Welcome to INSIDE my home! Well, a small but extremely important part of my home. FINALLY, A GLIMPSE! It’s kinda wild how different it feels revealing an outdoor space vs. an indoor one. I forgot how much more intimate it is. And this particular space is actually where you and I connect the most. Our hangout spot if you will because this office area is my personal EHD command center. This is where the magic happens:) BUT given that I live in a one-bedroom apartment, I need my office (*cough* living room) to be multifunctional. So it’s also my entertainment center and sometimes my dining room but we’ll talk about the latter, later. And boy oh boy did this office/entertainment center get a MASSIVE upgrade thanks to that beautiful Samsung monitor you are currently laying your eyes on. But we’ll talk about that in a little bit too.
I think to truly honor this current space we need to start from the real WFH beginning… my last apartment.
I can’t believe I’m putting that right photo on the internet but hey who doesn’t love a real deal design journey?? Pictured on the left was how God, me, and my father (the builder) intended my banquette to be seen and used. You know, as a dining space for food eating and lively conversating. Well, that clearly came to a halt in March of 2020 since no one was allowed near each other and I needed a workspace ASAP. This WAS NOT how it looked all the time. I must have felt compelled to snap a photo on one of its grosser days. Also, I’m 99% sure this was taken soon after we had to clear out our old office, hence all the random home accessories piled together. Excuses, excuses.
But then the wonders of the universe swooped in (and my wonderful friends/neighbors, Franchesca and Ben) and I moved into this fairytale apartment. But since I didn’t have a desk to bring, I “borrowed” this folding table from Em’s prop garage. I technically still have it but am more than happy to return since getting my dream desk… and chair:)
WAIT. Before we get into the beautiful photos that Sara took, I had a pretty surreal experience of shooting a video… like a professional cinematographer, Dominic López, came to my home so I could talk about the gloriousness of the Samsung Smart Monitor M8 (and my office set up:)) Just wait for the ad to play and enjoy!
Curtains and Hardware | Desk | Desk Chair | Monitor
Since it was the topic of my most recent blog post… THIS IS THE CHAIR!!! It’s just. It’s just the coolest yet still practical chair I’ve ever had the pleasure of setting my eyes on. That circle cut out physically changes my eye shape into hearts every time I look at it. For those of you who were begging me to get an ergonomic chair, I promise I heard you but we needed to compromise. I needed to get a chair I loved looking at since this is also my living room and not in an office I can shut the door to. So ergonomic seat cushions have been ordered, but TBH the padded cushions on this chair are really comfortable. However, since I am sitting on it for many hours a day I know that a special butt and back cushion will make my butt and back happier. Then when I’m done for the day, in the closet they will go so I can just stare at the perfection of this chair. And if me needing this chair says anything, it’s that I was trained by Emily Henderson and Brady Tolbert:) IYKYK. It’s got both of their names written on it. I can’t thank Bassman Blaine enough for gifting it and Noir Furniture for always designing insanely cool pieces. It’s absolutely a forever piece.
Now to this desk that I will also never stop talking about. I don’t know who at Crate & Barrel got ahold of my design dream journal but they couldn’t have designed a more perfect desk for me and this window. We were all MADE for each other. For a little review, here are more reasons why it’s the perfect match:
1. It’s a desk that doesn’t read: DESK when you first look at it. This was important to me since it’s such a main piece in the space.
2. Both sides independently twist from the center so I can have them angled, straight, or nested together. This means it can also work as a skinny dining table if I want to have a dinner party! (For the full living room reveal I talked to Bowser about styling it both ways! It’s going to be so pretty.)
3. Has stunning textures. The majority of the desk is covered in seagrass and arrowroot grasscloth but the top and structure are white oak and engineered wood certified sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). So it’s beautiful and doing good for the earth. Win-win!
