One Room Challenge - Week One - Inspiration & Planning

Here goes another One Room Challenge!

This session I will be redecorating our upstairs guestroom, and reconfiguring it into our second media / living room. The room gets tons of natural light, and is a very cozy and welcoming space. Since we're entering into the winter months, we don't get many house guests, and for those who will be coming up north for a winter getaway, will have two other alterative rooms for them use (one being this past ORC post).

My first One Room Challenge was my bedroom, and (when clean) is still my all-time favourite bedroom that I've ever had. I love the mix of colours, textures, traditional and modern elements, and especially the Metrie mouldings. My dad has transformed our family's past three homes with mouldings, mitre saws and elbow grease, and it is definitely one of my favourite ways to personalize and add character to a space. We used Metire mouldings in my bedroom, a simple 3" rail, and created an improvised board and batten look that has continued to influence and inspire the remaining rooms in our current house.

In addition to all of the positive feedback I've had on my bedroom, the icing on the cake was when Metrie included it in their list of Top 25 Rooms from the 2016 Every Room Tells a Story contest. It was definitely a proud moment for my dad and I :)

This season of the One Room Challenge we've been fortunate enough to partner with Metrie to create something that will push my dad's carpentry skills a little further and cross off another room reno on our to-do list.

The goal for this space is to transform the room using Metrie moulding, paint (I've been itching to try Canadian Tire's Premier Paint...), a new rug (loving this one from Rugs USA), a new media stand....and that's pretty much it! The goal is to shop my home as much as possible and use furniture and accessories that I've already got on-hand.

What I'm re-using: My Kivik Ikea couch from my first apartment, my steamer trunk coffee table, my TV, existing linen drapes, Hemnes Night Stand from Ikea, table lamps and art work that have been otherwise collecting dust. I may cave and purchase something fun along the way, but otherwise I'm hoping to stick to my plan as much as possible!

I've got a pretty solid idea as to what I'm hoping to do with the Metrie mouldings, as you can kind of gather from my above concept board, and below inspiration pictures. But we're going once again for a cottage-vibe with some softer lines, which will be better explained in the upcoming weeks.

Best of luck to all of my ORC participants, and a huge thank you to Linda of Calling it Home for once again challenging all 200+ guest participants.

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Urban Barn's Summer 2017 Collection

Ontario’s spring weather is leaving much to be desired. We’ve had a pretty consistent drizzle of rain throughout the past week, and the only break in sight is Sunday’s morning forecast of flurries. Needless to say, the days are pretty grey and summer weather feels far away.

I recently popped into my local Urban Barn to peruse the summer collection, and despite the weather, I left feeling pretty amped about summer BBQ’s, boat trips, afternoon swims and lounging around. And even if our weekend weather isn’t consistently hitting those high temperatures, there are a few things we can do to make the indoors feel cheerful and relaxing, (with the help of a few essentials from UB’s summer collection!):

1. PILLOW REFRESH: Urban Barn’s selection of pillows has something to suit pretty much everyone’s tastes. From tropical florals, to beautiful blues, colourful geometric prints and everything in between. You can easily liven up a gloomy sofa with a few new pillows sporting a summery palette.

2. NEW ART: A new piece of artwork will easily breathe new life into a room. Urban Barn has lots to choose from, but for summer my eye is on those over-sized ocean landscapes, but also partial to those Just Docked row boats.

3. NAUTICAL NECESSITIES: It’s no secret that anything nautical will instantly make a space feel beachy. Urban Barn has TONS of options that are quirky and fun, without feeling cheesy (as nautical can easily become). Choose one or two to add to your summer space for a touch of whimsy.

4. POPS OF COLOUR: Summer is the best time of year to add colour to your space. Blues, corals and yellows are all over the summery vignettes at UB, and although we usually look to pillows to add these pops, it’s just as easy to add a new pair of brightly coloured drapes, a new table or floor lamp or a foot stool as colourful accents.

And for the record, I've managed to narrow down my shopping list to these guys featured below :)

Breaker Wall Art  |  Sammy Shark Wall Decor  |  Sammy Shark Wall Decor Large  |  Santella Toss 20x20 Turquoise Throw Pillow  |  Shane Toss 20x20 Sea Throw Pillow  |  Go Jump in the Lake  |  Ariel Mermaid Bottle Opener  |  Party Napkins Set of 8  |  Varsity Canadian Flag Toss 12x22 Throw Pillow  |  Compass Outdoor Wall Decor  |  Miami Outdoor Rug - Tile Steel
** A special thank you to Urban Barn for sponsoring this post

One Room Challenge: Living Room Makeover

My mind is boggled for two reasons: 

1. It has been six months since the last round of ORC madness has ended

2. My parents and I have been in our new place one full year! 

My mind is boggled for another two reasons: 

1. Time flies. 

2. We've only completely finished two rooms since moving in. And BOTH of those rooms were done via the One Room Challenge. So, why not take on another challenge and earn my keep here at hotel Mom and Dad :) 

For those who are new to the One Room Challenge, you'll need to click here and meet Linda, the host/master-mind of the ORC. Over the last six years she has challenged bloggers and designers to choose a room of their choice and decorate it in six short weeks. To date, over 1,250 rooms have been transformed, and each season 20 designers and 200+ bloggers share their progress, motivate one another and inspire with some pretty brilliant before and after pics. 

