The One Room That Forbes + Masters Will Never Forget

Interior designers and other experts in the home industry work on an impressive number of spaces throughout their careers. But even if some of the makeovers and redesigns start to blend together after a few years, there are some rooms that are just truly unforgettable. 

 So, to give designers a chance to revisit their favorite projects—and to bring you plenty of inspiration for your own home—we’re sharing the one room these pros will remember forever. For some, there’s a sentimental connection, for others, there was an obstacle they never thought they’d overcome. But no matter what, these rooms are worth remembering.

When Tavia Forbes and Monet Masters first laid eyes on their client Anne’s empty office, it was essentially a white box. “She decided she wanted to convert one of the empty rooms of her four-level townhouse into a home office,” Masters explains. “At the time, it was an empty square with French doors.”

After discussing Anne’s objectives for the space, the pair behind Atlanta-based design firm Forbes + Masters set out to create a functional but stylish space that would keep their client energized and inspired throughout the day.

The end result is a room that’s equal parts form and function and will forever hold a special place in the interior designers’ hearts. “She gave us a lot of creative freedom, but the finished room still very much represented her,” Masters explains. 

Along with figuring out how to design around two French doors that lead out to an outdoor patio, the duo was tasked with a small structural issue: covering up the unsightly soffit that ran throughout one side of the room.

“The soffit hovered over the French doors, so we integrated custom built-in bookcases on either side to help conceal it,” Forbes explains.

To create a more cohesive look while ensuring their client had plenty of office storage space, extra deep drawers were incorporated into the design of the natural oak wood built-ins, as well as eye-catching asymmetrical shelves. “The cerusing on the oak brought so much texture to the room,” Forbes adds. 

To bring a pop of color to the room that wouldn’t overpower the natural hues of the built-ins, the pair opted to paint the walls a rich shade of earthy brown, Black Fox by Sherwin-Williams. “The brown picks up light and brightens the room,” Forbes says. “It’s very warm and enveloping.”

A wood grain-inspired wallcovering by Thibaut was applied to the ceiling to add depth and dimension to the office’s fifth wall, which Masters says wound up being one of her favorite elements of the space. “The wallpaper is so textural and looks so much like real wood,” she explains. “It just melts into the bookcases.”

To ensure the client had a large workspace that wouldn’t crowd up the room, the pair settled on a small glass-topped antique dining table by Bernhardt in lieu of a traditional desk. “The glass bounces light around the room, which helps open up the space,” Masters explains.  

In addition to the dining-table-turned-desk, Forbes and Masters incorporated a handful of glass décor accents into the room, including a sculptural crystal table lamp sourced from a local antique shop and an Art Deco-style light fixture with frosted glass prisms by Elk Lighting to bring a dash of glamour to the space. 

A deep teal velvet upholstered ottoman the pair custom-designed for the home office supplied a rich burst of color and texture, and in turn, became one of Forbes’ favorite elements of the space. “A lot of people have additional seating in their office for guests, but this ottoman is designed for personal use,” she explains. “We wanted her to have a place to kick her feet up.” 

 The pair employed a neutral-toned area rug with a subtle graphic print from Nourison to anchor the space and tie the natural hues and textures in the room together. “If I had to describe the room in three words, I’d say it was minimal, monochromatic, and chic,” Masters says. “Minimal can often come off as sterile, but this room had lots of warmth.” 

Naturally, the pair say the most exciting part of designing the space came when they presented the completed home office to their client. “The reveal is always our proudest moment,” Masters says. “In this case, we were able to exceed her expectations while creating a space that still felt true to our style.” 

 Most importantly, the duo says the finished home office continues to serve as a source of inspiration in their design projects. “This room reminded us that custom built-ins and furniture pieces can truly transform and elevate a space,” Masters adds. “We were always drawn to custom pieces, but this project made us even more excited about all of the possibilities they provide.”