This is a photo of our office when we bought the house. It had brown shag carpeting, dingy tan walls and a pheasant wallpaper border. But those eaves were pretty cool, and we wanted to bring them out.

First step was to replace the carpet. We had pulled up carpeting from the first floor that happened to match the other bedrooms, so we hired a retired carpet installer to fit it to this room. (Carpet stores won’t do this for you – you have to buy their goods to get their people.) He did a great job, but also was the first and only contractor to bleed in our house. He cut himself with his carpet knife and left a Blair Witch-style bloody handprint on our stairs. Carpet: Not for sissies.

And here’s the after view of the office. We painted the walls yellow and green to make it look happier, and my mom made the curtains from festive sheets I found at Urban Outfitters.

This is a charming little corner area that was too small for furniture. I set down a baby quilt that my mother-in-law made, and let the kids romp around there while I worked. This worked much better in theory than in practice (the children staying put, not the design), but still. Makes for a good photograph.

And this is how we staged the room for house showings. That is not a real bed — it’s a Bed, Bath and Beyond-style fake bed made from boxes. And yet no matter how many times we tell our toddler not to jump on it, he keeps doing it, and it caves in. Then he says “It doesn’t work.” It’s fun to be two.