Every day I step on this plywood step that was made by my contractor for the interim until the Spring when all the concrete will be removed.
Every day I imagine what it will look like with a real stone step, bushes and a fabulous stone walkway from the house. Here’s what the exterior looked like before.
Inside though, we have made some progress. The reason why I’m not showing you an interior photo of our desk area is because we still need art on either side of the mirror that you can see. It looks very bare at the moment.
We gutted the inside which was a workshop when we bought it. This is what it looked like before.
Here’s what this end of the studio looked like for a little too long. That’s Markus who found chocolate on my desk and hid behind this desk to eat it, little rascal!
And here’s the after. I installed the cabinets, sink and faucet (from IKEA) so we could make tea, store drinks in the fridge, etc.
You can see that I continued the countertop to the 4″ on the backsplash because it was so close to the window sill. A row of tile would have looked silly.
I thought my kelly green tea in a tiffany box styled specifically for this photo was particularly inspired, haha.
If you are installing a laminate countertop I would choose grey or black. I chose grey because I’ll have a black tray on the counter with the polka dot mugs in it, etc.
And here is the before picture of the other side of the studio.
Here’s the fake, flocked tree I bought last year in January at 1/2 price.
Love the blue poinsettia I found!
These acrylic reindeer are from Superstore. They look like they are made from glass.
I love my fake candles.
Hope you enjoyed the tour my lovelies!
Related posts:
Inspiration and my Tiffany Blue Office (in my last house)
Maria’s Office Organization: Before & After
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Where did you get your bookshelves? I love them. I need bookshelves for my house that are not too overpowering, but I have a lot of books.
These were from IKEA but they don’t sell them anymore.I love how thick the shelves are it looks more like built-in millwork especially because I had my contractor build a pedestal for them. Maria
I am inspired by your emerald green baubles with the tiffany blues..love that combination. I like your blue poinsettias too.
It all looks really stunning Maria. I think you will be able to work well in there 🙂
Ruthie
I bet you just sit in there all giddy with joy. It’s a lovely place to work and entertain clients. I am not crazy for pastel colors used in Christmas decor, but you have made it look so beautiful, I may have to rethink that opinion. Merry Christmas!
What a lovely pleasure it must be to go to work in such a nice setting.
I love it Maria! You are always so inspiring!!
wow…beautiful..I can barely get my house decorated never mind my office. Very impressed Maria esp. knowing how busy you must be. Merry Christmas!!
I love your office. I just bought a flocked tree myself and don’t like the way it looks decorated with my ornaments that I’ve collected over the years. I love your colors you’ve chosen. Thanks so much!
Can’t wait to see the double axis shots.
House to office. Office to house.
Garden & Be Well , XO T
It is wonderful and so beautifully styled. So envious! You have this amazing studio to work in and I sit at my breakfast bar (it actually is an extra deep counter that extends into a 42″ breakfast round) with all my samples in my kitchen sideboard. This is what happens when you downsize. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Maria!
you do gorgeous work! i am inspired! Elaine
JUST WONDERFUL!!!!! Your clients must feel so comfortable and this is such a great example of your talent!!!! They can SEE that they will want YOU to help them! Where did you find those little candle lights?!!!! LOVE THEM and all you do! BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XOXOXO
Merry Christmas, Sweet Girl!
Love all the blue and green. Now I wish I had an office like yours for all my interior design stuff!
Great minds think alike! I have been using the same colors for my holiday decorations and LUhV them…though, you do them better, of course!!
What a beautiful workspace, Maria! Love that polka-dot china!
Another question: why only grey or black laminate? Curious.
Because it’s the most versatile, there are so many colours that would work with them both. I don’t like countertops laminate or stone that restrict you to a colour palette forever and ever. Maria
Absolutely stunning. Clean and Crisp. Love all the blues and the ribbons on the Christmas tree gifts with the flocked tree. I appreciated your advice about formica. Is that still your opinion if my cabinets are a dark Danish walnut stain? I’ve procrastinated some of my holiday decorating and you’ve inspired me to finish and be creative with it. Love your inspirations!
No if I had dark walnut stained cabinets I would choose something creamy with a cream backsplash. Maria
Can I join this discussion? I love white counters with walnut cabinets. The high contrast looks so crisp to me. Thoughts?
The high contrast with brown and white to me is what I call a “chiclet” kitchen. It reminds me of someone with porcelain veneers that went too white so when they smile that’s all you see is their white teeth. When I enter a “chiclet” kitchen my eye goes to the white then the brown instead of harmonious color flow that a creamy can bring which complement the two together beautifully.
HI Mary, this post clarifies my point about brown/cream https://mariakillam.com/2009/09/5-steps-to-a-kitchen-you-will-love.html.
Maria
Looks absolutely stunning Maria! Love the color combination and I also love the blue pointsettia. Wishing you a lovely Christmas season in your new updated home and Happy New Year.
LOVE your studio Maria. Well orchestrated! Would like to invest in a flocked tree, however having three trees now and not planning to put even one of them up this year ‘the hub’ would not be too pleased. 🙂 Even with the colours and decorations you chose, it looks very festive.
Made a promise to myself that Xmas decorating would be kept to a minimum so only the outside has been done. Am far too busy, stripping wallpaper and priming each room, so decided to give myself a reprive BUT the shopping is all done and wrapped! Baking is next on the agenda.
It’s stunning and looks so Scandinavian! Are you making your rice goodies again this year? So where did you get those little candles and how do they light up? I have the real ones which, of course, I can NEVER light! 🙁
HI Teresa,
The candles are from a nursery called Art Knapps. And they don’t light up at all, they just have clips on the bottom to attach them to the tree.
Thanks for your comment, I love the idea of real ones!
Maria
Where did you get that awesome geometric mirror in the entryway to your studio?
HomeSense,which is Homegoods in the US. Love it! Maria