Updated Traditional Home Office Makeover

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ve probably noticed my decorating style has evolved dramatically over the years. I’ve experimented with heavy, dark Tuscan pieces and later embraced farmhouse neutrals, but recently I’ve been moving toward a simplified updated traditional look with a touch of cottage charm.

Our previous home leaned into a Tuscan aesthetic with dark furniture and bold colors, but by the time we moved into this house seven years ago I was ready for a change. At that time farmhouse style was everywhere, and I loved how soft neutrals and casual layers made the house feel calm and welcoming.

Over time I’ve been slowly transforming several rooms to reflect this updated traditional direction. If you’ve been keeping up, you may have noticed the shift when I updated our master bedroom and master bathroom. These projects nudged me to refine other rooms, including our home office.

Before I go any further, a quick note: decorate your home in a way that makes you happy. Trends come and go, and you don’t need to keep redecorating to keep up. For me, this work is both a passion and my profession—I’ve loved arranging and styling spaces since childhood—so updating rooms is part of what I do and what I enjoy.

I’m currently revising six rooms, but today I want to focus on our refreshed home office. I consider the space “done” for now, though there are a few smaller adjustments I’m still contemplating.

One area that still needs attention is the bookcases. I’ve already edited and removed several items, but they still feel slightly cluttered and too farmhouse for the direction I want. I’m debating whether to paint them—white or navy are both contenders—and I’m also thinking about removing the decorative arched trim along the top of each case.

I’m not a minimalist, but I do recognize the need for tighter editing. The challenge is that I genuinely love many of the pieces I’ve displayed, so deciding what stays and what goes is hard. If you struggle with the same dilemma, you’re not alone.

Here’s a quick rundown of the changes I made to update the office:

• Replaced the desk, desk chair, and the armchairs with pieces that feel more refined and timeless.
• Removed the barn door detail from the bookcases to simplify the look.
• Swapped out the light fixture, draperies, and lamp to create a softer, more cohesive palette.
• Replaced the popular post office cubbies with framed art and added a portrait light above the artwork for focused illumination.
• Removed the chalkboard, added planters for texture, and introduced a new clock and updated pillows to tie the seating area together.

Budget was important to me, so I tried to keep costs reasonable while still investing in a few key pieces that would deliver the updated traditional aesthetic I wanted. I purchased new furniture and accessories gradually over the course of a year so I could spread out the expense.

Some readers will ask about a rug. I decided against an area rug for two practical reasons: it would interfere with the rolling desk chair, and the office opens into both the foyer and dining room, each of which already has an area rug visible from the office. Adding another rug would have felt like too much.

To help illustrate the transformation, I included a few before-and-after photos so you can see how these relatively small changes—furniture swaps, edited styling, new lighting and textiles—make a big difference. I didn’t repaint the walls, although the lighting in the newer photos makes the wall color appear slightly different.

If you’re thinking about refreshing your own office, start with one or two strategic changes: update seating, refine shelving styling, improve the lighting, and introduce a few new textiles. These steps can shift the overall feel from casual farmhouse to a more updated traditional style without a full-scale remodel.