Sophisticated Brown Office Remodel

See photos of a home office remodel that features midcentury modern design and flea market finds.

Keep in mind: Price and stock could change after publish date, and we may make money from these affiliate links.

November 25, 2014

By: Brian Patrick Flynn

Related To:

Shop This Look

Graphic Ideas

Inspired by graphic wallpaper in his Sherman Oaks, Calif., home installed by the previous owners, TV development executive Daysun Perkins created a masculine home office by using shades of brown throughout the space.

A Color Catastrophe

Prior to its brown-on-brown update, the walls, trim, doors, casings and ceilings of Daysun's home office were painted beige, something which detracted from the dark brown of the wallpaper — the design element he wanted to be the room's focus.

Making Brown a Focal Point

Daysun had the trim, doors and casings painted in a brown semigloss paint that matched the wallpaper. The ceiling was painted the same color as the trim, but toned down by 75 percent.

A Dual Workstation

Daysun and his wife, Alison, both use the home office. To make room for both of them, a pedestal table with four orange chairs was brought in to serve as an extra space for laptops or meeting with clients. A custom workstation was made for housing the couple's desktop.

Front Door Update

To keep brown consistent throughout the entire entry, Daysun had the 8-foot-tall custom front doors painted the same brown as the rest of the home office.

Bringing in Color

Although Daysun loves the home's whitewashed hardwood floors, he wanted to keep the entire home office wrapped in brown, from the walls and ceiling to the floor. To do this and keep the space grounded, he brought in a plush, brown wool area rug with accents of one of Alison's favorite colors, orange.

Midcentury Modern Accents

In keeping with the home's midcentury modern architecture, Daysun incorporated a Danish modern 1950s pedestal table with a white steel base and walnut top. The combination of pedestal base and round top makes the seating area versatile; there is room for up to six chairs to be placed around the table.

Filing Cabinet

Daysun and Alison both needed file space. Instead of bringing in steel file cabinets, Daysun chose a wooden console table that doubles as file storage.

A Flea Market Find

For ample work surface, Daysun used an 8x3-foot midcentury modern conference table with integrated drawers. Alison found it at a flea market and the couple customized it by having their carpenter refinish the top with lacquer in one of Alison's favorite colors, turquoise.

Drawer Space

One of the reasons Daysun and Alison liked the conference table was its drawers, which can contain clutter. With notebooks and reading glasses stored away from the eye, the worktop surface stays neat.

Masculine Details

Daysun's home office is packed with masculine touches. Each arm of his armchair is adorned with the head of a ram.

Before a Brown Facelift

The home office's custom built-ins initially were given feminine appeal by painting the trim detail of the door fronts pink. Daysun decided to have them painted solid brown instead, making them more masculine.

A High-End Update

So the door fronts of the built-in storage system would fit the new decor, Daysun had them painted with three coats of dark brown semigloss paint. Instead of replacing the high-end, custom glass knobs original to the doors, which previously looked feminine when paired with the pink trim detail, Daysun had them reinstalled, resulting in the perfect balance between the dark brown and the clear, elegant glass knobs.

Aged Aesthetic

The office's entry table belonged to Alison prior to her life with Daysun; however, she'd silver-leafed the table to fit her previous home's decor. Over time, the silver leaf flaked off, resulting in a perfectly aged effect to the brown stain.

Charming Pocket Doors

Daysun's home office is surrounded by three bedrooms, two of which are for guests. To keep his workspace closed off from visitors who may sleep late, pocket doors were installed.