The irony in this title is that I know NOTHING about sports and even less about baseball. However, I know that the players must start and end there in order to score and that significance is why I’ve decided to call my home office “home plate”. Going forward if you hear me make that reference, just know I am a fan of symbolism and not sports ball. 

When I decided to FINALLY make this happen, I knew I would need a good starting and landing place in order to make my blog and (CuratedByCandaceNicole) the décor space I wanted it to be. 

Being that our home was a new build, there had never been any paint on the walls (other than builder grade white). Therefore, I was excited to start with a literal blank space. I automatically knew what color I wanted to use and must credit the inspiration to Julia, @arceriinteriors on Instagram. Julia’s page is filled with modern, moody, and European inspiration (please do yourself a favor and check her page out). The color of her green formal room is simply… amazing. Amazing is literally the only word I can use to describe it. I reached out one day to ask about it and she shared that the color was called ‘Vintage Vogue’ by Benjamin Moore. Y’all, I’ve never searched Google so fast in my life! This color can translate into any room in a house—a bedroom, nursery, formal room, a moody kitchen, or an office (in my case a home plate). 

After deciding on the paint, I knew I wanted to add some texture to the walls and thanks to TikTok, I knew DIY wainscoting was the way to go. We took measurements of the walls and headed to Lowe’s Home Improvement for the materials. A few 8ft wall paneling boards and some brad nails later we had our foundation. And with the help of the most beautiful green paint I’ve ever seen, home plate had its foundation.

Up next, I wanted to change out the overhead lighting for something a little more modern. I went to Amazon and searched ‘modern chandeliers’ and found this beauty. The chandelier was available in either black or antique gold and with a paint color so rich, I knew black would not elevate the look in the way it deserved. I decided to go with gold and boy am I so glad I did. The theme of gold would play a HUGE part in the lighting and décor in this space including two of these wall sconces I also found at Lowe’s. The green, the gold, and the glow of this area was shaping up to be exactly what I imagined this project would be.

With the richness of Vintage Vogue, lighting was not a detail I could not take any shortcuts on. For a desk lamp I found this beautiful piece from Hearth and Hand by Magnolia. I also found this practical, modern lamp from Amazon. Both help to further incorporate a gold/metal aspect into the space. 

For curtains I knew I wanted something long, dramatic, textured, and cream in color. If you have a Home Goods store local to you, I suggest popping in and checking it out occasionally. Their prices are very affordable, and the variety caters to a large spectrum of décor palettes. The downfall is if you see it and want it… get it! Home Goods rotate out their vendors and products often and availability differs from location to location. 

There is one very sentimental piece of décor in my home plate space that means the world to me. Right above my desk, I decided would be the perfect place to house an oil painting of three magnolia leaves with the most beautiful ornate frame. This painting belonged to my late mother who I am about 99% sure purchased it in the late 90’s at a flea market. When she passed, I decided to take it and although I’ve never used it in the 15 years I’ve owned it, I am so thankful that in a unique way she is here taking this home décor journey with me.

Despite my mother’s oil painting, the lighting, the antique touches and vintage mirrors, this room needed one more very important detail…plants. Plants that I have somehow managed to keep alive- some dating back to 2020! For me, that’s an accomplishment. I feel that the plants add a natural boho aesthetic and since this room is in the front of my home, they get so much sunlight every day.

When I first posted ‘home plate’ on Instagram, I received the kindest compliments from all of you comparing the space to a lawyer’s office, a fancy waiting room, a study in a nice home, and a photography backdrop. To me, it was the curation of YEARS of hearing “your home deserves to be in a magazine” and “you may have missed your calling”. I’m finally ready to step up to the plate and make that dream a reality.