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HGTV Magazine Makes Over a Room

By: Coleen Sullivan

Navy Corpsman Micah Ambrose returned from Afghanistan with the goal of becoming a doctor. He needed a place at home to study, so HGTV Magazine turned a spare room into a comfy office.

Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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One Couple's Story

Navy Corpsman Micah Ambrose met his would-be wife, Maryrose Pichkur, in New York City during Fleet Week 2010, but shortly after their engagement, he was deployed to Afghanistan. While there, Micah, a trained medic, assisted a Marine who lost both legs in a roadside bomb. This life-changing event helped Micah set the course for a career after the service. "I always knew I wanted to be an ER doctor, but that day sealed my plans," he says.

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Photo: Courtesy of the homeowner. From: HGTV Magazine
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Room Redo for a Hero

When Micah returned home four months later, he and Maryrose began planning their wedding and bought their first home, a 1918 three-bedroom house in Floral Park, N.Y. Micah started prepping for school entrance exams, but he didn't have a convenient place to study. That's when HGTV Magazine stepped in.

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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The Makeover Details

A reclaimed pine desk has plenty of drawers, while a lamp made of a beaker is a nod to Micah's time in the lab (for the how-to, go to hgtv.com/beaker-lamp). The wall space above the desk includes a teak shelf, a pinboard covered in striped fabric and an antique pair of crutches found on Etsy. Micah's Navy cap — the one he wore the night he met Maryrose — rests on the shadow box that holds his military coins.

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Rug

Maui houndstooth jute 7'6" x 9'5" rug in orange, rugsusa.com

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Chair

Leather chair, leeindustries.com for stores

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Accessories

Desk supplies, poppin.com

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Desk

Hughes pine 64" x 30" desk, fourhands.com

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Wastebasket

Marché trash can, containerstore.com

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Learning in Comfort

Micah often studies late into the night, so a daybed for napping made sense. This one, covered in durable blue canvas, has a masculine, boxy shape. He can use the vintage bedside hospital table as a laptop stand. The nautical map of Manhattan — a reminder of where the couple met — was nabbed on Etsy for $79, and we made the wall shelves using reclaimed wood and copper pipes from The Home Depot.

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Fan

Celino cherry and oil-brushed bronze fan, kichler.com for stores

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Shade

Tropical Isle bamboo shade, selectblinds.com

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Pillow

Cross cotton 16" x 16" pillow, jonathanadler.com

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Lights

L'auto Extender sconces, gohomeltd.com for buying info

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Daybed

New Canaan 37 1/2" x 90" daybed in Sunbrella canvas azure, ballarddesigns.com

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Storage Solutions

This backless bookcase, tucked between the room's entrance door and closet, is deep enough for thick medical books and binders, but narrow enough that it doesn't jut out into the room. For extra storage, we lined the inside of the closet walls with shelves for more textbooks, school supplies and shoes.

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Shelving

Elfa custom storage, containerstore.com

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Binders

1" and 4" binders, poppin.com

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Photo: Zach Desart. From: HGTV Magazine
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Bookcase

Stairway 96" x 30" wall-mounted bookcase, cb2.com