You Can Buy My Wallpaper! (Plus, A Few Studio Details)

I had enough people ask me about purchasing the big, bold, watercolor floral wallpaper that I created for my studio that I went ahead and purchased the commercial license from the artist who originally painted the watercolor flowers so that I could offer the wallpaper to the public via Spoonflower.

Bright and bold watercolor floral wallpaper from Spoonflower on main wall of studio - closeup

When you click on that link, you’ll find several options. You can choose between water-activated or peel-and-stick wallpaper. I used the water-activated since it costs less, and I had no problems with it at all. I shared some installation tips here…

You can also choose to order a swatch, a standard roll (which is 12 feet long) or you can choose a custom length roll. The custom length is the option I chose for the studio wall, and unless you have 12-foot walls in your room, I highly suggest ordering custom length rolls. That way you have virtually zero waste.

My wall was just under 8 feet high, so I chose to have 8-foot rolls printed. Each roll was printed identically, which made matching the pattern very easy. (Don’t forget about that 3/4-inch overlap!)

And, of course, you can use wallpaper for much more than just walls! You can line the inside of your dresser or desk drawers with it for a little burst of color when you open the drawers. You can cover boxes with it to create colorful storage boxes worthy of displaying on shelves. You can use it on the fronts of dresser drawers for a combo paint and pattern look. The sky’s the limit!

I also made the print available on fabric.

They offer many different fabrics, but if you’re looking for a good decorator fabric for draperies and pillows and such (not too heavy, not too thin), I recommend the linen cotton canvas ultra.

Anyway, you can let me know if you have any questions! I’ve now ordered both wallpaper and fabric from Spoonflower, and I’ve been very pleased with both.

In other news, I’m trying to make a few more studio selections. Yesterday, I started my hunt for my office desk. In case you forgot, this will be the general layout of the studio…

To help you get your bearings, the “Sewing/Project Desk” is the wall with the floral wallpaper. And of course, there’s no mud room now, so that arrow that says “To Mud Room” should now say “To Back Entry” where the French doors and the black and white chevron floor design are.

When you walk into the studio from the breakfast room, my home office area will be straight ahead. That’s where I’ll sit every day to edit photos, write blog posts, and take care of general blog stuff. There will be built-ins around the window with a desk sitting in front. This built-ins will look like this, but the separate desk isn’t pictured here…

Since this will be the first view from the breakfast room, I want it to look nice. I’ve been on the lookout for desk inspiration, and I’ve realized that I don’t want anything big and heavy, like an executive desk. I want something that looks lighter and less obtrusive. Since I’ll have all of that storage in the built-ins, the only storage I really want in a desk in just a shallow drawer for some pencils, pens, etc.

So yesterday, I was scrolling through Instagram and came across this desk. I love how this looks with the simple metal base and the thick white top which would allow room for one shallow drawer.

If I can find reasonably-priced metal legs, I can certainly build that top myself.

So I started searching online for metal table/desk legs, and there are so many good options out there! I had no idea! If you’re looking for something like this, there are quite a few people offering handmade table legs on Etsy, and most of them offer custom options such as color, height, width, etc.

After looking at all of the options I could find, I think these are my favorites.

I like the very simple, no-frills design, and the black would go with all of my other black accents in the studio and back areas.

And then in a sudden moment of inspiration, I decided last night that I wanted a green velvet desk chair. 😀 Sadly, when I searched for “green velvet desk chair,” I only found one that I liked.

I think I might regret purchasing a desk chair that doesn’t have arms, and the green doesn’t look quite bright enough. I think it has a bit too much yellow in it. But I do love that chair!

So then I went to the only place I could think of right off the top of my head that would have customizable desk chairs — Ballard Designs. They do have a desk chair with arms, and they also have a green fabric. Unfortunately, it’s not velvet. 😀

I do really like the look of that chair, and I like the brighter green of the fabric. But the price! That chair, customized like I want it, is $1,1119.00. There’s a sale right now, so if I order now it would be $895 ($1087 with shipping and tax), but I don’t know that I’d ever be able to make myself pay that for just one chair.

Anyway, those are just some thought rolling around in my head right now. I have my heart set on an easy-build desk with metal legs, and a green upholstered desk chair (preferably velvet).

What I do know is that when I finally get my floors finished, and they’ve had enough time to cure for me to put furniture on them, I think that my office desk and chair, as well as my huge workroom table, will be my first priorities. As much as I want to see my cabinets built and painted and looking pretty, all of that storage is just a bonus. My first priorities need to be the main desk/table where I’ll be spending quite a bit of time getting actual work done.

 

 

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46 Comments

  1. As someone who sits in a chair all day long, I can tell you I actually prefer a chair without arms. Even with adjustable arms, I can’t get them to the right high and me be the right height for my desk so I’ve had the arms removed from my desk chair. And at home for my sewing table, I needed no arms for the same reason. I know you will probably sit less at your chair than I do, but I would strongly encourage you to not let the lack of arm affect your decision making, especially if you will sit all the way up to your desk – you will rest your arms on the desk and not the chair. Just food for thought!

