Our house came with these great built-in cabinets, which was a selling point for me. I have a ton of coffee table books that I love to display and have on hand at all times. I have never really been a fan of the white, though. It feels very safe and neutral, and it’s time to shake things up.

Oil paints are great for cabinetry, but they can be toxic to breathe and you typically don’t want to be in house until it dries. Working from home and having little kids- this is not an option. Not to mention the environmental impact… That’s why I LOVE Farrow & Ball paint (that’s for real, this is not a paid sponsorship). It’s a British company (shocker that I love a British company, I know), and their colors are so perfectly rich and historical. It’s a water-based paint that is environmentally and family friendly. I chose to use their color Studio Green, which is a perfect homage to my love of the English countryside.

(Also, don’t judge me for my clutter. Yes I am sorting through everything. No I do not have a hoarding problem. Yes those are actual compact discs in a vintage car visor organizer circa 1999.)

Now, on to wall paint color. I have run into a bit of a snag here. You see, I love the dark green wall color in my bedroom- and it is my signature color- however, it is DARK. Great for sleeping, not for working. I want my office to have the English library vibe but still light enough to feel energizing. I want a warm gray like these below and I found one that I LOVE, but I feel like a tad on the dark side… but guess what it’s called? EQUESTRIAN GRAY. Equestrian Gray?! I mean, how could I not…

*UPDATE: Since writing this, I opted to keep the sage green walls that I already had. Turns out I still love the color from 7 years ago so why change it? Don’t laugh at me. I’m allowed to change my mind.

Let’s discuss my exciting feature wall. I have acquired so many amazing equestrian prints for Modern Equestrian Shop and I would love to have a way to display them. Since I’m moving my desk to face the windows and am losing my bookshelves backdrop, I am creating an opportunity on the wall behind me to feature the artwork. I have been hanging onto a fox hunting scene wallpaper sample for years, waiting for the right opportunity. The minute I decided to take on this project, I knew this was my chance to use that paper. I am excited to see the modern equestrian photography in antique frames on the traditional wallpaper.

It’s really starting to come together!! Stay tuned for Part 3 of the transformation, featuring The Reveal. To be continued…

Modern Equestrian Design- The Office Part II: Walls