Willow & Twig

We’re closing in on five months since we purchased our 1950s tri-level. Much has been accomplished, including new floors, new kitchen, almost every wall has been painted and sanded, we’ve added custom builtins, knocked out walls… despite all the progress there are still spaces that need to be taken from livable to lovable. But here I am getting ahead of myself.

The One Room Challenge is a bi-annual event where both interior design amateurs and pros alike choose a room to complete in six weeks, blogging the process. Though there are some (major) perks for the winner, the entire event is designed to encourage fellow participants in creativity and gettin’ it done. Read positive peer pressure. The space for this Fall’s round of the ORC, I present:

Blah. With it’s asbestos floors and papered walls, it felt like a cave. This little gem was tucked at the end of a long dark hallway, designed to be a guest bedroom (Clearly for your worst enemies who happened to be house guests). When thinking through any layout changes, we observed the room’s West wall backed up to our window filled living room. The natural solution? To punch a 50” opening in the wall to open the space to the living room and view.

We added French doors to provide an option for privacy, but the doors let in all the beautiful light from the living room. From dark cavern to cozy lake view. Maybe our best call thus far.

And there she sat. We opted for cozy carpet instead of wood flooring, and eventually the TV migrated to this room, making it well used. While comfortable, the beige carpet and the yellowish hue of wallpaper paste seeping through the thinly primed walls created a sea of beige on beige on beige on beige on dingy beige.

Maybe it’s the blaaaaahhh color that inspired my plan for this room. The theme? Color under control. Meaning yes to color, but not looking like a box of crayons vomited all over the room. As for the design, some of you will hate it. Some of you will love it. But no one will accuse me of playing it safe. Presenting my Fall 2020 One Room Challenge mood board:

Over the next few weeks there will be wallpapering. Painting. Hanging (need to mount the TV) and perhaps a few other DIY modifications. If you’re into amazing before and afters, I highly recommend checking out my fellow participants on the ORC blog. You won’t regret it.