4. IT HAS STORAGE. The center is a full-on cabinet. Oh but if I don’t want to see the cabinet door for some reason I can twist it around to the back. See ABOVE for that little peek:)
What is an office in 2022 without some beautiful technology?? When Samsung reached out asking if we had a project where their new Samsung Smart Monitor M8 would be a fit, my hand went up as fast as humanly possible. Why? Well, since we were told that it was not only a 32″ monitor (much bigger than my previous desktop) but also that it easily and wirelessly connects to our computers, AND it would give us a Smart TV Experience. It was the multipurpose device I needed! Not only that but it’s SO BEAUTIFUL and SO SLIM. And look, I’m not someone who loves looking at tech devices in general. Also, I’m sure it’s a surprise to no one that I’m kinda (read: VERY) particular about how my home looks and what’s displayed in it. So if I’m going to have one, this is the one I want to look at. Even the back has a subtle herringbone pattern. They thought about everything! Since I already had these incredible curtains by Decorview, I chose the warm white color. However, there are three other really beautiful colors to choose from – Sunset Pink, Daylight Blue, and Spring Green. Caitlin has her eyes very set on the Sunset Pink. Imagine how incredible it would look with her wallpaper?! This monitor was designed for people who love design.
This baby also has moves! Up and down and forward and back (aka tilt). This is great for me since I’m kinda on the shorter side. BUT if you are on the taller side, you are also covered. Another customizable feature is that cute camera. It’s attached with magnets so you can leave it on (with a removable cap) or easily take it off when you aren’t using it or want the monitor to look more like a TV after work hours. Again, the design was so well thought out.
Oh, have you seen Emily’s book landing page? Have you preordered her new book? Well, here’s a peek displayed magnificently on this screen:)
Tree (Japanese Maple)
A beautiful monitor not only deserves to be on a beautiful desk and be accompanied by a dope chair, but it also needs beautiful desk friends (aka accessories). Let’s start at the bottom. Those books and accessories on the floor have been styled like that for at least a month and are things I’ve had for years. The fact that the great Emily Bowser only slightly rearranged the contents in the tray made me almost too excited. But the rest of the styling was all her. Duh.
What’s crazy about that ridiculously good large black tray on the desk (that I immediately ordered after the shoot), is that it hadn’t occurred to me to put a tray on my desk until Bowser popped it in. The reason why that’s wild to me is that we EHDers are “tray people.” We suggest and use trays all the time. We like to CORRAL things. Just goes to show that it can be easy to miss the most simple pillars of styling. So here’s my/our PSA… Could a tray help your desk? Your coffee table? Your credenza? Your bathroom counter? The answer is likely yes. Learn from my mistakes.
Now let’s move up and talk about these curtains. My heart is full every time I step into this room and see that perfect soft pink fabric framing my beloved turret. To be honest, I was nervous about my pink choice up until they were installed. I tend to have a super cute habit of second-guessing every. single. decision. I. make. until it’s in place. It’s not exhausting, don’t worry about it. But once they were here I was pretty over the moon. Also, I could stare at the custom rod all day long. Remember how it looked before with those sad three little hand-bent “rods”? Maybe scroll back up to remind yourself. Needless to say, these curtains are perfect, the process was perfect and perfectly seamless. Decorview makes you realize what quality service is. I’m serious. There aren’t enough thanks to Laura (my consultant), Joe (my installer), and everyone on the team!
Large Black Tray | Pocket Notebook (similar) | Brass Clips | Brown Wood Tray (similar) | Stapler | Black Box (vintage)
That stunning tree is a Japanese Maple that Bowser found and the tonal moodiness really gets me in the right editorial director headspace:) That brown tray (#traysontrays) was snagged on one of the greatest days of my adult life… the day we got to have a shopping spree in Emily’s prop garage. I love how the warm wood contrasts the black tray but ties in the wood tape dispenser (see below) and the wood of the chair. But then she added that black iron box I got for $5 in Joshua Tree and the black stapler to tie the color palette all together! (#boxesontraysontrays) I knew buying something I didn’t technically need at the time would pay off. JUST KIDDING. Don’t do that…but also when a slammin deal on a cute box presents itself…
Please note the remote because it might be one of my favorite parts of this Samsung collaboration but more on that later.
