One Room Challenge, Week 1: The Inspiration

When asked to be one of the featured designers
on the One Room Challenge, I said yes without a blink

It is such an honor to be included. If you’re not familiar with the ORC, it’s a “supportive, enthusiastic forum in which to share the process of transforming a room.” Over the course of six weeks, I’ll be sharing my thoughts, advice, and the sources we used for this project.

Honestly, the hard part was deciding which room to feature. We moved into our home two years ago and I’m still putting my stamp on it. I was struggling with the choice, and then my daughter made a pitch that I couldn’t refuse.

We were filming a video about how to create a hygge corner in your home and my nine-year-old daughter, Tessa, was hooked on the look.  She said to me,

Mom, I want to make my room light, bright, and airy – you know, hygge.

A hygge hideaway?  I like where this is going. Tessa’s room will be the stage for our One Room Challenge. Watch our hygge video below to see the vibe I’m going for (and what my daughter fell in love with).

Tessa had a quill & ink set that was to be kept strictly in our art-approved mudroom. Yet, somehow navy ink was splashed all over her tired wall-to-wall carpet. Revel Woods to the rescue! I chose a gorgeous, yet rustic, hand scraped oak floor – my husband and I are really hoping it’s Tessa-proof. : ) It’s going to transform the space.

But I’m getting ahead of myself… let’s rewind and review the inspiration, the current setup, and what my daughter is hoping to get out of her updated room.  Here’s where we began:

Her current setup is functional, but uninspiring and cluttered (her own words after a careful review). The furniture is a hodge-podge mix. This room completely lacks a sense of place, that feeling of destination – a place to daydream about returning to after a long day.

And now, a peek at the inspiration board. Tessa is outdoorsy and artistic, and loves to play guitar, read and draw in her down time.

Ethereal and whimsical, yet also sophisticated & rustic, her room is going to become a destination for dreaming and scheming

Calming neutrals will quiet the space, allowing her imagination to run free, while layers of textures from pillows, throws, and incredible hardware from Emtek will give the room depth. We chose a clean and calm whitewashed wallpaper by Fabricut, a neutral shag rug from Creative Touch, and a curated gallery wall of nature-inspired artwork by Minted.

One of the main features of the room is a nature-themed, printed linen fabric by Romo for the tent over her bed – yes, tent.  Like I said, lots of imagination. The tent will create a strong focal point in the room – and a true sense of place. The bed which will feature a super plush Agility Therapedic mattress. The team at Window Works is creating the tent – so we know we’re in amazing hands.

Another striking element is the light fixture by Troy Lighting for Hudson Valley Lighting Group. It’s delicate and strong all at once, and adds rustic charm to the whole room.

The accessories you’ll see peppered throughout feature incredible faux florals by NDI, the coolest desk lamp by Lamps Plus, and tons and tons of beautiful pillows and window seat cushions with fabric by Fabricut for “all things reading and snuggling,” according to Tessa.

My longtime upholster Franco Saldano of First Option Upholstery is hard at work making all of the cushions and pillows, and the incredible Taj Singh of Taj Custom Home Improvement will be putting up the wallpaper, hanging all of the art and installing new cabinetry hardware. It’s a true team effort – House of Funk style.

I love designing with children – there is so much imagination involved

I always design rooms that children can grow with and into, which means nothing too juvenile. My daughter’s room is no exception. Still, we’re infusing this design with a healthy dose of whimsy.

Tune back in next week for the update!

Check out the rest of the designers that are doing the ORC…

At Home With Ashley | Casey Keasler | Dorsey Designs | The Farmhouse Project | Home Made by Carmona  House of Funk | House of Jade Interiors | House Seven Design | House That Lars Built | Inspired by Charm | Jana Bek | Jessica Brigham | Kelly Golightly | Murphy Deesign | The Pink Pagoda | Sarah Gunn | Sherry Hart Designs | Sugar & Cloth | Veronica Solomon | Vintage Revivals | Media Partner BH&G | TM by ORC