Today’s Reader Reno comes from our favorite Richmond wedding photographer, Katelyn James.  After two years of running her photography business from her college dorm room, she was due for her very own, personalized office. She and her husband are working to make their house a home, and part of that process was making her dream office a reality. Katelyn set out to create an office space that was not only inspiring but also mirrored her business brand. And she did just that!

Here are some details about Katelyn’s style and choices, in her own words:

My office has become my new “paradise”! This is easy to do when you’re decorating a room with your FAVORITE colors and themes. My studio is branded with a shabby/chic look that incorporates teal and vintage frames so of course my office space needed to mirror that look! My husband and I bought a 1980′s Cape Cod in the west end of Richmond and we have been giving it a makeover since the day we moved in!

Here is what the room looked like before…

And here is the grand after…

During our honeymoon, we had the house painted (Best idea ever!). When we returned the trim was all painted white and my office walls were Waterscape by Sherwin Williams. I was in love! It’s such a perfect shade of light teal. My furniture was collected from several different stores. My ivory and chocolate settee was ordered from Target online! It really ties the room together and for only $560, it was a steal! The mirrored side table and storage shelf that holds my camera gear is also from Target.  The dresser at the end of the room is from the Hemnes collection at IKEA and I couldn’t live without it. My desk is my splurge. I went to Pottery Barn for this purchase and it ended up fitting perfectly! My teal chairs are from Marshalls and all the lamps and vases are from my dream store… Homegoods!!! The accessories in the room are leftover from our wedding in October and I’m so thankful that I am able to reuse it.  All of the frames are from thrift stores and probable cost me an average of $1 a piece! Last but not least… the white, distressed entry table is from Pier One and my chandelier was only $39 from IKEA.

This girl didn’t not shop on a budget… HOWEVER… I had a really good sense of what I wanted and so I was patient and waited for all of the right pieces to fall into place. I’m loving the finished product and I hope you do too!!

We absolutely do love it! I’m loving the feminine, shabby chic vibe — it mirrors Katelyn’s brand perfectly while still being personal and warm (just like Katelyn!). If you’re looking for a new blog to add to your RSS reader, be sure to check out Katelyn’s photography blog here.

Do you have a home project that you would like to see featured on 7HL? How about stories and tips about entertaining, interior design and cool DYI projects? Well, we’re always looking for cool stuff to show our readers! When sending us your submission, include up to eight photos along with a brief description and important details (the name you want to be known as in the article, paint colors, materials, budget, etc.).

Please email your submissions to submissions@7thhouseontheleft.com. By sending us your submission, you are giving us permission to post it on the blog unless otherwise stated in your email. Don’t worry, we won’t post your email address or any personal information unless you specifically ask us to do so.

All photos courtesy of Katelyn James Photography.