Now let’s talk about that striped ceramic masterpiece before you. This lamp is not only one of my favorite lamps of all time but it comes with a cool story. Back when we had our studio, next door to us was the architecture design firm that renovated the building we were in. A wonderful and talented designer named Alexandra Cadiz worked for said firm so we got to know each other a little when we would pass by or be prepping our lunches at the same time. Fast-forward a couple of years, her husband, Micah Blyckert, started making these incredible ceramics and these lamps. These two have dare I say too much talent. Their company, Ceramicah, is absolutely booming. How could it not be? These lamps are incredible. And this one in particular added the perfect amount of texture and pattern.
Wood Tape Dispenser | Photo Stand | Desk Tool Holder
Here’s another angle of the lamp. I KNOW. But let’s talk about these accessories. A desk needs to be functional. Duh. But personally, I need to work in a relatively uncluttered space. If it’s cluttered I will either A. Not be able to concentrate properly or B. Procrastinate on work and declutter (Emily doesn’t read this blog right? :)). So we kept it simple. That tape dispenser was another Bowser prop that I also immediately ordered. I love that little polaroid holder so I can have a little personal life reminder (that photo was actually from the last New Year’s Eve before Covid, so it’s both a happy and surreal memory). Then lastly, that super cool pen and office tool holder that Artifox generously sent is so good. I love that the shape is super modern but it’s wood so it also looks and feels earthy. Plus it’s in theme with the hole in the chair… or at least it is to me. Oh, and the pegs are removable and are magnets! A cool pen holder is such an easy way to add personality to your desk. This one is a 10/10 for me.
Okay. Now that I’ve talked through the design, let’s really get into the star of the show…
Black Metal Bookend | Mable Candlestick Holder (similar)
If I’m honest, I wasn’t totally sure what monitors did or were necessary for. But once I saw this one, learned a bit about it, then got it in my home I was like, “OOOO this is awesome.” To be fair this is a particularly special one given its “smart” capabilities. Let’s start with the “day/work” functions. If you are someone that really only needs to email and browse the internet, you don’t even need a separate PC. This monitor connects to the internet itself and you can connect your Bluetooth mouse and keyboard! So if you feel like browsing a super cool site like StyleByEmilyHenderson.com, all you need is this stunning monitor.
But if you are like me and need to use programs like Photoshop then you can connect your laptop or desktop wirelessly (via screen mirroring) or with hardwiring. What’s also so great is that this monitor works with all PC brands. So I use all of my Apple products that I already own. No need to have everything be Samsung! What a dream!
With working from home, video conferencing is pretty key, right? Without a PC, this monitor can support Google Duo. If you are a Zoom user then you just have to Zoom from your PC device and use the screen mirroring function. I love seeing my gals on the big screen.
Ok, it’s 5:30 pm, right? Work is done for the day so let’s watch some TV.
Day to night, baby. This is where the real gamechanger is for me. I don’t have a great spot in my kinda awkwardly shaped living room. Above the fireplace is way too high and also the idea of having another screen on some kind of stand in my living room bums me out aesthetically. So this puppy is the best two in one. And because it’s Samsung, the sound is great with its built-in speakers and options for different sound modes. There are also different picture mode settings based on what you are watching (ie filmmaker, movie, dynamic, and standard). I’ll get to the apps in a minute but with this monitor, you get Samsung TV Plus subscription free. So you can watch the regular news, free movies, and shows. It’s such a nice perk.
Sofa | Throw (similar) | Pillow (similar) | Rug
This is where I actually sit when I watch TV on my perfect sofa🙂 Since the screen is such a great size, it’s a really comfortable viewing experience (as opposed to my old desktop which was much smaller).
This shot is more accurate in terms of how close it is when I’m watching something. And this is where my love letter to this remote comes in. I’m a lady of convenience when it comes to technology. It’s what it’s “technically” there for right? But with my old desktop, there was no remote as most (all?) desktops don’t. So when I wanted to change what I was watching or if say Netflix rudely asked me “Still watching?” I would have to get up from my comfortable seated position, under my cozy throw and tell Netflix that I was most definitely in fact still watching/binging Schitt’s Creek for the 3rd time that year. But aside from having all of the apps you could ever want already embedded into the home page, this magical remote has a quick button for Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and naturally, Samsung TV Plus. They somehow made it even easier to stream. It’s the best.
