Shay's Leap of Faith + Home Office

It feels so good to know it's Friday - right? A little time to relax despite the ton of work I still have to do! Today, I wanted to share a gorgeous home office from blogger & photographer, Shay from So Shay blog. I'll let her tell you about it in her own words.

Hello! My name is Shalyn Nelson and I am a wedding and lifestyle photographer from Austin, Texas. This past year I was working the typical 8-5 corporate job and worked from a small desk that blended into a sea of bright blue cubicles. Once the clock hit 5:00, I drove home & put on my photography hat & worked until the early hours of the morning. As of August, I took a LEAP OF FAITH & started working for myself! 




I am passionate about photography so this is a HUGE risk for the sake of living a life that I love.


For the past two years, I have been working in a room with boring, blank off-white walls that was had Berber carpet and yellow outlets. There was a tiny, old white fan that would creak every time I would turn it on. Basically, my work space was anything but inspiring. I wanted to work in a space that I could vibe off of, and just enjoy.  I spend so many hours working in there, it just started to become a room I dreaded walking into because it lacked energy, and life!


My office space was inspired by the colors gold, white, gray & pink. I’m currently re-branding my business, and I knew that I wanted it to match and reflect me 100%. When I had my blog redesigned last year by Kelly Ann, she sent me a mood board and when I saw it, I did a happy dance and instantly fell in love. It has become what I’ve based all of my brand on. 




One day I looked at my husband & we just decided to dive in. We moved everything out, tore up the carpet, and headed to Lowes to buy blue tape, paint, and tons of supplies to start building the office of my dreams.  We had a $1000 budget so most of the things you see in my office I have had around my home for quite sometime. I always thought that you had to buy the new, hip and cool things to make an office awesome, but honestly, you can find things you have around your home that can work just as well! 


We bought our dark walnut laminate floors from a discount flooring store in Austin, Texas. My husband put the floors in all by himself with the help of me handing him things and supporting him like the good wife that I am! ;) (Haha!)


The next step was the walls. We started out by painting one wall with Blackboard Chalk paint. I really wanted a board to write out my ideas, thoughts, and to-do list on and because there are two doors already taking up a lot of the space on the wall, I figured this would be perfect. It is almost a surprise factor when you walk in and realize that it’s there. It’s super fun!  




The gold wall was my idea and I admit it, I’m totally in love with the gold trend right now. I once saw a wallpaper on Pinterest that looks like this: When I looked up the cost, I realized that I couldn’t afford it and so my husband and I decided to paint it by hand. At first glance, it looks a little intimidating, but honestly, it wasn’t that hard to do at all. We sectioned off the stripes with blue tape and before I knew it, my gold chevron wall came to life! To say that I am in love with it is an understatement.




Slowly but surely my office came to life. My space was ME and I couldn’t wait to start working in it. The white shelf in my office was a hand me down from my brother, so I painted it white and installed white IKEA lights underneath it. The desk is from IKEA and that’s what I’ve been working from for the past two years, so it was nice to see it pop on the hard wood floors. 




The gold chest was a lucky find that I found while antiquing a couple of weeks ago. I almost had a heart attack when I saw it, and adopted that precious baby immediately. I use it to hold a lot of my things and it is also a little place for people to sit when they come hang out with me in my office. The chair was also found antiquing a year ago, and I’ve been using it in my guest room until recently. 


All in all, I love my office and I hope that you can gain inspiration from it. It’s my favorite place to be in the house, and I feel blessed to be able to work from home and in a space that I feel inspired every single day. Making a space your own and utilizing the things in your home can go a long way! 




SOURCES:


The floors were bought at Discount Floor & More. Drew put them in all by himself.

The Gold Wall: Drew and I hand painted this. It was tedious and crazy, but SO worth it.
Camera Bag: Jo Totes
Chair: Bought at an antique store
Desk: IKEA
Gold Chest: Bought at antique store
Blanket: Marshall's
Pillow: Bed, Bath & Beyond
Picture Frame in Window: Hobby Lobby
For Like Ever: Gift from DDHP; Purchased from OhDierLiving
Chandelier: Lowes
Frames: IKEA
Prints: Stephanie Stervoski Print Shop (She's amazing and just released new prints!)
Flowers on Desk: IKEA
Vase: Was Drew's Mom's that she gave to me. It was gray and I spray painted it gold.
Book Case: Hand me down from my sister-in-law. Painted it white. Added under-lighting from IKEA.
Sticks in Vase: Hobby Lobby
Gold Pillow: Marshall's
Wooden Gold Heart: Marshall's (Spray painted the heart gold)
Gold Frame: Free from neighbors yard. Was brown and spray painted it gold.
Love Letters on Shelf: Hobby Lobby
Cameras on Shelf: Z-Gallerie
iPhone Case: Target
Mood Board by Kelly Ann Creative


- post by shalyn nelson


Pinterest

77 comments

  1. wow, wow, wow! such a beautiful space! congrats on a job well done!