    1. I tend to agree. I’ve gone thru several home desk chairs trying to find one that fits me too. I’m only 5’4″ so the arms get in the way of getting my chair under my desk. I ended up going armless and using the desk to rest my arms on.

      1. I agree I have 3 chairs in my studio. The arms were annoying so I took them off. I had chairs from office depot and recovered them in the fabric i wanted. Love them now!

    2. Thanks for your comment. that may be the reason I have such terrible back aches when I spend time in my sewing room working. I have a desk chair with arms and I thought it was the chair but now I think the arms make me sit at such a forward angle that I am strained beyond norms, but then, there is also loading the washer, dryer and dishwasher, and lifting my daughter. Thanks for the thought.

    3. I agree with the no-arms comments. I bought office chairs for my hubs and myself, and took the arms off my chair. Works so much better with my desk.

  2. I’m surprised you haven’t considered buying a chair you like the shape of and just reupholstering it. Or maybe you have and I’m jumping the gun 🙂
    If I’m honest I hope you go that route, but only becuase I’d love to learn how to do it 🙂

  3. I probably should have mentioned this ages ago (before your finished floor, eek!) but please think about wire management with a floating desk placement! Nothing worse than wires hanging off the front of a beautiful desk to access power. The best solution is a floor outlet directly under the desk with a desk leg that can accommodate wires, and unfortunately that results in a grommet hole needed in your work surface top. There are other clever options out there as not everyone can retrofit spaces to have floor boxes!

  4. I have a desk chair with arms, and unfortunately, the height of those arms and the height of my desk front are not compatible—they knock one another. Luckily, the arms are removable. But, since you will likely make your own desk, you will smartly account for that. 👍🏻 It’s all going to be so grandly loverly! ~:D

  5. A long time ago I was told that a desk chair with arms is actually bad for your back and people shouldn’t have them. I’m pretty sure I was told this by the person in charge of making sure desk spaces weren’t causing physical health issues at the state agency I worked for. My boss made me have an assessment done when all I wanted was a pull out keyboard holder. In the end I was told I needed a new chair AND the pull out keyboard holder and it backfired a little for my boss! They were insistent that office chairs shouldn’t have arms.

  6. My desk chair doesn’t have arms and I love it! I can scoot right up to the desk, which saves on back pain.

  7. Do you really need arms on a desk chair? If your writing/ drawing/sewing or on the computer your arms would not be on the chair arm, right? The only time I use chair arms is when I’m relaxing 😎

  8. Almost sure you’ve come across this but Ikea sells legs inexpensively. Their “LERBURG” legs ($15 each piece, not sold as a pair, 110lb weight limit, 27″ish tall) painted gold may be an option…

  9. Maybe look on FB marketplace or Salvation Army (Wacky Wednesday is half off) for one with arms and a base you like and upholster it in the proper color of green velvet.

  10. Love the green/gold chair, but the no arms would be a deal breaker for me. I rest my arms on my office chair all the time and feel I need it.

  11. Hey, I actually love the simplicity of the black metal legs. As a sewist, I was totally excited when I spotted an industrial sewing frame! It can be adjusted between 32″ and 36″, so I am using it as my entry table. With the cool refurbed flooring from a local source, it is my vibe. Of course different tops would make different vibes. Thanks for sharing!

  12. My two cents: 1. Chair with no arms – that way you can roll it right up under your desk. 2. The top of the desk you could make to look like your bathroom sink counter. 3. If you choose a velvet chair, don’t let that be the chair that you ever sew in. The chair will collect the threads like crazy! 4. I am LOVING your workshop/studio!!!!

    1. If you do go the Ballard route, they have an option to send in your own fabric for them to upholster the chair with! LOVE your wallpaper!!

      1. Leigh beat me to it — Kristi, I was going to say the same thing. If you can find a green velvet fabric you love which should be pretty easy to do, you can ship the fabric to Ballard and they will custom upholster that desk chair for you. I love that Ballard desk chair and was seriously thinking of getting it myself, but yes, that price point is a bit of a killer. I’d have to wait for one of their sales in order to get it. They sometimes have sales PLUS free shipping. I’m wondering if you called Ballard and asked, particularly since you’re an interior designer, a Ballard representative may be willing to tell you when a big sale WITH free shipping might be happening in future!

  13. I wonder if you are able to buy the bottom roller part of a desk chair by itself? If you can, you could then buy a green velvet chair in the color you prefer, remove its legs and attach the bottom roller part to it. I don’t know if that’s possible but just a thought. From the little bit of searching I did, I think it’s going to be hard, if not impossible, to find one exactly like you are looking for. As someone else said, you might have to buy one in another color or fabric and reupholster in your fabric of choice.