FYI I did not plan on matching my sofa, but also not mad about it. At least I’m consistent.
There’s actually a lot more you can do – you can try workout classes with cool features, you can game your heart out, and you can control all of your smart devices via Voice Assistance regardless of the brand. Is Alexa alive in your house? That’s great. Is Bixby boppin around? Well, that’s a Samsung product so it’s obviously a friend. All in all, it’s just a super awesome device that I feel super lucky to have in my home. She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’s Miss Samsung Smart Monitor M8!
Not a bad before and after, eh? Oh, I almost forgot to mention my little wooden finials on my window ledge. I had the pleasure of getting a trip to Portland where I got to do a little vintage shopping with Em. This antique store had a bunch of them and I decided they would be pretty perfect for my window. Just wanted to share in case you were wondering.
Well, there’s me in my finally finished Home Office+ TM. The other side of the room is coming along slowly but surely and I can’t wait to show you all. Hope this was a welcomed “part room” teaser and that you may have gotten some ideas for your home office.
Thank you again to Samsung for sponsoring this post and letting me try the coolest and prettiest monitor out there:)
*Design by Jess Bunge (me!)
**Styled by Emily Bowser
***Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp
**** Video by Dominic López
I have spent to much time looking for a design-friendly monitor. I will be buying this! Thank you! (Now to decide on a color. Wish they had matching keyboards.)
do it!!
*too
You can buy keyboard covers online that might match the monitor in many different colors. Hope that helps!
That desk is the most brilliant piece of furniture and it had to have been designed for your space specifically. I adore the lamp. The color tones in your home are very inviting, Jess. Well done!
Thank you so much!!
My favorite part of the whole reveal are the little carved pieces on top of the window! Are they chess pieces? So cute and unexpected to use that space as a display ledge. 🙂
They are little vintage finials I found in an antique shop when I was in Portland with Emily!
omg. the level of excitement when i saw what today’s post was!!!! ok, just came down here to say this before i deep dive in. brb with my comments.
okay, here we go: i also work from home. from my living room, no separate office. so i totally get the need for a pretty wfh setup in order to avoid the mental chaos of having to look at that area when you’re not working. i am so happy you kept that chandelier. it is heavenly. and looks so good with the curtains. speaking of which. i LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE the pink curtains way too much for my own health. i even love all of the tiny wooden finials along the curve of the molding at the top of the window. i have no appropriate words for that desk chair. all i can say is that it is F$%@ing AMAZING. THAT DESK. it’s beyond sick. it is SOOO perfect for that window nook. C&B created something miraculous with that one. i can’t. even. it is exactly what you said. made for that window, that chair, and you. gah! okay, the monitor. all i can say is i started working from home in 2017, which meant, just on my laptop. and my job is an all day looking at a computer kind of job. previously, when i was in an office, we had… Read more »
Your comments are always so thoughtful and I’m SO happy you like it! Thank you so so much xxx
Beautiful!
thank you<3
IT’S SO GOOD, BUNGO!!! i am so proud of you. your eye is UNMATCHED and you’re cute as a button, to boot!!! what a treat to see you share your space with the world!
You are the best hype woman in the game! Love you and thank you!!
Absolute perfection! That desk was made for that space. Girl, get yourself a coaster. I spy water rings.
I’m dying…you’re right; the desk has a water ring.
Thank you! And I actually do but sometimes I’m less careful when I have three at a time (palm to face)
Honestly, I was skeptical about the desk, thinking you should get a curved vintage one. But it does look awesome there with the workspace side of the room done. And while I’m not into tech and don’t care about monitors, etc, looking at that Samsung monitor vs the monitor I am viewing your post on – yep, yours looks much better, so if I can ever get my job to recognize that I only need to be in the office two months of the year, I would set up at home with that one.
