When Carla Vernon joined The Honest Company as its newly minted CEO, her office was desperately in need of a makeover and she was lucky enough to know exactly who to turn to for help. Enter Honest founder Jessica Alba and The Cool Mom Co. founder Lizzy Mathis, who also happen to be co-hosts of Roku’s hit home makeover show, Honest Renovations. Their inspiration for the space? The colorful and empowering spirit of the film, Woman King, fitting for Carla who made history as the first Afro-Latina CEO of a publicly traded company.

 

With the goal of creating a grand space that matched Carla’s queen energy, the designing duo created an uber-cool office design, thanks to fresh furnishings, colorful artwork, a few new accessories and, of course, the perfect paint color. Our rich purple paint hue, Prince served as the backdrop for this transformation which proves choosing an elevated color palette that matches your personal style is key to creating an office space you’ll love.

Before

Before, Carla’s office was a lackluster beige box and didn’t reflect her strength, confidence, or culture.

After

Now, after a little planning and an impressive one-day installation, it finally does. Ahead, Lizzy Mathis shares details on how this vibrant space came together.

Planning is Key

When it comes to renovations (big or small), planning is key. Because Jessica and Lizzy wanted to move everything in in one day, they needed to make sure the painting was complete with plenty of time to dry. Luckily Clare colors dry quickly, so it made the move-in that much easier.

Pick a Focal Point

The trick when pulling off such a unique and bold paint color like Prince is to make it the focal point. The duo used it as an accent wall and it became the jumping off point for the rest of the design. They leaned into the velvety hue when choosing accessories for the space. Behind the desk, a gallery wall with works by Black & African artists pairs perfectly with the walls while adding more color and interest to the space.

Back to School

When deciding on your colors, consider the color wheel. Carla already had an orange desk, her spirit color from her alma maters, Princeton and the University of Texas, so it had to stay. Purple and orange are a dynamic match, plus they happen to be opposites on the color wheel, meaning they are natural complements. Struggling to pick a palette? Check out the color wheel.

Tie in Other Design Elements

To add a designer’s touch to Carla’s orange desk, Jessica and Lizzy wrapped it in peel-and-stick wallpaper, which featured notes of purple and orange and made everything feel a bit more cohesive. They also wrapped the refrigerator in a poppy floral, taking something that typically lacks consideration and making it fun and colorful. Who wouldn’t want to work in this office?

Look at Your Lighting

The office has a large window and natural light pours in throughout the day. Are you renovating? If so, what’s your lighting situation? Dark paint colors work best in rooms with plenty of light as they can make small, less well-lit rooms appear cramped.

Make Any Room Feel Like Home

One of the biggest challenges for Jessica and Lizzy was keeping in mind that it’s a commercial space. They couldn’t knock down walls or remove any permanent structures, but that didn’t stop them from adding livable, functional, and homey touches. When designing a space, one of the biggest compliments someone can give you is that they feel connected to it. The now vibrant office is a far cry from the bland office they started with, all in part to a little paint and some clever sourcing.

Want to see more of this cool office design? See the whole renovation unfold from start to finish on Jessica’s Youtube Channel. And be sure to check out Honest Renovations, streaming on Roku.