Project Wyckoff: From Dreary to Dreamy, Megan’s Coastal Farmhouse Home Office

Wyckoff, NJ

THE STARTING POINT

When Megan reached out, she had one clear goal: a work-from-home office where she wouldn’t need to blur her background on professional calls all day long. Her office was a decent size, but outdated, dark, and poorly insulated—so much so that she spent New Jersey winters bundled up just to get through her workday. Honestly, I can’t believe this poor girl worked for so long in that cold, dreary space!

Megan and I go way back—we went to the same high school and even did spring track together (dominating the field events… or at least having way too much fun trying our best). One thing I’ve always known about Megan is her love for Avalon at the Jersey Shore. The beach is her happy place, and I wanted to capture that in her office design. When we started talking about style, she leaned toward a mix of rustic farmhouse and coastal boho. You might wonder, how in the world do you blend those two vibes? Enter: shiplap, rattan textures, and soft shades of blue.

Home office with a desk, computer, office chair, lamp, and window blinds
Interior of a room under renovation with exposed wooden framing, a door with glass, a red container, a cloth on a black piece of furniture, a construction level leaning against the wall, construction debris on the floor, and daylight coming through t

THE TRANSFORMATION

Lucky for us, Megan’s husband is super handy and tackled much of the heavy lifting—demo, electrical, insulation, shiplap, trim, and lighting. They saved a lot by DIYing, though it did take extra time while balancing full-time jobs. A true labor of love!

Once the foundation was in place, we moved on to the fun part—paint and furnishings. We chose Sherwin-Williams Reflection above the trim and Snowbound everywhere else. These two colors are perfection together: crisp, airy, with just a whisper of blue.

The showstopper? A tiered woven rattan chandelier from Wayfair. It filled the high ceilings and instantly brought in that relaxed, beachy vibe Megan loves. To complement it, I sourced abstract coastal-inspired art prints for the wall behind her desk, paired with a cozy accent chair from Target and a sleek side table from West Elm.

Her desk—a solid wood beauty from Sauder Home—anchored the space with both style and value. And finally, the updated arched shelves became the perfect moment to blend new finds with sentimental pieces. Styling those shelves for Megan was pure joy.

Bright living room corner with white walls, wooden flooring, a beige upholstered armchair with a throw, a wooden desk with a rolling chair, a potted plant, built-in white shelves with decorative items and books, a window with curtains, and a large ba
A modern home office with a wooden desk, white office chair, beige rug, and a tall potted plant. The room has gray walls, white curtains, and a decorative chandelier.
A cozy corner with a striped armchair, a light blanket draped over one arm, set against a white paneled wall with two framed abstract paintings, a hatch vent, and a part of a staircase and doorway visible.
Decorative white and dark navy built-in bookshelf with plants, framed art, books, and decorative objects inside a home.
Bright living room with a gold chandelier, a white and wooden standing desk, white curtains, a potted plant, a built-in white and navy bookshelf with decorative items and books, partial view of a white chair, and a light-colored area rug.
A cozy living room corner with a white armchair, light-colored throw blanket, a small side table, a patterned rug, a white door with glass window, a window with blinds, light gray walls, framed artwork, hardwood floors, and a multi-layered hanging ch
Living room with a white armchair draped with a white woven throw, a side table with a gold top and white base, a tall potted plant, a white door, a built-in bookshelf with decorative objects and books, a light-colored wooden side table, a patterned
Bright home office with a wooden desk, white chair, potted plant, built-in bookshelf, and modern chandelier.
A home office with a wooden desk and cream-colored rolling chair, a tall floor lamp, a window with white curtains, a potted tree next to the window, built-in white shelves with decor and books, and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

THE REVEAL

When reveal day came, Megan’s jaw dropped. Her excitement was everything. This space was now hers—a warm, beautiful, and inspiring office to support her career and her family. Since then, she’s texted me countless times saying, “Katie, everyone thinks my office background is fake—and when I tell them it’s real, they’re obsessed!”

That is the ultimate compliment for a designer: creating a space so beautiful it feels like a dream—even on Zoom. I feel so humbled and honored to have given my friend Meg the office she deserves. Now she can show up to work each day feeling confident, cozy, and ready to crush her goals.

“ I highly recommend working with KRI! I have always looked through magazines or pictures of homes online and fall in love with styles, but always struggle to bring that vision to life in my home. After seeing examples of Katie’s work, I was excited to partner with her to redo my home office. It took one visit for Katie to create a vision that captured exactly what I was looking for, a bright, minimal but cozy & functional office. Katie was extremely communicative throughout the entire process, made the design easy and fun, overall, she was an absolute pleasure to work with!”

– Megan

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