A thoughtful home office makeover inspired by midcentury design
Dream Green DIY’s Carrie Waller used an eclectic mix of modern and midcentury pieces to turn this small room into a den of creativity
If you’re a fan of home decor-related DIY projects, secondhand goods, and midcentury design (and let’s face it, who isn’t?), then you’ve probably come across Carrie Waller at some point in time. With over 13 years of experience, this talented writer, stylist, and photographer’s work has been showcased just about everywhere, from your favorite shelter mags and websites to her must-read blog Dream Green DIY. But even pros like Waller can use a little extra help from time to time — as was the case when it came to her home office.
Waller lives with her husband and three rescue pets in a 1960s ranch-style home in Waynesboro, Virginia. Over the last year and a half, they have tirelessly renovated most of the rooms in the house. However, the office space has proven difficult to finish due to its small size and perfectly square layout — until recently when Waller discovered IKEA Kreativ.
Intrigued? Read on to learn all about Waller’s picture-perfect room transformation and her unique sense of style.
Q: How would you describe your design aesthetic?
Carrie Waller: I would describe my interior design style as “Modern Eclectic Midcentury.” I’m really drawn to the design of the 1950s [and] ‘60s, so you’ll see lots of antique retro furniture throughout our home, but using antique décor isn’t a hard and fast rule for me. I love contemporary pieces, too, and even a few traditional pieces that are 100+ years old! I just buy what I love, and that shopping mentality has given our home a lived-in look, that feels very eclectic and full of character.
Q: Who or what inspires you when it comes to interior design?
CW: I’m a big fan of using classic midcentury films and TV shows to inspire interior ideas. I bought a secondhand metal hanging lamp for our living room because I had fallen in love with a similar one on the “Dick Van Dyke Show”. Tufted seating reminds [me] of the living room furniture in one of my favorite old Jane Fonda movies. But I also love getting inspiration from Instagram and my fellow modern-day homemakers, like @cozy.happy.home, @katiebowlinghome, @emilyjanelathan, and @reserve_home.
Q: You decided to give your home office a makeover. What problems were you trying to solve?
CW: We moved into our current 1960s ranch home about a year and a half ago. I’m finally feeling like our hard renovation work is paying off with the majority of the rooms, but my office has really tripped me up! It’s a small room and almost an exact square, which makes [arranging] furniture a little hard. I can only fit so much in this space because of door and window placement, plus I struggle with storage. I really wanted to rethink the furniture pieces I put in the room so that I maximized organization without scrimping on style.
Q: How did IKEA Kreativ help?
CW: I was able to use IKEA Kreativ to plan everything down to the last inch! I knew I wanted a desk with more drawer and cabinet storage, so that was the first thing I searched for to add to my showroom. Then, that left me with just enough space for a bookcase. I was able to search through all of the available options at the IKEA store [closest] to us, [add them to the showroom, and see the measurements when I hovered over the items], too. I was able to swap pieces until I found the perfect combination for my needs, and then IKEA Kreativ added everything right to my cart for checkout. It would have taken me weeks to do the same thing manually on my own using the stores and resources we have in town. [Plus], I know I spent less money with IKEA Kreativ [because I could visualize where I could use products I already had instead of buying new pieces that I really didn’t need]. What’s not to love about that?!
Q: What tips do you have for anyone who wants to design an office space at home?
CW: The other cool thing I loved about IKEA Kreativ was the fact that I could [add] extra pieces to my showroom [to act] as stand-ins for pieces we already had. For example, I found a rug from IKEA that vaguely matched the one I already had and wanted to reuse, and I also found a semi-matching bench, potted plant, and table lamp. Using stand-ins helped me better visualize what my room would actually look like in the end. [And using a showroom allowed me to view the space from different angles.] It was pretty cool to hop into my shopping cart from there and remove the stand-in pieces to see just how much money I could save by reusing a few key pieces. That step made me even more excited about my carefully chosen new items and validated my commitment to shopping with a budget in mind. I would recommend others do the same!
Q: What is one thing that surprised you the most about using IKEA Kreativ?
CW: How easy it was! I feel like DIY interior design has only gotten harder for me as I’ve gotten older. I’m constantly second-guessing myself because of competing ideas and trends in the design world, not to mention the often debilitating pressure I get from being an online design influencer. When I find myself wandering the aisles of crowded home décor stores and antique shops in person, I sometimes find that I just can’t commit to pieces because I’m worried they won’t work. With IKEA Kreativ, I got to design from home without any outside influence, and I was able to make informed decisions before making purchases. I was surprised by the amount of confidence I felt in the process, and [I] credit that to the peaceful shopping experience and being able to consider everything from measurements to color options before clicking “Add to cart.”
Q: I know that you have a love of secondhand goods. Did you incorporate any pieces in your home office? If so, do any of them have an interesting backstory?
CW: There were a handful of pieces in my old office design that I wanted to hold on to, so that I stayed under budget for this makeover, [and] because they helped define my direction for the new pieces I selected—namely, the antique screen print over my desk. I found this piece about six months ago and knew that it needed to go front and center behind my computer monitor. The earthy colors feel really soothing, and the aged patina balances out the look of the newer pieces of furniture.
Q: How do you go about mixing the old with the new in a seamless way?
CW: I like to aim for a balance of old and new in a room design. I try not to put too many old things [together], and the same goes for new [pieces]. I want [the design] to feel like the mix is an even split, that way the room looks more intentional and thoughtful.
Q: I read on your blog that you dabble in the art of pottery-making. How did you get into ceramics? Did you include any of your pieces in the office?
CW: I double-majored in studio art and art history in college. Even though I ended up in content creation for my career, I never [gave] up on my dream to be an artist someday. It took almost exactly a decade after my graduation to gather up the courage, but I challenged myself to sign up for a local, community pottery class. Six years later, [here I am] working as a ceramicist with my own line of handmade pottery! I also work as an assistant to professional potter, Jake Johnson, so my weeks are jam-packed with art now and I feel very fulfilled because of that.
Q: What is your favorite thing(s) about your refreshed office space?
CW: The storage and organization are world’s away better than what I had before! I even have one empty drawer, so I have room to grow and adjust. The space is so much easier to work in now, and I’m far more productive because the design is more complete and better suited to my real-life needs. I find that I can’t wait to get to work in the mornings now!