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  2. OMG I LOVE her office. Completely smitten with it.

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  3. In LOVE with the gold focal wall..at first I thought it was the wallpaper from Urban Outfitters, then I saw it was hand painted! Looks fabulous!!

    //Birdie Shoots//

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  4. What a gorgeous space!!! I'm so in love! xx

    Jordan
    opal-and-violet.blogspot.com

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  5. Love this space! I really ned to set aside an office ASAP!

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  6. Wow, this space is gorgeous!! So girly and pretty! Love that gold striped wall with the chandelier. Amazing.

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  7. That gold chevron wall is insanely beautiful. I can't wait for my own house so I can paint up the walls!
    grey et al

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  8. Beautiful! Such a pretty, chic space! You did an amazing job!!

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  9. There will be no lack of inspiration in a space like this! I'm obsessed with that gold chest too!

    Champagne Lifestyle on a Beer Budget

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  10. Beautiful! You did such a great job on the gold chevron wall. It's so hard to get such nice, crisp lines and yours look fab!

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  11. In love with her office! So girly!

    http://dashofglamm.blogspot.com/

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  12. i love shay! most beautiful office in all the land!!! <3

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  13. Congrats Shalyn, that's a huge jump to give up your job! I wish you much success. It's great that your husband is so encouraging to help you reno your office. It looks fantastic! I love the chandelier and the gold trunk particularly. However, the cutest part is your dog! So adorable, I'd love to have a cute assistant like that!
    Great job on your office and best of luck with your business.

    :)
    mikky
    www.todaloos.com

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  14. AWESOME! I just love that wall! I think it is great too that you did something totally different on the other side with the chalkboard paint! Love all of it! Thanks for sharing!

    onprairiehill.blogspot.com

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  15. thanks for sharing this! love her space its perfection ecpecially the gold chevron print wall. have a great weekend! xx. gigi. food and beauty blogger @ www.gigikkitchen.blogspot.com

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  16. Shay, go on with your bad self! Love the wall, but most of all love your decision to jump right in there and go after what you really want in life. There are a lot of workday hours that make up a life. If you can spend them doing something that makes you happy, all the better.

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  17. Pretty room and all, but I just want that Target iPhone case!

    Kate from Clear the Way

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  18. Love, love, love Super Shay, and have for years, what a FANTASTIC feature!!! :)

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  19. Not sure if I am more impressed with the Chevron gold wall and the overall uplifting feel or the leap of faith! BOTH inspiring!

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  20. Love this office.Really Great

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  21. Adorable office, Shay!! I'm in the middle of redoing mine at the moment, and I can't wait until it's finally finished. Your photography is beautiful, by the way. :)

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  22. Thank you SO SO SO much for sharing this! Her office and her work ethic is such an inspiration! I could look at these pictures for hours!! And now I have a new blog to follow!! Thanks Jen!!

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  23. That office is just divine! I would die to have wallpaper like that - just so pretty!

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  24. This is SO beautiful! So happy to see what you can come up with on a budget & still make it so inspiring and fit your personality. Love those walls... it looks like a great way to get your business really going.

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  25. How inspiring! At some point, I would love to have the chance to work from home. Plus, having an office like this wouldn't hurt! Shay and her husband created a such a gorgeous space.

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  26. Hola Jen, me encanta tu onda!!!Un beso desde Argentina!
    Vivi

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  27. Hola Jen, me encanta tu onda!! Saludos desde Argentina!
    Vivi

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  28. Hola Jen, me encanta tu onda!!!Un beso desde Argentina!
    Vivi

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  29. Such a beautiful space! That golden chest was an amazing find, wish I had such luck rummaging round antique stores!

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  30. I'm actually crazy obsessed with everything she has added. the gold trunk, the chevron walls (BY HAND OMG) and all the prints. I just adore all of her ideas. What an inspiration!

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  31. I'm in love with the gold chest! Congratulations on taking a risk, Shay!

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  32. How gorgeous! I'm so pea green with envy - I would love to have a beautiful space to work in! And that you did that wall by hand?! Amazing!

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  33. this is a very beautiful space! kudos on the wall paper too!

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  34. That gold trunk is amazing!

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  35. I love the chalkboard wall! I'm seeing chalkboard surfaces everywhere and I'm a huge fan. The gold touches everywhere are so pretty, too.
    Can you design my office?! :)

    M.

