It’s One Room Challenge Time!
It’s that time again! It feels like only yesterday that I was in a respirator mask, scraping efflorescence off my basement walls and wondering what in the world I was thinking. Ah, memories. So of course, I’m jumping in again, likely getting in over my head again, and definitely going a bit too crazy with my art purchasing again! It’s Week One of the Fall 2021 One Room Challenge!
For those new to the ORC, it challenges participants to make over one room in their homes in 7 weeks (8 weekly posts). Oddly, not finishing my last challenge makes me that much more excited to go for it this round. The community of designers and doers was so supportive, and it was such a positive experience even when I bit off way more than I could chew. So I’m feeling really good about tackling a smaller space, one that involves more painting and less scraping, and one that I spend a LOT of time in, even if I’m not conscious for it. That’s right, I’m making over my bedroom!
As a bit of context, my bedroom is the most neglected room in the whole house (oops). It’s the only room we’ve never painted (even when we first moved in), and I’m embarrassed to say that we had no art up for probably about 10 years. As in none. It’s shocking to me too.
Last year I played around with adding art in a really fun way and I loved it! Except that I hated it for my bedroom. It was entirely the wrong vibe, and the bright colors couldn’t save me from being annoyed at myself for putting so many holes in my walls as I switched things up over and over again. But it was a great exercise for me in figuring out what I like versus what I actually want to live with in my bedroom, and I’m hoping to make all the right moves in this challenge to give me a space that I can enjoy spending time in. And of the little vingettes that managed to stay, many components (including art) will be incorporated into the final design.
Here are some frightening before pictures. I know, I know. I talked so much about decluttering my basement in the Spring ORC and I’m storing all this junk in my room?! Just hear me out. Some of these items are supplies for the room makeover. I’m REALLY trying to not let this redesign take over the whole house. I’ve been actively decluttering and changing the systems in my home, and I don’t want to derail myself by turning my dining room back into a storage room. I know my own tendencies, and letting things build up in common spaces is a slippery slope to losing my hard-earned visual clarity. Not to mention losing actual room functionality. There are also a few project pieces in there for The Glad Suite that I want to make absolutely sure my cats can’t access (I’m looking at you, cane back chairs). So I’ll be completing some of those projects during the One Room Challenge as well so that I can have them out of my room before the big reveal.
Are you ready to jump in with me? I’m going for a kind of Playful Deco Meets Chinoiserie With a Moody, Cozy Undertone. Make sense? Don’t worry, it doesn’t fully make sense to me yet either. I’m finding myself drawn to certain styles and certain vibes, but fully committing to one or the other doesn’t feel like me. Chinoiserie feels too formal, Art Deco too fancy, and Moody on its own feels too serious. Cozy goes a bit too far into cabin territory for my setting, and Playful feels too energizing for a sleeping space. So I’m trusting my somewhat unorthodox ideas and going for an epic mashup. Kind of on-brand for my new suite dedicated to not being too focused on any one thing, eh?
Where am I finding inspiration for this mashup? This amazing fabric design by Jenna Black that I used for my studio desk chair project. This stunning art by Lili Todd. This incredible pour-over coffee maker/pot, handmade in the 90s by Larry at my local vintage store The Zeppelin and the Unicorn. Gorgeous stones. Wood tones. Even my diva of a cat.
Be sure to check out all the other amazing transformations going on over at www.oneroomchallenge.com/orc-blog There are so many different room types being tackled in so many different styles, which means there really is something for everyone. And if you want to get in on the action, it’s not too late to sign up! A guest participant tackled a dining room with a budget of $220 last round (Jamala Wallace is a magician), so it’s not only for big spenders and big sponsorships.
All that said, it’s time to get started! I’ll be here on the blog each week with an update, and I’ll be on Instagram in between sharing progress along the way. Are you participating this year? I’d love to hear about your spaces in the comments!
Check out The Glad Suite on Instagram
”Eyeless in the Morning” Oil Pastel by @DarlingToutim
