Desiree Hartsock, season nine star of The Bachelorette, wedding dress designer, and blogger, knows a thing or two about style; however, this newlywed (she got married to The Bachelorette costar Chris Siegfried in January) needed some help when it came to beautifying her home office. The already-small space was dark, cramped, and uninspired. Enter Monica Mangin from East Coast Creative. Monica flew to Seattle, where Desiree and Chris live, to lend a hand. Together with the help of Lowe's, she transformed Desiree's office into a bright, inviting, chic space full of eclectic accents and personal touches. Check out what the space used to look like and get a first-hand view of the makeover in the video below. Then browse the gallery to see all the makeover details.
Monica started the makeover by painting the entire room a bright, neutral hue. To save money, she made this desk from scratch using paint and wood supplies from Lowe's.
A customizable mounted wall shelf system provides extra storage and seating without taking up much valuable space.
For a surprise, Monica had a flat-panel electric fireplace mounted in the office. Because it has a slim profile, the fireplace is able to be a focal point without overwhelming the small room.
Desiree and Monica went shopping around Seattle to find decor accents that reflect the locale and Desiree's personality, such as this warm wooden clock and playful print.
A bright keyboard pad and artsy accents make Desiree's workspace bright and cheery.
Monica got creative with storage. Even a pair of wellies (a must when living in rainy Seattle) are put to good use, holding rolls of fabric, paper, and extra decor.
Monica layered an eclectic mix of textures and patterns to give the room depth. First, she put faux brick peel-and-stick wallpaper down the center of the accent wall, then she hand-painted a pattern along either side of it. A potted succulent and rich upholstered pillow pull the look together with warmth.
Much of the decor on these shelves looks expensive but can actually be done super affordably, such as a DIY watercolor, beautiful seashells found on the beach, or colorful magazine holders from Ikea.
Monica added interest to the closet doors with cutout wooden triangles. She and Desiree painted them and then applied them along the edge of the door in a playful geometric pattern.