One Room Challenge ™, Spring 2020, Week 3: A peek into the projects list

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a tiny commission if you click through and make a purchase. I will likely blow said commish on Spicy Margaritas. 

Hello loves! I am back on the grid after a week of camping & boating with family in Oklahoma. So good for the soul, not much for One Room Challenge™ forward movement. As such, instead of a progress update, I’m breaking down some of the DIY’s we’ve got sitting on our Projects List’ that we’re hoping to knock out in the next few weeks.

First, let me give you a little ORC ™ refresher: Week 1 | Week 2 | 

parabo press photo gallery + DIY DUpe artifact uprising Acrylic floating frame

When Emmy and I sat down to discuss the ‘have to have’s vs. the want to have’s’ in her new room, one of two non-negotiables was a giant photo wall showcasing all her favorite people and things. (The second is a movie theater screen. Ok princess.) She had grand visions of Polaroids washi taped to the wall, and while I want to make her every dream come true in this space (it is her 14th birthday present after all), I was hoping for something a little less dorm room and a little more swank. Here’s the closest thing we agreed to:

Here’s the plan

I am thrilled to partner with Parabo Press on a killer project that I know will give life to her vision while keeping within the margins of the design plan. Parabo Press is a 100% women owned (holla!) online photo printing service headquartered in Madison, WI. Their line of prints, wall art, calendars, photo books and more are modern, unique and printed with forest-friendly materials. What’s not to love right?

It gets better. Parabo Press offers a multitude of high quality print options, but their 4×4 square prints with a white border are the perfect compromise for Ems and I. Think ultra swanky polaroid, if you will.

I intend to give Emmy full creative control over the photo choices: A montage of friend and family pics, inspiring quotes, and lot of tumblr eye candy. I’ll apply a preset to each image she chooses to give the collection a cohesive and uniform appearance and then we’ll ‘frame’ the gallery in 1-3 large scale DIY Acrylic floating frames similar to these Artifact Uprising stunners.

It’s enough to make all her teenage dreams come true, and still work within a more sophisticated design plan. I seriously cannot freaking wait to bring this gallery wall to life.

Parabo + a discount code

You’ve got to check out Parabo Press and their full line of printed photo options. You’ll also get inspiration for days from their Instagram page. It’s so good you guys.

If you decide you need a print set of your very own, Parabo Press has been kind enough to offer up one free set of 20 4″ Prints (or $10 off of the larger size) with the code ‘ROOST.’ Offer expires 7/31/20.

A perfectly good bed – Deconstructed

As soon as I committed to Emmy Lou’s room for Spring ORC I started researching Scandinavian inspired beds. As the largest piece of furniture in the space, I really wanted something that would blend seamlessly and allow other elements room to breathe. Emmy and I decided whatever bed we chose should be constructed primarily of wood, be simple in it’s design, and have no footboard allowing for oversized, neutral bedding to spill onto the floor.

Here are some of our insp pics:

The bed she was sleeping on was a classic, upholstered Potterybarn beauty that we scored for $150 (brand new mattress included) in one of those Las Vegas Storage Wars situations close to 10 years ago. #onlyinvegas It’s well constructed, comfy, functional and free, but not quite measuring up in Scandi style. So I went ahead and ripped apart a perfectly good Potterybarn bed because it felt like my best, most affordable option. I definitely got some sideways glances y’all. I mean, who am I to think I can outdo an OG PB?

I removed all the upholstery from the footboard and side rails, cut down the footboard to be even with the side rails and skinned all three sections with birch ply. I applied a thin coat of pickling oak stain just to maintain the ‘natural color’ and gave her a couple of protective coats of wax. (NOTE: I have found that you can maintain the most natural color and minimize the yellowing that occurs in both birch and maple ply if you apply a super thin coat or two of Pickling Oak Stain before sealing with poly or wax)

I have found that you can maintain the most natural color and minimize the yellowing that occurs in both birch and maple ply if you apply a super thin coat or two of Pickling Oak Stain before sealing with poly or wax

I left the headboard as is for now, but plan to dye the canvas slipcover from bright white to…something other than white. I’m just not quite ready to commit to that decision yet.

This whole bed was put together, styled, photographed, taken apart and put back into storage all in a day for the gram. I can’t wait to pull it back out and see it in the finished space.

I was lucky enough to do this project alongside some amazing and super talented ladies as part of a ‘Bed Refresh’ which made a somewhat nerve wracking, loner project way more like a party. With a live band. I saved the deconstruction and reconstruction to my instagram highlights if you wanna join said party (complete with a little WuTang mashup by yours truly), or see what the guts of an upholstered PB bed look like. So far, I’ve purchased one sheet of 4×8 ply for this project. Cost: $28

DIY MODERN BYPASS closet barn DOORS

Otherwise known as the pièce de résistance of this room. This is the last of the ‘Big 3:’ The three DIY projects I had planned for this space that have intimidated me since day one. Now that I’ve got two under my belt (the faux beams and the Limewash floors) I’m leaning hard into my new found confidence and can’t wait to get started on this one!. I’m finalizing my selection for the bypass door hardware, and plan to get it ordered in the next couple of days. Here are two styles I’m considering.

I’m using the original closet doors as a base for the new doors. I’ll skin the fronts with four super wide plywood planks in an effort to give a rustic farmhouse design concept an ultra modern twist. I’m still undecided as to how I’ll finish them but I’m pretty sure it’ll be a game time decision and likely one I’ll take to a vote in instagram stories so stay tuned! Here’s my vision:

What do you think?

There’s still plenty to do. Here’s where we stand today:

THE PROJECT LIST:

• Repaint the entire room in ‘Benjamin Moore White Dove’
• Spray paint window vinyl black
• Trim out built-in shelves
• Closet build out (extra shelves, shoe storage)
• Remove and replace all trim & baseboards
• Remove carpet, pad, and tacks
• Fill tack holes with cement patch
• DIY Limewash cement floors
• Poly coat cement floors
• DIY faux ceiling beams
• Refinish rustic bench
• Clean out and wash window well
• DIY Artifact Uprising Acrylic frame Dupe & Parabola’s Press photo grid sponsored by Parabo Press
• DIY Barn Door and installation
• DIY Art Project
• Bed deconstruction and reconstruction
• Replace light fixture
• Sew and install curtains
• Dye Headboard Canvas
• DIY Desk/Vanity

THE BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Here’s what’s been purchased thus far: 

• Trim (Includes Built-ins, Closet shelving & header, door trim and baseboards): $121.58 
• Window Sill Wood & Spray Paint: $13.72
• Cement Floors (includes patch, Limewash, acrylic binder & brush): $82
• Ceiling Beams – $0 (We ended up using 12 ft rough sawn aspen boards we had left over from another project.)
• DIY Bed Deconstruction & Reconstruction (4×8′ sheet of ply): $28
• Amazeballs West Elm Light Fixture found on eBay $252.81 (retails $599)
• RUNNING TOTAL – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – $498.11

PARTNERS

I am tickled pink to be partnering with some seriously amazing companies during this year’s One Room Challenge including: 

K dudes. LOTS more planned for this week! I’m so excited to get back to work and hope you’ll meet me in Instagram stories to follow the day to day progress and help me make design decisions! 

Wanna see what everyone else in this challenge is up to at One Room Challenge™?

Thanks for being here!

XOXO,

Visit each week of the One Room Challenge™ Here:  Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 CANCELLED #BLM | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 |