Our office is inching toward completion—tortoise-style—but we’re finally seeing real progress with the addition of an overhead light and new desk chairs.
The overhead fixture is one we previously had in the kitchen, so it meets the “old” and “borrowed” bits of our little story. We liked it in the kitchen, but over time it felt better suited to the office. Once it was installed, it immediately felt right: polished and traditional, which balances nicely with the room’s clean-lined furniture and colorful art. Those modern touches contrast with the bay window panes and the thick crown molding, giving the space a layered, comfortable feeling.
Practically speaking, it’s a two-bulb fixture that’s bright enough for work, and it’s a luxury to have a ceiling light we can flip on the moment we enter. We’ve even talked about having a shop cut a quatrefoil-shaped glass diffuser to fit the fixture—if we do that, we’ll share the update.
Of course, moving the light left a bare bulb in the kitchen for now, but we’re happy to have found a permanent home for the large quatrefoil shade.
Now about the chairs: these are new—and blue.
A reader tipped me off to a big sale at PB Teen, and after browsing their selection it was clear that pieces from their lineup can work beautifully in adult spaces. The chairs that caught my eye combined traditional button-tufted backs and curved arms with sleek, modern legs on wheels. The light gray and teal versions were charming, but the navy option felt like the best fit for our airy office—less noticeable for stains and a rich color to ground the room.
John, who I jokingly call our resident “chair diva,” had a clear checklist: adjustable height—check; arms—check; wheels—check; no clumsy levers or a tangled mass of mechanisms underneath—double check. These chairs satisfied all of his requirements, which made him enthusiastically on board.
I felt more comfortable ordering once I confirmed with a local store that returns could be handled in person, avoiding costly return shipping if they didn’t work out. They were on sale and part of a friends and family discount, which made the purchase feel more reasonable. We still worried a bit while waiting for delivery—would they be comfortable, would they tilt oddly, would the fabric be pleasant? Those worries turned out to be unfounded.
They arrived and were exactly what we hoped: comfortable, smoothly adjustable to our preferred heights, and the casters glide effortlessly. The sloped arms are comfortable for long hours at the desk. For anyone wondering whether the chairs are suitable for nursing at the desk, I can say they are cozy and supportive.
The fabric feels very similar to the durable upholstery on the armchair in Teddy’s room, which has withstood years of use and some less-than-delicate treatment, so we’re optimistic about the chairs’ longevity.
One small surprise was that the navy is slightly less saturated in person than it appears on the website—a touch more subdued than the nearly cobalt photo suggested. That said, the office already has plenty of colorful art, a vibrant plant, and interesting bookshelf items, so the navy chairs work well as classic foundation pieces. Their deeper tone anchors the room and lets us play with bolder curtains or a lively rug later on without them competing for attention.
As the room fills out, those choices will help the overall palette feel cohesive. For example, the light’s warm cream tone and darker accents are already reflected in other textiles we’re considering, helping everything pull together.
Our remaining tasks for the office are straightforward: install window treatments, select a rug, frame a piece of Clara’s art, possibly add a diffuser to the overhead fixture, and place a couple of desk lamps. Once those items are in, the space should feel complete.
It’s exciting to approach a mostly finished room. Besides the office, Teddy’s and Clara’s rooms and our sunroom-turned-veranda feel similarly settled. Oddly, the laundry room may be the next space to look unexpectedly finished—houses have a funny way of progressing unevenly, and that unpredictability keeps projects interesting.