Behind the Brand: My Office & Studio Renovation
This little room is where Nest & Notion takes shape — one design plan (and cat paw print) at a time.
I spend my days designing thoughtful spaces for other people — but I needed one of my own. This is the story of how I renovated my home office and studio: a space that blends classic details, bold floral curtains, and modern lighting with my real-life needs as a designer, writer, and cat-herder. If you’re looking for creative office design ideas that balance function and personality, you’re in the right place.
A Peek Behind the Nest & Notion Curtain (And What Beautiful Curtains They Are!)
Welcome to the heart of Nest & Notion — this is the space where I plan, design, and create for my clients (and occasionally for myself and a cat or two).
This little room has seen some things over the years: once a bedroom, then a hybrid office/craft space, and eventually a full-on storage disaster zone while we tackled other renovations. For the better part of a year, my desk sat in front of my craft table, which meant zero sewing, zero scrapbooking, and zero space to move — let alone think creatively. The walls felt like they were closing in, and the chaos was driving me nuts.
When our addition was finally complete and we moved to our new bedroom, I jumped at the chance to reclaim this room. It was time to create a space that felt calm, clean, and inspiring — somewhere I could breathe again, do great work, and launch Nest & Notion the right way.
Design Vision (aka: It All Started With the Curtains)
Full disclosure: I didn’t start this renovation with a grand plan — I started with a pair of curtains.
I found the dreamiest fabric: olive green with big soft pink and cream flowers, and subtle light blue leaves. That was it — the whole design took shape from there. I also had a purple IKEA couch I still loved, and once those two pieces were in my mind, everything else clicked.
The inspiration behind the whole space! From Spoonflower. Love them. Did not love the duty I was charged to receive them however..
My priorities were simple:
Clean, bright, uncluttered
A space that was mine (plus some cats)
A space that made me feel calm and happy
A place where I could think, plan, and create for clients
Before: The Not-So-Inspiring Starting Point
The "before" was… not great. Yellow-beige paint, filthy carpet, absolutely nothing inspiring about it. The image shown below is from when we FIRST moved in. It looked like that for all of 10 minutes. Once we started renovating other spaces in the house and needing room to store stuff, this room became a complete dumping ground. The clutter was out of control. Before this office makeover started there were boxes piled high around the room. The dark desk was sitting in front of the other desk so my sewing machine could not be accessed (2 years with no sewing…so sad). And yet, every day I worked from home for my engineering job, this is the room I worked in. It gave my husband anxiety coming anywhere near this space.
The “Before” when it didn’t look so bad. The real before was a complete embarrassment of our own making so that photo does not exist.
The Transformation
Desk & Workspace
I already had a desk — and while I’ve toyed with the idea of updating it (or at least doing something about the glass top that’s constantly covered in paw prints), I decided to prioritize other budget areas for now. The desk has drawers to keep necessities hidden away, which suits my "no clutter" goal perfectly.
I upgraded to an olive green desk chair to tie in with those perfect curtains. My old chair was well past its prime, and this new one makes the space feel polished and pulled together. I also couldn’t resist a pink Samsung monitor — the pink accents in the curtains made it too perfect to pass up.
My new desk chair. Surprisingly comfy and Turdy approved!
Storage
I didn’t add extra storage — I intentionally wanted this space to stay simple and open. The desk drawers handle what I need. If I need more flexibility in the future, I may add a rolling cart, but for now, minimal works.
Colour & Finishes
The biggest visual change? Beadboard! I installed soft blue beadboard on the lower half of the walls, with a creamy white paint above. It was absolutely a labour of love getting it just right — but for under $250, the impact was massive. It’s now one of my favourite features in the space.
Beadboard made a huge difference in how this room felt. It gave it texture and personality for only a few hundred dollars in materials.
For the floors, we extended the hickory from our kitchen renovation right into this room, which gives the whole house a cohesive flow.
To finish it all off, I added a brass statement light fixture with six bulbs — inexpensive, but an absolute game-changer for lighting up the space.
The Result
Now? The room feels calm, beautiful, and inspiring. I can finally breathe in here — and create again. The change in how I feel when I step into this space has been huge. I sneak in just to admire it some days.
The “After”. First time in years I’ve had somewhere just for me (and the cats of course) that feels put together and pretty and calming.
And for the first time in years, I feel genuinely inspired again. This little office has become my perfect haven — the place where I dream up ideas, plan client projects, and run Nest & Notion. It’s made me more creative, less stressed, and (importantly) it has room for cats. What more could I ask for?
Purple couch I’ve had for years with a new lease on life. Cats seem happy it made the cut! Luckily they are worth all the cat hair that accumulates on it daily!
A Few Lessons from the Process
Keep it simple — You don’t need a million things (or a million dollars) to create a beautiful, functional space. Thoughtful colour and detail choices can completely transform a room.
Declutter first — It’s amazing how much clearer your mind feels in a space that isn’t weighed down by stuff.
Start with something you love — For me, it was those curtains. Let one piece inspire the rest.
Ready to create a space you love?
If you’re dreaming of your own inspiring space — whether it’s a full office renovation or just a simple refresh — I’d love to help. Thoughtful design can make such a difference in how you feel and work.