me an alternate space and makes a beautiful backdrop for business calls,” Shannon explains. “Someone actually asked me if my room was a virtual background!”
Resources
Cabinetry: Markway Construction
Carpet: Fabrica
Furniture: KDR Designer Showrooms
Interior Design: Wolff Interiors
Lighting: Wilson Lighting, Custom Solutions
Window Treatments: Berry Studio
