ORC FALL 2021- Week One

Am I crazy or am I crazy?

Last spring was my first One Room Challenge and while I absolutely loved it, I honestly didn’t think I would be doing it again, let alone doing it the next season. But, here we are, and I am so excited! This season I’m working on our Living Room which as it stands is a underwhelming sea of greige walls and a hodgepodge of mismatched furniture.

So here’s what I’m thinking…I want to make my design accessible and approachable while still tackling some unique DIY’s and sticking within a pretty tight budget. The One Room Challenge can be done without major renovations and without breaking the bank, all while still making a BIG IMPACT!

{The following photos and tutorials may include affiliate links. Click the photo or links to be taken directly to a product page or to my LIKEtoKNOW.it page where you can shop these looks!}

But first, the space…

Don’t get too excited about the greige walls and the horrendous couches. Yes, that’s the foam you are seeing!

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I have split the project into 5 separate areas of concern. The fireplace wall, the center seating area, the kids area/toy storage, gallery wall, and the kitchen island. Each space is unique and I hope to break my schedule up per space.

Now, the big picture…

I love starting with a big idea and seeing the big picture first. Daydreaming about the space is half the fun!

As I started thinking about the space two things came to mind. First, the space needs to be functional for our family and second I want it to be an attainable design that I can easily accomplish and that others can easily replicate.

To be honest, this 8 week timeline is insane, and as a working mom, it can be down right hectic! So, this go around I want to focus on attainable designs and an attainable schedule.

So, here we go!

The Color Scheme

The greige has got to go! I want bright and white and clean. So, for the walls I’m doing Pure White by Sherwin-Williams.

I want a stark contrast to the Pure White and I’m going with Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams for the larger accent pieces.

I also wanted a third color to ground the two other colors and Evergreen Fog seems to be the perfect fit. I am still not sure in what capacity it will be used but it will definitely make an appearance.

Texture, Pattern, and more Texture

I love texture and pattern and the best part is layering them all together.

First, I plan to use vertical shiplap as the fireplace surround. I have never used shiplap and honestly never liked the whole farmhouse fad. What I do like are the crisp clean vertical lines that I hope will add verticality to the squat 8 foot ceilings.

Rugs are another easy to way to add texture to a space. I want to start with a heavily textured jute rug and then possibly layer it with a more patterned rug.

For pattern, I want add a faux tile look to the back of our kitchen island. It faces the living room and it’s a good opportunity to add a fun element to the space.

Let’s Heat it Up!

The main focal piece of this entire project is the fireplace! We have wanted a fireplace for almost long as we have been married, going on 11 years. Surprisingly, here in north Florida it does get pretty chilly. I also wanted a modern and sleek fireplace to fit my design aesthetic. After some research I have found the perfect electric fireplace.

#Sponsored The Touchstone Forte 40” Recessed Electric Fireplace is so perfect for this space and I can’t wait to share my design and the full DIY tutorial!

Lets DIY

And the moment we’ve all be waiting for…the DIY projects! This is what I am truly the most excited about. The designing and DIY are the bread and butter of this challenge.

The biggest design-build of the challenge is obviously the fireplace. I have never framed something so large and I am excited and nervous to get it started! Don’t, worry I’ll detail it all in a tutorial!

The remaining DIY will likely come in the form of flipping furniture pieces. For example, I have this massive cabinet that I would love to flip. I would also like to make or repurpose a funky side chair and maybe even a bench.

Lastly, if time allows, I would like to design and build the shelves that will flank the fireplace, if not, Target has a great set.

Wrap It Up

I feel pretty confident for it being week one. I have some great collaborations in the works and some amazing products to share with you. Make sure you check out the other Fall Guest Participants on the ORC Blog Page.

Make sure you are following me on Instagram where I will give daily updates on the project as well has other fun details.

Week 1 – September 30
Week 2 – October 7
Week 3 – October 14
Week 4 – October 21
Week 5 – October 28
Week 6 – November 4
Week 7 – November 11
Week 8 – November 18 – November 21 (Finale!)