Susan kicks back in her new surroundings with her pooch (and One Kings Lane’s unofficial mascot) Maggie.
No matter how well turned out your home is, there always seems to be one spot that just isn’t quite there yet, whether it’s a breezed-past entryway or an ignored laundry room. For our co-founder Susan Feldman, the sticking point in her Hollywood Hills pad was none other than the home office where she started One Kings Lane. “For a whole year I worked in there every day from early morning until late night. When we finally moved into a real office, I walked out, closed the door behind me, and didn’t look back.”
After a renovation that included her kitchen and her guest room, Susan decided to turn her attention back to this noteworthy but neglected room. With the help of Alex Reid, One Kings Lane’s marketing and special projects manager, she overhauled it, transforming it into a welcoming, work-friendly space where she and her husband, Bob, now sometimes find themselves just hanging out.
BEFORE
AFTER
Just as fashionistas swear by tailoring, if you can’t find furnishings that are the right size for your space, get them made! In Susan’s case, this meant a custom bookshelf and a blue-velvet couch crafted to fit in the nook.
Before they dove into the reno, Susan and Alex mapped out a layout. “Once we figured out the big items like the bookshelf and the couch, the rest of the pieces fell into place,” says Susan. Then the duo nailed down the room’s palette. “I was very much feeling navy blue, so we started there,” she says, “and we balanced it out with lighter, more feminine khakis and creams.”
Shop the Look
It’s crystal clear that transparent furnishings, like this glass coffee table, work wonders in small spaces, since they pull a visual disappearing act. Topping Susan’s table are goodies she picked up while traveling—and on One Kings Lane.
One of the keys to creating an inviting home office where work feels more like play is to treat it like any other room in your house. “There isn’t any reason your office can’t be beautifully decorated,” says Susan. “Fill it with items you love, use great vessels for your pens and paper clips, and think outside the box for your storage solutions, working in pretty baskets, bowls, and trays.”
There isn't any reason your home office can't be as beautifully decorated as any other room in your house.
When it comes to styling your shelves, stack books for height; play with shape, scale, and texture; and group like items together (as Susan has done with her “herd” of elephants, a collection inspired by OKL’s logo).
At first, Susan was picturing tall twin bookshelves flanking a couch, but she and Alex decided that carrying the shelving across the top of the room, bridge-style, would imbue the space with a more homey, cozy vibe. “We left the back of the shelves open so that you could get a peek of the grass-cloth wallpaper, which made the room feel lighter,” she says. To organize her shelves, the self-proclaimed “accessories nut” pulled all her beloved accents out of the office, then with a critical eye (paired with Alex’s expert second opinion) edited down everything that came back in. “This time I wanted my shelves to look layered and interesting, not cluttered,” she says.
Shop the Look
BEFORE
AFTER
Who says office furniture must be “office furniture”? In Susan’s space, a vintage chair tucks into a vintage desk under a wall hung with a handful of memorable press clippings about One Kings Lane. And the curtains? Made from one of her favorite Peter Dunham fabrics.
Susan opted for functional yet design-forward pieces that would get the job done and look great while doing so. “There are so many beautiful, comfortable chairs out there,” she says, “and why not, instead of a utilitarian desk, use a gorgeous side table or secretary?” She stationed her desk by the windows to make the most of the natural light. “I also love it being there because I can flip my chair around and use it for additional seating if needed.”
BEFORE
AFTER
A few of Susan’s favorite things hang out on her new inspiration board—a linen-wrapped composite Homasote board. Propped against the wall below it is a revolving “gallery” of art, an effortlessly cool display for rooms short on wall space.
For Susan, having an inspiration board was not a maybe, but a must. “You can use it for ideas for specific projects, pieces that bring back memories or tell stories, or just another location for the things you love,” she says. Her board acts as a catchall festooned with everything from oil paintings scored years ago in Paris flea markets to adored family pics to the diploma of her dad, who, inspiringly, went back to school at age 80 to get his MFA.
The most visually compelling mood boards live by these words: variety, dimension, and personality. Susan’s board incorporates a mishmash of photos, fabric, and found items, Lucite shelves for a 3-D effect, and her initials painted monogram-style.
To build this board, Susan started with the shelves and framed pictures, using these as anchors—“moments that will stop your eye,” she says. She then filled in the empty spaces to create an eclectic collage. “What’s up there is a mix of family photos, mementos from my travels, bits and bobs from personal and professional experiences, and things that I just like. Basically everything together adds up to my life.” The finishing touch? A grosgrain-ribbon frame.
Join the Discussion