But really, the best things in that room are the curtains and the custom curtain rod. That rod brings out the full potential of the space, which is so beautiful with the curved room and windows out into the trees. I’m a hardcore vintage / second hand shopper, but there are some things that just need to be made for a space and the curtain rods here are one of them. Such an impact and really are the backbone to the beautiful curtains. Love the pink!
Yes, to the above… and the Serendipity that came with placing the curtains on the empty space of the wall! It highlights the window molding along the top. It’s perfect! I had to check the Before/ After several times to see if Jess/+Dad had added the window molding. Nope, it was there all along. But the curving rod, the color and placement of the curtains to contrast, allow that molding to *look* continuous across all three windows. Sublime.
@Cris:
I’m totally with you on the vintage shopping (like 95% of my furniture/decor is vintage or secondhand) and everything else you said.
That was one of my thoughts as I looked at the reveal, but I 10000000% have to admit that every single piece that Jess picked out for the space is absolute perfection and amazing and I’m in love with it all. And the pink curtains make the space. I love for pink.
Thank you! The monitor is truly the most beautiful one out there. And I promise I did look for vintage but at the end of the day nothing I saw was right and the pieces I found were simply made for the space:) I adore them and plan to keep them all forever. They are too special not to. And yes to the curtains!!
This is beyond gorgeous! I love the pink and umber color scheme. The monitor, the drapes… I can’t wait to see the rest of the room!
eee thank you!!
This is so good! I love that you took an awkward drapery moment and made it into a gorgeous feature wall – so pretty! Also I’ll take nine thousand of those pottery lamps plz.
Thank you so much!! Ugh and I know. They are too special:)
My first thought was a screamingly chic Paris apartment. After that, I stopped thinking and just stared in admiration. Don’t ever move. Or if you do, give me first dibs on the apartment and all the furniture.
And I now hate my own office space. It’s dead to me.
This made me cackle! 😂
haha no!!
SAME!!! LOL
Bahaha🤣🤣🤣
lol that’s a HUGE compliment and it’s a deal:)
And I will hold you to it. Sitting in my own completely inadequate dull semi functional office/guest room.
Gorgeous! I am in love with every single piece. That chair is perfection and, of course, the desk. My eyeballs are happy!
I am so grateful your eyeballs are happy!!
What a brilliant way to design and style this space. The curtains, the desk, that chair – it’s all so beautiful. Very talented designer (& stylist). You guys make such a good team. Also, I love that lamp!
Thank you!! Emily Bowser is simply the best:)
It looks great. That chair is unique. I like how you have the round turret, the round curtain rods, the round base of your desk, and the round cutout on the chair carrying a motif through that area of your space.
Are you going to get a rug or one of those floor mats to put under the chair to protect the floor? I had a chair with casters in a previous home and they did eventually put visible wear and tear on the hardwood floors.
What happened to your iMac?
It is important that when you are working from home you have to feel free. This is the way how you can get more productive.
Wow, that desk, the lamp, the curtains, the monitor – everything is just gorgeous. What a transformation. I’m glad you ordered supportive cushions – I told my daughter the same when she got a cute office chair. Enjoy!
Oh, my gosh! Beautiful!!!!! I LOVE your chair in spite of advocating for the ergonomic chair- I get it. The desk is a dream, the drapery, the finials- which I DID notice in the first picture, the monitor, all the things. I seriously want to move to a tiny condo in Hawaii and have that desk looking out the window. Great job! What a nice place to spend each day, and also very versatile!
beautiful!
All the heart eyes for this space. Brava!
I’m a new-ish reader – what does “MOTO” stand for?? I cannot figure it out!
MOTO – Make Over Take Over, I believe. It generally denotes more than just a before and after, as it adds the elements that it is usually done just by EHD staff and perhaps has a sponsored component/s to it.
It’s so lovely…you did a magnificent job!
This is really beautiful. Congrats!
i spy with my little eye the knick knacks above the curtain on the window frame. My favorite design trick for sure. Perfect for special keep sakes.
Love the chandelier and curtain. what a waste of a bay window.
