The Principal’s Office: A Warm and Homey Makeover
Happy Monday, my friends! When HomeGoods recently contacted me about making over a space for someone else, I was excited to jump on board!
I immediately thought of Coach’s school. He’s a teacher and a coach in a county high school nearby and I thought surely I could spruce up a corner of their world. I didn’t know if maybe the library or the front office could use some love, but I knew they could put it to good use. And guess what? We found the perfect spot needing a little bit of love.
Coach contacted the assistant principal, Mrs. Reynolds, one evening. And come to find out, she had been planning on going shopping the very next day to spruce up part of her office.
Now, before you think she just wanted to spruce up her own space, that’s not it at all! She has two rooms for her office: the place where she keeps her desk and works and then a room where her student aids can hang out or do their homework or visitors can wait for their appointments. We fixed up the second room. 🙂
She had already picked out some beautiful fabric, made valances and painted the walls, so my job was really easy. I took a fabric swatch from the valance with me to make sure I got the pillows and chair colors right.
Tip: when shopping for accessories or furniture, grab a swatch of fabric already used in the room. That keeps you from buying things in the gray family when really you need to be buying things in the brown family and vice versa. When I found the patterned pillows for the couch, I knew they would work perfectly because I had that fabric swatch!
Mrs. Reynolds wanted the room to be warm, homey and inviting – all things I knew I could accomplish with a little help from HomeGoods. She also needed more seating and to somehow cozy up the existing seating.
(Sorry for the super blurry picture, but you can see the awesome clearance section. Even better deals on already great prices! I threw my fabric swatch over the chair and they looked great together.)
When I walked into HomeGoods, I headed straight for the chairs and furniture. There was a huge clearance section with tons of seating options and I spotted the perfect one immediately. I got it for a steal at $69. And I grabbed a stool (also on clearance) for the computer desk, as well as some pillows and decor items.
A little side-by-side action
In addition to the upholstered chair, stool at the computer desk, pillows and decor items on top of the bookshelf, I also got the little side table you see in the picture above at HomeGoods. Mrs. Reynolds already had the black coffee table, but she was using it in another place before I snatched it up. 🙂
I did grab some items from my home decor stash at my house. Some of the items I was going to sell in my next yard sale, or donate and they worked perfectly with this spruce up!
I absolutely love the fan clock, faux succulents and cute little globe on the bookshelf. I thought the globe was appropriate for a school study room. I grabbed one of my Scrappy Fall Pumpkins from my stash for a little autumn decor.
At the end of the day, I had so much fun getting to add a little cozy warmth to one corner of the school. Although I am a little worried that it may be too cozy. Coach came home one day and told me that he caught a football player napping on the sofa with all of the pillows. Ha! Mrs. Reynolds might have to keep them from sleeping in there. 🙂
I would get a lamp for my living room.
So fun! I would spruce up the bath and master bedroom– pillows, art, throw blankets, and fun storage. Home Goods always has a lovely selection.
The kids bathroom!!
I’d spruce up our bedroom.
So many possibilities…I would love to just shop HomeGoods for more inspiration!
My bedroom
Love home goods! I think I would get new bedding!
I would love to make over my master bedroom!
My living room needs sprucing up.
I really would love this my babys room needs to be re decorated hes not a baby anymore
Absolutely my master bedroom, hands down! Mommy needs it! 🙂 Thanks for the opportunity!
I would love to get some new bedding because I hope we’ll be getting a new bed soon!
I would spruce up my dining room!
I’d spruce up my den and master bedroom!
I would spruce up my fall mantel 🙂
As much of the house as I can!
I’d put the gift card towards furniture for my den
I am in full living room redecorating mode right now…fresh paint, new rugs. Need several items to finish. Then on to the bedroom.
Great. I need a lot of decoration for our new house. Maybe some new chair like this one you got it. Got tons of ideas for my husband’s office with your post, thanks 🙂
I saw some new bath towels the last time I was there!
I would spruce up my bedroom. It’s very sad.
I would love to spruce up my walls in my family room.
Thank you for the chance to win! I love the Turquoise home and Home Goods! 🙂
I need more fall decor. Home Goods has the best stuff!
My bedroom! It needs yo be brought into this century!
How fun! I would spruce up my living room/future craft room!
My living room!
I’d spruce up my classroom!!!
I would spruce up my master bathroom. It is so boring. Nothing on the walls and hardly anything but toiletries on the counter! It def needs some help!
I would spruce up my office. Thanks!
Thanks for the giveaway! I might spend it on some upgrades on my bedding 🙂
I would totally put this toward giving our spare bedroom a facelift.
I would spruce up my living room!
I would spruce up my bathroom. It’s very boring, lol
My guest room or dining room! Tks!
I would spruce up my living room!
