Our home office is inching toward completion—slowly but steadily—with two recent additions that make a noticeable difference: a ceiling light fixture and new desk chairs.
We recycled the overhead light from the kitchen, which covers both the “old” and “borrowed” parts of this update. We loved the fixture but realized it didn’t feel quite right in the kitchen after living with it for a while. Moving it into the office was an easy decision.
Right away it felt like a perfect fit. The fixture reads polished and traditional, which balances the room’s clean-lined furniture and bright artwork. At the same time, it complements the office’s more traditional features—the paned bay window and heavy crown molding—creating a cohesive mix of styles. Functionally, it’s a two-bulb fixture that brightens the space well, and we love finally having a ceiling light to flip on as we walk in.
We’re even considering having a lighting or glass shop cut a quatrefoil-shaped diffuser to fit the fixture, which would finish the look. For now, the office has the new overhead light while the kitchen waits—temporarily—without it, but we’re happy the large quatrefoil shade found a more permanent home here.
On to the chairs: these are new, and they’re navy. I first spotted them during a sale at PB Teen after a reader sent a tip. Lately PB Teen pieces have been showing up in grown-up rooms—don’t let the brand name put you off. The brand carries some surprisingly sophisticated lighting and furniture that can be great for adult interiors.
The tufted back and curved arms give the chairs a traditional, tailored look, while the slim legs and casters add a contemporary, functional touch. The navy fabric feels durable and hides everyday wear better than a pale option, which appealed to us in a busy, light-filled office. John has exacting standards when it comes to chairs: they needed to be adjustable, to have arms, to roll smoothly, and not to be cluttered with a bunch of awkward levers underneath. These met all those requirements, so he approved.
Practical considerations helped seal the deal: we confirmed we could return the chairs to a nearby store if they didn’t work out instead of paying return shipping, and they were discounted and eligible for an additional friends & family percentage-off. That made the investment feel reasonable.
When the chairs arrived, we were relieved they matched our expectations. They’re comfortable, adjustable to our preferred heights, and the casters glide smoothly across the floor. The sloped arms are comfortable during long stretches of work, and the fabric is similar to the durable upholstery we already have on another armchair in our home, which has stood up well to spills and kid-related messes.
One small surprise: the navy reads a touch darker in person than it did on the website, where it appeared almost cobalt. That said, the room already has colorful art, plants, and books, so we see these chairs as classic foundation pieces that will ground the space. Their deep tone opens up the possibility of introducing bolder curtains or a patterned rug without competing with the seating.
Seeing the chairs and light together makes it easier to imagine the final look. The tone of the fixture echoes some of the warmer hues we’re considering for textiles, and the dark metal details pair well with a bold curtain rod or more dramatic drapery. When the room is more complete, these pieces should feel even more intentional.
Our remaining to-do items for the office are window treatments, a rug, a frame for Clara’s monster artwork, and possibly adding that quatrefoil diffuser and a desk lamp or two. Once those elements are in place, the office will feel mostly finished.
It’s satisfying to see a room come together. Besides the office, only a few other areas in the house feel near-complete—Teddy’s room, Clara’s room, and our sunroom-turned-veranda. Oddly, the laundry room might be the next space to look finished, even though some other rooms we’ve worked on for months still feel far from done. Home projects have a way of unfolding unpredictably, but these small wins keep the momentum going.