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  36. Wow! What a beautiful office space AND story! I'm a smitten kitten!

    New fan and follower here!

    I hope you can stop by GlamourMash sometime! Have a F-A-B weekend!

    xx
    
Holly Foxen Wells

    GlamourMash

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  37. That gold stripe wall is giving me life...smile.

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  38. Incredible space and so inspiring! Thanks so much for sharing :)

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  39. thanks for featuring so-shay, i just checked out her blog and love everything. such a good and inspiring story about how to take a leap of faith and go after what you love!!

    rachel x
    www.blushandbrunch.com

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  40. Beautiful and very feminine home office!
    Love the gold and pink touch ♥
    I wish I could have more space in my little home to create a similar office!

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  41. Beautiful office. Love the pink and gold. What is the pretty light gray on the walls? You listed everything, but that. Thanks!!!

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  42. I love your office!!! Amaizing!
    http://raslinkina.blogspot.com/

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  43. Stunning...you truly have an amazing eye. Love everything about your new space!

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  44. Amazing gold chevron wall. What is the gray on the rest of your walls? Thanks.

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  45. its beautiful:))))

    http://leopardheels.blogspot.co.uk/

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  46. Absolutely gorgeous! That chevron wall is amazing!

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  47. LOVE it!! =D



    Yellow Blog [blog design]
    http://yellowblog.storenvy.com
    - Get 10% OFF by using the code "valentines2013"!

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  48. What a gorgeous and inspirational office! The gold chevron is stunning!
    xx
    Here&Now

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  49. That gold trunk is such a find! I love that feeling! And that painted wall looks SO good, what a cool idea!

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  50. Just Wow! love the office and so brave of Shay! all the best to her !! thanks for sharing Jen..love your blog!

    kisses!

    www.canvirries03.blogspot.com

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  51. This office is GORGEOUS! I think I'd trap myself in there and tell my boyfriend I was "working" even when I wasn't busy! Haha! :)

    Shannon
    Shannon Loves Design
    Fabulously Vintage

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  52. thanks for sharing this Jen, so nice and inspirational!
    ps: I can't believe the iPhone case is from Target haha

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  53. What a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful space to work in! A leap of faith can take you where you have never imagined! I wish you all the successes! Xx

    Pink Carnations

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  54. Wow, this is gorgeous!! What an inspiration, I cannot wait to redo my office! Thanks for sharing.

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  55. Wow–that gold chevron wall is AMAZING! I want one!

    Alyssa
    The Glossy Life

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  56. The perfect office
    just perfect
    Great work!

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  57. I love it! It looks fabulous. Now I'm inspired to work on my office - Brandy

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  58. Wow, holy heck I want to come live in your office!!! I hope you don't mind, but when we get into our new home I definitely want a gold and white chevron wall exactly like this.. Everything about this space is absolutely wonderful!!

    xo http://www.RavingFashionista.com

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  59. Amazing :) love her office!

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  60. wow what a lovely space! i really need to update my office and i love how this turned out!
    -- jackiejade.blogspot.com

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  61. Congrats to Shay, and good luck in her new adventure!

    Such a beautiful space to work in. I want to know how she convinced her husband to paint that wall with her....pointers please!

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  62. Love her office but love her story even more! Go Shay!! Love reading others' leaps of faith, so inspiring! xo

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  63. Wow! thanks for posting this Jen and Shay, thanks for sharing! Your office and story about going full time with your photography are really inspiring. Congratulations xx

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  64. Gold everywhere is amazing. Gold chevron is amazing.


    xo
    Maggie
    Love Scrapbook

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  65. Loving gold lately, especially for an office for some reason. Your wall looks so good!

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  66. great idea for my future home-office! :D thanks

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  67. how cool is that chalkboard on the wall?!!?!? I really want that:D

    Lovely home indeed!!!!

    Cinz
    http://cinzee.wordpress.com

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  68. That is what one calls a stunning space!!

    http://meghansilva.blogspot.com

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  69. I am dying over the wall paper. amazing.

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  70. Beautiful! Would you mind sharing what the gold paint color is? Thank you!

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  71. Hello! I featured your chevron wall in my monthly blog series, Get Your Color On!. Each month I select a color, provide tips on how to decorate with it, and feature other bloggers with their projects that relate to this color.

    This month’s post is all about silver and gold, so I featured your chevron wall because I love how glamorous it is and how everything in the room is so well-coordinated with the gold.

    Feel free to grab a featured button and check out my post at Get Your Color On! Silver & Gold. Thanks for sharing your amazing creativity!

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  72. Dying to hear what the gold paint color is!!!

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  73. I love gold! and that trunk is amazing. Too bad it doesn't say where it's from.

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