I would spruce up my dinner table! I could use some new dishes and linens!
with some flowers and some throw pillows for sure
Awesome giveaway! I would get a new bedding especially nice comfy ones since it will be winter before we know it
What a great before and after just in time for back to school!
I love Home Goods and have my eye on some floating shelves, framed art and storage bins for my daughter”so room.
Thanks!
Would use this on buying pillows and curtains
I would spruce up my bedroom
We moved into our house 8 months ago and we STILL don’t have nightstands. I’ve been using our window ledge and I’m nearly legally blind. Not being able to find your glasses in the dark is not fun. Haha
Such a great little makeover! I spruced up my classroom similarly to that last year and it made a WORLD of difference for my mood and my kid’s attitudes. You did a great job!
I would update my bedroom. Thanks for this giveaway!
My entry way! It would be done if I could put a shoe storage bench and a large framed mirror up!
I’d buy some organizing items for my daughter’s school! They just opened and have nothing!
I’d spruce up our living room. it is looking very drab these days.
I would LOVE to decorate our new (high school) Principal’s office. He is new and his office needs a little help to reflect a comfortable and inviting atmosphere!
It’s amazing what a few accessories can do to a room. My kitchen is looking a bit tired, so I’d put the gift card towards accessories on top of my kitchen cabinets.
I’d spruce up our master bedroom, I’d like to get a mirror!
demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com
I would get a painting for my living room
My kids’ room needs some warmth with a rug!
Our living and dining areas. I recently added a lovely rug to our living room. I am on the hunt for new drapes, cushions and decor accessories. I’d love to win!
Thanks for the opportunity!!
xo,
Anjana.
I am getting ready to redo our living room and would use it to help with that.
I would spruce up my bedroom!
I would love to spruce up my living room!
I would get some accessories or art for the family room in our mountain house.
We are in the process of redecorating our 18 & 13 year old’s rooms. We need paint, curtains, pillows, shelves, etc. Love your style.
I love home goods! Being newly married with a new baby doesn’t leave much money to decorate with. I would love to get a new chair for the living room!
I would spruce up my lounge with some art work.
looks awesome Laura! Makes me want to go to Home Goods! Although, when do I not want to go to Home Goods?? 🙂
Exactly! When do I NOT want to go to HomeGoods? The only time I can think that I would not want to go there, is if I have to take my 3-year-old during naptime. That’d be about it. Ha!!
I’m moving into our new house in a week. i would like to get a side table.
I would spruce up our entry way!
We just (1 Week ago) back to the US from Mexico and the furniture from the 2 bedroom condo needs a lot of help in this 3 bedroom house.
Nice job Lauren! I’m redoing my boy’s room, so I would use a gift card for that. It’s rare I get to work on my own home, ha!
I’d get some decorative pillows for the living room area.
My Kitchen! I need some decorations for the walls.
What a great space! I would LOVE to do a redecorating scheme like this!
I would buy some pillows for our living room.
My bedroom needs some lamps.
I would use the gift card to decorate the living room.
I would spruce up my bedroom, could use some stuff to spruce it up.
I would love to spruce up my bedroom.
Our living room is in need of an update — would be fun to stroll through the aisles and choose something fun!
I love what you did with the office!
A good friend of mine spends a lot of time working from home at the her kitchen table (we sit in there a lot when I visit too) and I think it would be fun to take her shopping to spruce it up and make it a nicer environment to hang out in.
I would spruce up my bedding!
I need that $100 for Avery’s big girl room makeover!!
🙂
I would get new pot holders and nice hot plates for the table.
my linen closet!
My living room needs some love!
I would put it towards a new desk! My current desk, from my childhood room, is functional, but the leg space is a little tight! : )
I would say the garage im turning into a man cave but honestly i woudl give it to my wife to spruce up the dinning room
I would love to decorate my master bedroom with a HomeGoods gift card. Love my HomeGoods!
I would makeover my guest bedroom. I love everything in Home Goods and always feel like a kid in a candy store when I shop there!
Oh I would love to spruce up our living room! It really needs a makeover!
Love homegoods! So awesome you got to treat someone else to a mini makeover!
I love how cozy the office looks now! I’d try and spruce up our living room.
I would do a great room makeover!
Gorgeous! Great job!
With $250, I could make a huge dent in redecorating my bedroom! Thanks for the opportunity to win!
I would get new bathroom towels
I am re-doing our drop zone, so, it would go toward that!!!! Thanks!
$100 to Home Goods would help spruce up my new place. I will need some colorful lamps and accent decor
My office needs a good spruce. It’s so blah right now. I absolutely LOVE Home Goods, I could spend hours just wandering around!
i am always tweaking the living room and sunroom…there can never be enough throw pillows, right???
thanks,
b
I would love it. So many project rooms, I don’t know what I’d do first, but I’d love it!!
