Our office is inching toward completion — tortoise-style — with two recent additions: an overhead light and new desk chairs.
The light should look familiar: it’s the same fixture we previously had in our kitchen, so it fits both the “old” and “borrowed” parts of the story. We loved the design, but after living with it in the kitchen for a while we realized it suited the office better. Once installed here, it felt immediately right.
In this room it reads polished and traditional, which pairs nicely with the clean-lined furniture and colorful art. Those modern touches balance the bay window with its divided panes and the thick crown molding, giving the space a layered, thoughtful feel. Functionally, it’s bright — a two-bulb fixture — and it’s been a small luxury to finally have a ceiling light to flip on as we walk in. We’re even considering having a shop cut a quatrefoil-shaped glass diffuser to fit it, so that might be a future tweak.
Of course, the kitchen is now missing its shade and has a bare bulb, but we’re happy the quatrefoil found a more permanent home in the office.
Next up: the chairs. And no, they didn’t come from the kitchen — they’re brand new, and navy blue.
A reader named Sabrina tipped me off to a sale at PB Teen. Lately I’ve noticed designers using pieces from PB Teen in grown-up spaces, so the name shouldn’t be a deterrent. Their selection and pricing surprised me — some items that look expensive in magazines turned out to be very reasonably priced there.
These chairs grabbed my attention for their button tufting and curved arms, which feel traditional, paired with sleek, wheeled legs that give a modern edge. The light gray and teal options were tempting, but the navy chair felt right: easier to live with when it comes to stains, and a deep, grounding color for our light, airy office. I showed John and waited for his verdict.
John has definite standards: adjustable height (check), arms (check), casters (check), and no bulky, spider-like levers beneath the seat (double check). These chairs met all of his criteria, which made him — and me — happy. They were on sale, and with a friends & family discount we ended up saving substantially on each chair, which sealed the deal.
We worried about comfort, tilt, fabric texture, and how they’d arrive, but the chairs exceeded our hopes. They’re comfortable, adjustable to both our preferred heights, and the wheels glide smoothly. The sloped arms are a nice ergonomic touch. And yes — they’re cozy enough for nursing sessions at the desk.
The upholstery feels very similar to the fabric on the armchair in Teddy’s room, which has held up through years of use and a few spill-related incidents, so we’re optimistic about durability.
One small surprise: the navy is a touch less saturated in person than it appeared online. It’s definitely a true navy rather than cobalt. Given the office’s colorful art, plant life, and bookshelf styling, we like the idea of the tufted navy chairs acting as classic foundation pieces that anchor the space. Their restrained tone gives us freedom to be bolder with curtains or a rug later on.
Here’s an example of how deeper furniture tones can harmonize with pattern and texture as a room fills in: the cream tone of the light, the dark curtain rod, and bold window treatments can all help the chairs feel intentional rather than out of place.
We have a few remaining items on the office list: window treatments, a rug, a frame for Clara’s monster art, possibly a diffuser for the overhead light, and a couple of desk lamps. Once those are in place the room should feel finished.
It’s exciting to edge toward a mostly complete space. Right now Teddy’s room, Clara’s room, and our sunroom-turned-veranda are the only other spaces that feel finished. Ironically, the laundry room might be the next to look done, even though we’ve focused on other areas for much longer. Renovating a house keeps you humble — and always planning the next tweak.