How to make the office remodel “epic”? How about: 18 different patterns of vintage wallpaper covering the four walls. Ta da! After two months of work, the majority of the office is done — in particular, all the architectural stuff that was part of the gut remodel. All this week I’ll be talking about the various details in My Big Fat Retro Office Remodel Special Report. But the highlight, no duh, is the vintage wallpaper: Yes, 18 different patterns spanning the 1940s to the 1970s… applied in 12″ x 12″ squares railroad-style, choo choo choo boom chicka boom. I counted 277 squares in all. Getting them cut and onto the walls took about 50 painstaking (Advil for me) hours. My friend Denise — who is a decorative painter and also Astro’s rescue mom — was a godsend and came up for a couple of days to help me get it done. That’s us, above, playing Love American Style Gothic with the wallpaper and daring everyone in America to embrace: Pattern and Color and Being Crazy. Portraits by another good friend, Erica Berger, who played right along and egged us on and made us look beautiful. Read on for more about the inspiration — which included two readers, and, umm, my hoarding gene — behind the room, as well as more about Special Report week.
So I guess I better remind you what this room looked like “before”:
And with my furniture and decoration:
I started the remodel about three months ago. My goal, first and foremost, was to make the room warmer — not decoratively, but really truly. It’s in the basement, and in the winter it gets quite cold. Since I now work from home fulltime on the blog, I wanted to address this issue. At the same time, my husband and I decided to move the bookshelves to his office, which would open up space for me to work on my vintage collages and give him more storage for all his books.
As this week continues, I will spotlight other aspects of the remodel. In this story, I wanted to focus on the inspiration behind the flower power vintage wallpaper crazed walls:
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- I first wrote about the office remodel on March 19. At that time, I thought that — after pulling down the outside walls and adding insulation — I would just paint the new drywall a nice shade of burnt orange (my favorite color). I had a little chip on the wall, and I was kind of excited about an orange room.
- On April 9, I wrote about Brian and Keri’s knotty pine den — and was blown away by the original vintage wallpaper on the ceiling. I had already been in constant thought and research about all the various elements of my new office… and when I saw their den with all that vintage wallpaper loveliness… it was like boom kaPOW, I just had to use some of my vintage wallpaper. Paint = too easy.
I have a problem with the vintage hoarding thing.I am so smart and lucky to have collected a whole bunch of vintage wallpaper over the years — most of it in onesy-twosey rolls. I had always wanted to do a crazy quilt with tiles in a tub-shower surround. And, I have been starving for a mega-blast of flower-power colors. Starving. So I started thinking: Maybe… a crazy quilt with the wallpaper?- The whole idea of the repeat squares also came out of my fixation with vintage collage. I like to make collages on 4″ x 4″ squares — the education packs from Dick Blick that already have holes in the back. I was thinking: I could put wallpaper squares on the wall — and then collage onto them also. Like, the room will be my ongoing canvas…
- Then, just a few days later, on April 12, I did the behemoth story on Cullen Meyer’s insanely genius Brooklyn apartment. It was a for-sure-no-question-who-was-I-kidding moment: I was going to do the crazy quilt on my walls. Cullen’s apartment definitely inspired me to cut my office wall design loose from any sense of propriety or restraint.
- I also got a bit obsessed with vintage 12″ mirror tiles. I now own $100 worth. But none of them made it on the wall. No matter. They have entered the hoard and will find epic life elsewhere soon, I am sure.
- Oh, there’s that word, “epic.” Last fall, I learned the phrase “Do Epic Shit.” I learned it here from Julien, who writes a blog that my friend Margaret pointed out to me. I like that phrase. A lot. My mom always tells me that since I was a baby, I would always do things “the hard way.” So of course, it was predestined that Denise and I would have the time of our lives wallpapering away. It was an epic blast, and I could not be possibly be more ecstatic about this room and how it turned out.
Fashion Sidebar: Denise and I also had epic fun getting ready for our big photo shoot. The night before, she brought over five vintage suitcases of vintage dresses collected at thrift shops. I had a bunch, too, but she had better ones and both these dresses are hers. The vintage go go boots were mine — they are now Denise’s, they fit her better so off they went home with her. The orange drop earrings are mine, and so are the eyeglasses — estate sale finds.