I’d love to spruce up my daughter’s home. She is just starting out and could use some homey touches in her place. Thanks for the chance!
I would work on Harper’s “Big Girl Room!”
I need to spruce up my master bath and laundry room. Boring currently
I’m dying to get artwork for the living room and some mirrors for around the house.
I’d love to get some lamps for my bedroom along with some pretty cushions for the living room.
Looks beautiful! I would use the gift card to spruce up my kitchen! Looking for a farmhouse feel!
It looks fantastic. You are so kind to do that. I would fix up my new office I’m moving into next week.
I would love to use this gift card to spruce up my bathroom. I could use some new décor items in there, towels, and bath mats.
Home Goods has the cutest stuff! I’m looking for a fun rug to spruce up my office. something bright and cheery.
My bedroom could use some new décor
I would spruce up my kitchen
I love the makeover! I would spruce up our outdoors/garden. we have a fire-pit but our seating and decor is awful!
I would use it to spruce up my bathroom.
I would most definitely spruce up my living room & bedroom!
HomeGoods is my FAVORITE place to shop for Home Decor! This would be a perfect birthday gift!
I’d put it towards a rug.
I would spruce up my dining room. It’s in dire need of a little help!
My kitchen chairs need some new cushions, and I would love to be able to get them.
Love the makeover! Thanks for the giveaway!
Love your redesign of the principal’s office, so fun. I would spruce up our entry way, I’m looking for a console table and I know Home Goods always has gorgeous tables. I really want one to make the entryway pop.
Great job. I’m sure it’s going to be a popular place to hang!
I would love to redo our living room if I should win. Thanks for the opportunity.
I would spruce up the living room and bathroom
I would buy something to spruce up my daughter’s college dorm room.
I’ll get rugs and pillows for the living room.
I need cute stuff for my kitchen and bathroom!
We are finishing up a major remodel, and i would use a Home Goods gift card to complete some decorating around the open living area and kitchen!
Laura, this is so great! I kinda got a bit teary eyed when I saw your post about sprucing up this space @ school. Some school can be very “prison like” in terms of color and design. I think you did such a fabulous job! So much fun to shop and not worry about the bill too! What a perk!
So, were you nervous about designing the space?
You are so sweet! It is quite fun to shop on someone else’s dime. I’d do that any day!! 🙂 I was a little nervous before I saw it, but once I saw what Mrs. Reynolds had already done, I knew my job would be easy. I really enjoyed it!
I am glad you had some inspiration to start with! That would make it a tad bit simpler. It definitely would be fun shopping on someone else’s dime! I could get pretty spoiled! Take care and I look forward to more great posts!
I would spruce up our dining room and guest room. What fun it would be to have a gift card to use in Home Goods – one of my favorite places to shop.
Thanks for the great giveaway !
Definitely my carpet it’s old and dirty
I would spruce up my master bedroom
Oh, the room looks wonderful! How kind of you to do this for the school…perhaps fold out cots are in order for those sleepy students!! Thanks to you and Homegoods for the great giveaway….love that store!! Diane
I thought about using to to finish out My Master Bedroom…..But I really need to Cheer-Up My Craft/Office…I love some much about the Make-Over but I saw that Your Pumpkin Picture was on the Shelf….Love it so much!!This is one assistant principal Office I would not mind getting call too…Good Job
I would spruce up our bedroom. It still looks like a bachelor lives in there.
My master bath needs a little spruce up! Great job on Mrs. Reynolds’ office!
Man, it looks like someone had fun!!! & you made someone else’s day besides!! You did a fabulous job! My next project is my boys’ bedroom- there’s 3 boys in one room & they are outgrowing the “littles” decor.. Thanks for all your inspiration!!
I am sure the room you spruced up for Coach will be welcomed by everyone as it looks cheerful and cozy.
Home Goods is a exciting place to explore and especially when one can buy things with a gift certificate, n’est pas.
Thank you for sponsoring the giveaway for Home Goods and allowing us a chance to spruce up our home or buy a gift item for a family member.
With a joyful heart,
I love HomeGoods. It is always the first place I looked for reasonably priced decorator items. Thank you for the chance to win a gift card.
Great job and a sweet and generous gesture! My living room could use a cozy throw and some cute decor from Homegoods!
I would spruce up the built-ins and carpet in my den – they both need help! You did a fabulous job on the principal’s office waiting area, it looks great. Thanks for providing this give-away.
Mary
I’d work on my bathrooms and kitchen for sure!
I need new chairs in our living room and a Home Goods just opened where we live! So excited!
What an awesome giveaway! I wish I had your eye for design—I’m a complete and utter failure when it comes to redesigning things or getting off my rump and doing them. I’d like to spruce up my living room, which is a complete nightmare. Nothing matches and there’s a lot of furniture that needs replacing. Thanks!