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Last year, in an effort to find a solution for my desk situation, and keeping in mind that it had to be a DIY workspace makeover, I wrote a post on 7 ways to decorate the space behind your iMac (this could also work for decorating the space behind your big screen TV, btw). Since then, we’ve moved twice and finally last week I decided I’d had enough. One quick trip to Target along with pieces from around the house, and two DIY printables later (which you can download below!), and I put together the perfect little vignette. I’m really so pleased with how this turned out!

BEFORE…
Let’s take a look at the “Before” first. We bought this perfect mid-century modern desk from Target when we first moved to LA and I’ve loved it ever since. It’s well built and so cute. Plus, its compact which means there’s less desktop space to collect clutter! We’ve always paired it with one of our Eames-style dining chairs. They’re so comfortable and provide great back support and, visually, it works very well. Typically, I would pop the week’s fresh flowers on the desk and call it a day but it was pretty boring facing an empty wall.
And now, here’s the “After”! What do you think? Personally, I love it!

AFTER!
As you can see, this is a very simple and easy DIY workspace makeover, involving a handful of nails, some washi tape and about 30 minutes. The woven hanging is a Toronto find, the prints are DIY, and the gold grid is a steal from Target. The succulents were clipped out from an issue of Magnolia Magazine that I had lying around, and the black and white print of the girl is from Society6 (more on that below). The photos of the kids are from Artifact Uprising and I highly recommend their work! I’m not an affiliate of theirs, I just genuinely love their aesthetic and quality.
When planning the layout, I knew I didn’t want the space to be too spread out because the desk isn’t super wide- and I was using it as a guide- but also because our ceilings are 8ft high and I didn’t want things to get too crowded visually. Here is a post I wrote on styling gallery walls, btw, in case you’re looking for more tips!

SHOP: Gold Grid: I love the clean, minimalist design and the gold finish on this grid. The frame is metal and super easy to hang. It comes with 5 gold clips. // Bright Ideas Quote Cards: These are the loveliest set of gold foil cards. There are 12 cards in various colours and the sayings are thoughtful and uplifting. They also come with a wooden display block, FYI.

DOWNLOAD FREE PRINTABLE // I cut out the photo of the succulents from an edition of Magnolia magazine that I had lying around. I love the pop of green it adds to the space!

DOWNLOAD FREE PRINTABLE. I love this quote by Rumi. I think it is so true- there are very many ways to worship and no single right way. // SHOP: Giant Photo Clip by Crate and Barrel. The print is Marianna by Ruben Ireland. I actually ordered it a while ago but it got lost in one of our many moves. Sigh. I plan to re-order it again very soon but in the meantime, I printed out this (not wonderful) copy to hang up because I love it so much!
And now, Free Printables!
Here are the two printables I designed for my DIY workspace makeover. They are both 8″ x 10″ PDFs. I tore the Rumi quote because I love the look of the torn edges and I had limited space.
- Rumi Quote – Click above download the PDF
- Details quote – Click above download the PDF
Tell me what your workspace looks like! Are there any design dilemmas you’re facing that I can help you with?
SHOP THIS POST:
I’ve rounded up most of the products I used to style my DIY workspace makeover along with a few alternatives for you. Happy shopping!
A beautiful post + desk redesign!
Thanks so much, Melanie! xo