    I do agree with what other are saying about getting a chair with no arms versus one with arms. I’ve had both. I much prefer the one without arms because the arms interfered with pushing the chair all the way up, with me getting into and out of the chair and I didn’t really use the arms much anyway. Of course, this is just my opinion.

    Anyway, good luck! Love how this entire area is coming together!

  14. I love that desk too. I’m sure you will save a lot of money making it yourself. When you find the shape chair you love, I think a lot of them come apart easily so it might be great to just cover it with the exact color and material you want. Arms on desk chairs – I don’t know what is best, but I find myself sitting back to rest, think, (for you, looking/admiring that wallpaper) in between projects. That is when I use the arms!

  15. Wow! Thank-you for making the wallpaper and material available to us! Thinking about where I could use them now!

  16. Love the black base for your desk! And love the first armless chair. I do agree it’s a little too yellow-ish green, but is it possible to dye it a little brighter?

  17. I use the arms on my desk chair a lot, even when working, not only when I’m resting 🙂 my chair has easily adjustable arms, though, so when they interfere with the desk height when I want to roll the chair under it, I can lower the arms. I suggest getting the most comfy chair for your body dimensions and upholstering it yourself, so you don’t have to make room for compromises on the chair itself because of the green velvet 🙂

  18. Just weighing in with my two cents. If you havea general budget for the overall room
    you may be able to get the chair your heart desires by budgeting less for the desk or other items in the room

  19. My advice is, no matter the price, get the chair that you KNOW is right, but think you shouldn’t because of the cost. The chair is a tool; one you’ll be using a long time. Comfort and functionality trumps cost every time.

  20. I have done the pretty desk with no storage and just legs, and am trying to replace it now, but to each his own. Just don’t forget to make a plan for where your trash and recycling will go, and what you will do with the cords. And for your own sanity, avoid a glass top.

    I also won’t ever have a desk again that isn’t facing out a window. I’ve had both and cannot stand not looking out, but I absolutely adore clouds and trees and wind and flowers and birds and such, so again, different strokes.

  21. Another vote for finding a less expensive chair and reupholstering it. Maybe test out both arm and armless chairs and return the one that doesn’t work. My husband had arms on both his chairs and loves them. This space will be gorgeous, just like the rest of your home.

  22. If you do go the Ballard route, they have an option to send in your own fabric for them to upholster the chair with! LOVE your wallpaper!

  23. Hi Kristi! You mentioned that a lot of the desk legs could be customized. I was looking at the photo of the “desk” you like. It looks like it is actually a credenza (see how high the top is compared to the chair and the cabinet behind it?), so too high to sit in the chair shown with your arms on the desk (neck and back pain ahead!). However, if you make the legs short enough to have that fairly deep top on it so your arms are at a comfortable work height, will your legs fit under the desk? I know I’m tall and maybe that’s not a concern for you, but I thought I’d put it out there for you to think about. P.S. I love the floors the light color.

  24. my desk chair is a dining room head of the table chair with four separate legs/ cut the legs down slightly and added casters. have you looked at lee valley for a chair base?

  25. Thank-you so much for making your design available for us!
    I don’t have a project yet but have gone ahead and ordered samples – want to support you, it’s SOOOO purty 😉 and when i do have a project i’ll be ready!

  26. Have you checked out hairpinlegs.com or diyhairpinlegs.com? They both have different options but include brass or color powder coated legs for your desk.

  27. NO arms on a desk chair! They bang into the desk, you cannot pull up all the way, etc. Everyone at the top of these comments is right. I love the gorgeous green velvet chair without arms. You’ll figure it out, but really think about the arms. They are for lounge chairs – not desk chairs!

  28. You can search for “green velvet computer chair”
    There are many different models
    As many mentioned above, I’m working long hours and prefer no arms.
    I will say more important to pay attention to ergonomic features.

  29. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard this before and I thought it was crazy at first too. You appear to be about my height. Years ago when remodeling our business I ordered a custom leather arm chair in seafoam green leather. To this day, the most beautiful chair I’ve ever seen. I was miserable in it. The arms weren’t right, I bumped into my desk constantly. Anyway, long story short, the designer who specialized in office furniture explained to me that armless chairs are much more suited for shorter people. She was right. My brother ended up with the gorgeous leather chair in his office and I went with armless. It changed everything. Please think on this before you make an expensive choice.

  30. I am 5’4” and team armless chairs too! I will also say, I am also a fan of drawers off to the side versus all the way across the middle. It allows me to push my chair all the way up and have the desk surface almost on my legs, which is more comfortable for me than 6” of desk thickness (sorry, hard to explain!). Basically, definitely play with heights, it can be done easily with empty boxes to get a feel for what you like! Oh, and if my feet are dangling I also find that uncomfortable. Apparently I’m more difficult than I realized…