Stunning! Very inspired
I love everything about your space, especially your serendipitously coordinated outfit. It is all beautiful!!
ps In addition connecting with your fantastic design sense, I also look forward to your posts because I know you are a fellow irish dancer 🙂
I LOVE your beautiful bijou office!
You choose lovely, unique things that work beautifully with your fairy tale turret – the graceful pink drapes, the curvy, movable desk, the wonderfully dark, and angular desk chair (that moon cut out!) the lamp(!) and how cool is that smart monitor!!! I am glad that you kept the chandelier, it suits the space so well and enhances the Parisienne vibe of your office! All the beautiful accessory touches (the tiny finials!) I think this is the most beautiful office I have ever seen! Well done Jess!!!
~Deborah
Drop dead gorgeous! I LOVE everything about this office! Thanks so much for sharing!
It is all completely beautiful. Love it all. However, are there really THAT many people who need to create a working from home space in their living room AND who also have the budget for any of these beautiful pieces? I would love to see more designs for beautiful spaces that people who are just like all you lovely EHD staff could actually afford to create for themselves without the benefit of such expensive sponsored pieces.
And I really love all the aspirational and higher end design too on here too but it just seems a little at odds with the spirit of this particular ‘working at home in a tight space’ post.
Also, you look super cute and I LOVE your outfit!
Love this room! Can you tell me more about the process for having custom curved curtain rods created? I have a similar curved bay in my home and have been trying to figure out where to find a curved rode that will fit the space well. Thanks!
I want to know more about the custom curtain process, too—would love a rough price point on Decorview’s solution for these windows, if possible, as well! We have two rooms in our new house in the “tower” part of our Queen Anne, so I’m deep in Curved Curtain Rod-land.
This is really beautiful. I love all of the pieces individually, and together too! Functionally, I wonder if you tried putting your monitor on the left side of the desk instead of the right? You could either swap the two table sections, or just working off the lower one – which might be good for your posture, as a more petite person. From the photo of you on the couch watching TV, it looks like it would bring the screen more in front of the couch for a more comfortable view. Maybe you tried this or decided against it for some reason, but thought I’d ask!
Gorgeous and Glam!! Love it!
I’ve just sent the link for the Samsung monitor to my partner. I think it’s the perfect solution to create a more ergonomic work environment since I can use it with my current laptop.
As for the design… Gorgeous! I’m so in love with the pink curtains with a curved black rod. The flexibility and functionality of the desk and the brown/pink color scheme with hits of black is perfect. Warm snd sophisticated, but just a bit playful. I can’t wait for the full reveal!
So so good.
STUN! I want to layer the cutest circle rug under that desk to mimic the window curves!!!
This is all absolutely stunning and functional! Well done! I love these kinds of posts 😁
This is SOOOO gorgeous. My eyeballs melted with happiness looking at those perfect pink curtains and the desk and the chandelier 🙂 🙂 🙂
JESS!!! 😊
Finally! Well, it was worth the wait.
I questioned your placement of your office at the window, back at the start of this process, but now I get it.
You sit there all day and those trees are so pretty and inspiring, visually embraced by those gorgrous, curvy, splendid curtains !
I’d hoped to see the whole living-office space, but this part is a tantalizing teazer.
The desk is pure genius.
I’m so glad you’ve ordered Bowser’s tape dispenser, because it speaks, well SHOUTS, really…to that beautiful chair. I think it’s a similar shape and style? The two just connected my eyeballs.
I, too, love love love the little bits n bobs on display on the ornate ledge.
Can’t wait for the living room now….bring it on!!! 🤗xx
Ahhh, it would be amazing to work in that space! This is fabulous – serene and cool and perfectly curated. And at the same time it feels so warm, glowing and peaceful. You have a great eye. I especially love the finials, the desk, the lamp, the curtains…okay, and everything all together. And btw, great outfit, too!
Crate and Barrel furniture looks good, but the quality is terrible and they don’t warranty their products. I waited 6 months for a sofa that started falling apart in 30 days.
I gasped. It is so beautiful.
That space is just stunning – I absolutely love the vibe of the curtains, this great lamp and the little tree. For me the photos look like a painting. I find it really soothing and so inspiring!