OFFICE CONVERSION: PHASE THREE - ARTWORK

Most people begin decorating a room with the sensible stuff—paint, flooring, maybe a rug if they’re feeling wild. Not me. In true “I do life backwards” fashion, I prefer to start with the fun parts: Furniture, accessories, and anything that can be purchased impulsively while holding a coupon. Only after all that do I circle back to the walls and floors, mostly because I never know what to do with them until everything else is bossing me around.

The new sunroom‑turned‑office feels like a little gateway to the lake beyond the patio doors, so I wanted the artwork to echo that softness. Think Monet, but with fewer water lilies to maintain. Soft blues, gentle greens, and the occasional whisper of pink—basically the emotional palette of a serene woman who definitely has her life together (or is at least trying to fake it).

Two trips to Hobby Lobby later—because one is never enough—I came home with a couple of lovely pieces. Then a visit to the Dali Museum sent me spiraling into inspiration, and I returned with a small print of his 1916 Fiesta in Figueres. I framed it in a perfect Amazon frame that practically leapt into my cart.

Available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/4bwUcsY

But the crown jewel is a larger print of Monet’s Water Lilies, which feels right at home in a lakeside office. It’s like the room looked at it and said, “Yes, that’s the vibe.”

Available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/4uQZjvq

And then there’s the sweetest little piece of original art - a tiny 4X6 blue butterfly painted by my cousin, Karen - now perched in a silver frame atop the console like it owns the place.

Speaking of the console table (Yes, that console table from my last post), I’ve been on a mission to fill it with things that make me smile. So far, it’s sporting family photos in small silver frames (from Amazon, as usual) and the quirkiest little figurine of a woman sitting in yoga pose. I found her at the Bok Tower gift shop after one of my Saturday morning yoga classes, and she felt like a spiritually appropriate addition. Plus, she looks far more flexible than I will ever be.

From the Bok Tower Gift Shop

Someday soon, I’ll decide what to do with the walls and floors. Maybe. Probably. Eventually. But for now, the artwork is hung, the console is styled, and my new office feels like a place where creativity - and coffee - can flow freely.

And honestly? I’m happy with it just as it is.