Coming up in this week’s My Big Fat Retro Office Remodel Special Report: How I created the crazy quilt design and how we installed the vintage wallpaper… An overview of all the things included in the gut-remodel … Spotlight on storage and special accessories … Trim … What I decided to do for craft storage … What’s left to do; ugh, will it never end… and maybe a a few more closeups of this ‘n that.
Link love:
- Denise’s blog, On the Verge of Snapping
- Erica Berger Photography
Jason says
I’ve had not the best day so far today – it just got better! Pam you are awesome!
pam kueber says
This makes me very happy, Jason!!!!
Abigail Grotke says
Love love love! And you two look great! Love the wallpaper on the roller 🙂
pam kueber says
Thank you, Abigail. Can you believe it: The wallpaper on the roller was a happy accident. When I was emailing back and forth with Erica planning the photo shoot, I suggested we do the American Gothic theme with a paint roller. I meant to say in the email “paint on the roller.” But I ACCIDENTALLY and NOT PAYING ATTENTION or REALLY TIRED said “wallpaper on the roller.” Erica wrote back: “Wallpaper on the roller is a genius idea.” I was like, what???
RetroSandie says
Wow! How ingenious!!! And it looks fantastic! You two ladies look simply marvy!! Can’t wait to see more. I particularly want to see your new storage!!!! 🙂
pam kueber says
Yup, storage coming up. I’m not completely done with it — but have one big answer in place that turned out pretty fab. Thanks, RetroSandie!
Natalie says
I love, love the photo of you two!
Can’t wait to see the finished product and all the details!
I think the process is almost as much fun as seeing it all done and we’ve had many a laugh (and cry) during our remodels. Ha.
pam kueber says
Hmmm, am I awaitin’ on you for something, Ms. Natalie? xoxo
Natalie says
You are! I am waiting on a frame for some art. Found it cheaper online vs. Michael’s or Hobby Lobby and just waiting on it to get to my house!
Chris says
More! More! I must see more!!!!!!
Quit teasing!
I think Denise looks like she could be a cousin to Celine Dion. Do you sing?
🙂
This is just gorgeous and I can’t wait to read and see more!
pam kueber says
Thank you, Chris!
Denise says
I often get the Celine look-alike statement but Celine has all the singing talent. I get asked NOT to sing!.
Jeanne says
Brilliant indeed! What a perfect way to display your collection! Makes total sense! And those outfits are fantastic. I especially love Denise’s groovy earrings and Pam’s glasses.
I can’t wait to see the rest of the photos and progress….
pam kueber says
Thank you, Jeanne, my glasses are really fantastic — super high quality from the 60s or 70s or something.
Kate says
Your office is awesome Pam, and so happy. It will be hard to be sad when you are working in such a cheery space, even in the darkest, coldest days of winter. AND you are so lucky to have a friend who would help you with all of those wallpaper squares!
pam kueber says
Thank you, Kate. Denise is a decorative painter by trade. I did not want to infringe on our friendship — so I paid her for her time — although I know she gave me lots of extra. She and I got along super well. Like: Neither one of us wanted to listen to music, we both liked to work in the quiet. We were a perfect team. It was really kind of amazing.
Annie B. says
You two are absolutely beautiful! Oh, and that wallpaper makes your office a living collage. What a brilliant idea. You’re going to love it, especially in dark, gloomy winter.
pam kueber says
Thanks, Annie B. I knew you would appreciate the collage aspect!! xoxo!
denise says
HA! Look at us! Way too fun. Yes, Pam, it was EPIC, epic fun to hang out and talk about how crazy it all was. Who else is there that I can talk artsy crafty and vintage speak with for hours on end, with planning and designing included and neither one of us get bored with it? Um, no one!
It was fun, and a lot of work, but I got to go home and you had to continue on with completing the details.
The pictures look great, can’t wait to see the others.
and… of course, I loved seeing my little Astro boy who is doing so well and is such a little love muffin.
pam kueber says
Yes, Denise, it is amazing how well you and I get along. We gotta do more projects together. xoxoxooxoxox to infinity and beyond…
Denise says
Backatcha Babe!
MIFroggies says
What a great use for the wallpaper! I love it! Now I am wondering where I can do that in my house…
pam kueber says
I hope you find a place!!!! Let me know if you do and send pics!