One Room Challenge: Week One

Well, here we go...my very first One Room Challenge! I've been following the ORC for many years, and now I'm finally going to participate. This awesome challenge is hosted by Linda from Calling it Home. For those that are new to the ORC, it goes like this...20 designers are selected to participate in a challenge to transform a room in six weeks. Each Wednesday they blog about their progress and Thursday's are open to any guest participants, like me! I kind of decided late in the game so I'm a little nervous about getting everything done in time, but very excited to be a part of this super supportive community. I thought for my first ORC that I would start off small, so the room I will be doing is our downstairs powder room.

 

While the room is just fine, there is nothing really special about it. I've been wanting to add wallpaper somewhere in our house and now I have the perfect excuse to finally do it! I also want to replace fixtures, update our mirror and zhush it up with pretty accessories.

 

We had previously updated the sink and vanity so that will be staying. I also want to do something on the wall above the toilet, but I haven't quite figured out what direction I'm going in. I guess that's part of the fun!

 

 

 

The powder room is fairly small, but with high ceilings. I think the wallpaper will add some great visual interest and help fill that space.

 

 

One last picture with the lights off to show the light fixture that will soon be gone.

 

 

I'm not quite ready to reveal my full design plan, but definitely wanted to share some inspiration photos so you can get an idea of the direction I will be going in.

 

 

Source: Bria Hammel Interiors

 

I love the idea of an oversized pattern, but in a more subtle neutral color way. Being a designer I love color, but in my spaces at home I'm a neutral girl through and through.

 

Source: Veneer Designs

 

This space is divine! I just love the wallpaper pattern with the gold accents. I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to keep mine all silver or go for mixed metals and add in gold/brass accents...decisions, decisions!

 

Source: the Zhush

 

I love this guest bath designed by Sue from the Zhush for the last ORC. She always designs beautiful spaces! I'm excited to see what she will be doing this time.

 

 

I thought I would leave you with a peek of the patterns and colorways that were in the running for the wallpaper. I just love getting all of the pretty paper samples! Makes me want to put wallpaper all around the house...I might have a slight problem...

 

 

Well, I hope to see you next Thursday where I will reveal my full design plan and some of the items I have chosen. I better go and get to work!

You can also follow me on Instagram!

 

 

 

House updates for 2015

There were some big updates happening around the house this year that I wanted to share. One of the biggest changes we made was to our hardwood floors. We had them refinished in a darker color and it was such an amazing transformation. Here is a before picture so you can get an idea of the color we started out with. There was nothing wrong with them, we just felt a darker color would go better with our decor.

 

 

Here are a few of the swatches we were trying to decide between. The bare wood was so beautiful, for a minute I contemplated just sealing it, but we really wanted a darker color.

 

 

Here is a shot of the after without our furniture. The after was such a dramatic change.

 

 

A close-up shot of the hardwoods. I love how they are a dark brown, but you can still see all of the wood grain detail in the wood.

 

 

We also contemplated whether we would stain the stair railing or paint it white. In the end we decided to paint it and replace the carpet. Here is another before shot to refresh your memory.

 

 

It's a double staircase that meets at the landing and goes up to the second story.

 

 

Here they are getting painted with the carpet ripped out. I think at this point my husband would have picked whatever carpet could get installed the fastest, and Baxter would agree! Those carpet tacks do not feel good on the toes!

 

 

Here are the two patterns we narrowed it down to. One was more of a greek key pattern and the other was kind of a fresh take on a herringbone.

 

 

Here they are in all their finished glory! We went with the herringbone in the taupe colorway. We liked that it was a little more of a bold pattern. It also didn't hurt that it was about 1/3 of the cost. We figured that we could replace the carpet two more times if we had to and it would be around the same cost as the other one.

 

 

Baxter definitely approves!

 

I'll try and share some more pictures soon!