Home Office

Vintage Moody Traditional Home Office Reveal

click to read about the Vintage moody traditional home office reveal. The design includes a landscape mural, antique desk and vintage lamp.

December 30, 2025

I’m Allison.
Design obsessed and self-taught DIYer, I'm so excited to share my journey with you, and be a source of inspiration as well as a resource.
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Gimme that

Some rooms are beautiful, and then there are rooms that move you. The Vintage Moody Traditional Home Office is of the latter. It’s one of the most personal spaces I’ve ever designed, and not because it’s perfect, but because it supports the work that feeds my soul. It’s where I design, think, create, and build ideas that matter deeply to me. And having a space that truly supports that energy changes everything.

Why This Vintage Moody Traditional Home Office Matters to Me

I’ve completed many projects throughout my home, but the home office feels different. This is where my design work lives and where I spend long, quiet hours creating and refining ideas. I needed this space to be more than visually beautiful; I needed it to feel grounding and supportive.

The Evolution of the Home Office: Original Listing Photo, Peel & Stick accent wall, Plain White Box

When I purchased the house, this room was a little girl’s bedroom with bubblegum pink walls and white Berber carpet. Over time, the room went through several iterations: dark laminate flooring with all-white walls, then a banana leaf wallpaper accent wall that I thought I loved… until I realized how wrong it truly was. Then eventually back to all white walls with a mish mash of thrifted finds. Good, but far from great.

In hindsight, I’m grateful. Those missteps forced me to slow down and approach the home office design with real intention.

Designing With Intention

When I finally began designing this space thoughtfully, two words guided every decision: inspirational and calming. I wanted the home office to spark creativity without overwhelming it: a place where focus feels natural and work feels supported. Productivity mattered, but not at the expense of peace.

My 3 front runners for the home office design

One of the most meaningful elements of the room is the view. It overlooks the backyard, the pool, and the open meadow beyond my property. That quiet, expansive landscape brings an incredible sense of calm, and I wanted that feeling to flow seamlessly into the design of the office itself.

The Wallpaper That Defined The Vintage Moody Traditional Home Office

I had been dreaming about a wallpaper mural for years — long before this project ever officially began. To me, a home office or a dining room are the most natural places for a mural, and since the dining room is finished, the home office felt like the perfect opportunity.

vintage tapestry wallpaper mural in beige by belarte studio
Shop: Vintage Tapestry Wallpaper Mural | Brass Light Switch Covers

When I discovered the vintage landscape tapestry-style mural by Belarte Studio, everything clicked. It felt like an extension of the outdoor view and as if the landscape simply continued inside. The muted, natural palette works beautifully with the rest of my home, reinforcing a sense of cohesion and timelessness throughout the house.

Joa's White by Farrow & Ball paint in flat eggshell finish
Shop: Joa’s White by Farrow & Ball | Brass Electrical Outlet Cover

To balance the mural, I chose Joa’s White by Farrow & Ball for the remaining walls. I considered going darker or moodier, but ultimately prioritized clarity and calm. This is a space where I work for long periods, and alertness needed to outweigh drama.

Traditional Architectural Details in theHome Office

One of the biggest decisions in the office design was how far to take the wallpaper. I knew I didn’t want it to feel overpowering, so I added a chair rail with box molding below to give the room visual breathing room. If you’re looking to do something similar but don’t know where to start, I put together a simple guide on how to design and install box molding here.

Vintage moody traditional home office with vintage tapestry landscape mural and soft cream paint
Shop: Chair Rail | Box Molding | Crown Molding

Crown molding was essential. I have it throughout most of the first floor, and continuity matters to me deeply. Since learning how to install it myself, I’ve slowly been adding it throughout the house. For this office, dentil molding felt especially right: formal, classic, and perfectly suited to a traditional workspace.

These architectural details anchor the Vintage Moody Traditional Home Office in a timeless, grounded way.

Vintage Anchor Pieces That Shape This Traditional Home Office

Two key pieces remained from earlier versions of the room and now serve as anchors in the space. The first is my Eastlake-style vintage dresser with a marble top. It’s a beautiful and functional storage piece, holding office supplies while adding warmth and history to the space.

Vintage moody traditional home office with landscape mural, antique eastlake dresser with marble top and vintage lamp
Shop: Dresser (similar) | Mirror | Lamp (similar) | Tissue box cover | Coffee Table Books

The second is my Maitland Smith desk, an estate sale find and a major score. Designing around its rich wood tones helped define the palette and overall feeling of this Vintage Moody Traditional Home Office, giving it soul and permanence.

Vintage moody traditional home office with landscape mural, soft cream paint, antique desk and vintage lamp
Shop: Maitland-Smith Desk | Brass Curry & Co Lamp | Leather Desk Mat | Coffee Table Books | Brass Candle Tray

I also brought in a light fixture that has followed me from home to home since 2012. The scale and tone feel just right here, adding familiarity and continuity to the room.

Letting This Vintage Moody Traditional Home Office Breathe

I intentionally kept the decor in the home office simple. The wallpaper does the heavy lifting, allowing the rest of the room to remain calm and uncluttered. A large mirror above the dresser, two vintage lamps, coffee table books, a leather desk mat, candles, and a few thoughtful accessories are all the room needs for now.

There are still details to finish – a rug, cord management, and a decision between Roman shades or floor-to-ceiling drapery — but for now, I’m choosing to pause and enjoy the view. Not every space needs to be rushed to completion.

What This Vintage Moody Traditional Home Office Means Moving Forward

I almost didn’t tackle this project in 2025. I considered slowing down and savoring a quieter season instead. But I’m so grateful I listened to the pull to move forward because the new home office design already feels like it’s setting the tone for everything I want to create in 2026.

Vintage moody traditional home office with landscape mural, antique desk and vintage lamp

Now, when I walk past the room, it feels like it gently whispers for me to come in. It feels like an extension of the landscape I love and a reflection of the work I’m proud to do here.

Vintage moody traditional home office with landscape mural, antique dresser, large mirror and vintage lamp

I still get a small skip in my heart every time I see it. And that’s how I know I achieved what I set out to create: a home office that feels calm, inspiring, cohesive, and deeply personal.

Vintage moody traditional home office with landscape mural, antique desk and vintage lamp

Sources:

Wallpaper (colorway: beige)

Wall Paint: Joa’s White in Flat Eggshell

Ceiling Paint: Dimity in Dead Flat

Crown Molding

Chair Rail

Box Molding

Baseboards

Light Fixture (discontinued – similar)

Desk

Desk Lamp

Leather desk mat

Brass candle tray

3 Wick Candle

Candle Snuffer

Coffee Table Books

Dresser (vintage)

Mirror

French Lamp (vintage – similar)

Leather Tissue box cover

Light Switch Plates

Electrical Plate Covers

Wood Cable Box Plate covers (painted)

Magnetic Door Stopper

Ceiling Vent Cover

Related Posts:

Home Office Renovation Progress Report

Picking a Paint Color for the Home Office

How to Measure, Cut & Install Crown Molding

How to Design Picture Frame Molding: Home Office Edition

Home Office Wallpaper Ideas

Home Office Makeover Plans & Inspiration

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