If you'd like to check back on the last two rooms my dad and I revamped you can see the final reveal of my bedroom (also featured as one of Metrie's Top 25 rooms in their 2016 Every Room Tells a Story designer challenge). 

And our second room was the guest room, she's pretty, but just doesn't photography very well, due to some shady lighting...so you'll have to trust. 

This round, my dad and I will be taking on the living room. This is the spot where our family spends the most amount of time, watching TV, entertaining family/friends, or just hanging out. This space gets quite a bit of foot-traffic as those two garden doors are our main entrance/exit into the backyard. 

We're aiming for a modern-farmhouse-cottage style, lots of natural textures, a neutral colour palette with splashes of blues. 

   

  

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Inspiration: 5 Times Over-sized Art Trumped the Gallery Wall

I love a good gallery wall, but I'm thinking 2017 will be the year I begin thinking about investing in some large-scale artwork. Not necessarily anything that breaks the bank, but a piece that can help to give interest and depth to an otherwise neutral space and really make a statement. Not to knock the gallery wall, but there is a fine line between clean and cluttered, and a gallery wall can easily become the latter if not careful. With one large piece of artwork, you'll be less likely to make a design faux-pas and instead make the chicest of statements.

Although I'm usually drawn to those vintage landscapes with big (borderline gaudy) frames you find at thrift shops, I'm loving the way these abstract prints bring a little unexpected edge to an otherwise tame vignette.

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Inspiration: 5 Home Office Spaces You'll Actually Want to Spend Time In

My Christmas break is officially over. It's back to the grind (aka school) for the final semester of my three-year break from adulting and the beginning of what I hope to be a long and exciting career path in Interior Decorating and Kitchen Design!

To ease the transition of having had three glorious weeks worth of lounging around and doing nadda, into what will likely be a hit-the-ground-running type of January, I'm in need of inspiration to get my work space looking like a place I want to spend some serious hours in. I had a great setup in our last house, with a fun little live mood board, but this time around I'm hoping for something a little less fussy and time-consuming that I can easily pull together.

Storage and shelving are always a must (gotta have space for my chachkies and books), I have my rattan chair that I still love and want to keep, plus my faithful Besta Burs Ikea (best investment) and just some pretty things to stare at while I think about all the things I would rather be doing than sitting at a desk struggling to finish a project at 3:32 am.

Alright. Enough slacking, time to get to work...and by 'get to work' I really just mean stare at pretty pictures of home offices I found on the internet...

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Winter Inspiration: Merry + Minimal

The holidays may be over, but that doesn’t mean you have to box up all of those lovely decorations! De-Christmas your home and put away anything that screams ‘Santa’ or totes a traditional red and green colour palette. Instead, opt for a monochromatic scheme accented with fresh greens from your neighbourhood park. Need help keeping those greens fresh? Martha has the 101 on how to keep your winter greens looking their best.    In the mean time, here are a few pretty pics to inspire your winter decor.  

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**As hard as I try to source correctly, it can be tricky to find an image's owner. If you notice an image that has been incorrectly sourced, please notify me so I may correct ** 

One Room Challenge - Master Bedroom, Week 1

Hi Friends! Apparently it has been six whole months since completing my first One Room Challenge (crazy!) and it is time to jump back on the crazy train and do it all over again [insert nervous laugh here]. I will be joining a group of 200+ bloggers and 20 featured designers who will be linking up each week to share our progress, struggles, triumphs and everything else that goes along with an ORC makeover. You can follow along with the hashtag #oneroomchallenge on Instagram or by checking into Linda's blog, Calling It Home every Wednesday and Thursday (she's the mastermind behind the ORC). So, here goes another six week makeover challenge! This time around I will be making over my mom and dad's master bedroom. It's lacking a lot of things...but my goal is to make it match this stress-free-lakeside-lounging-lifestyle my parents seem to have adopted. I'm hoping to give them a space that feels intentional and personalized, rather then the mishmash of hand-me-downs and makeshift storage solutions they've been working with. And to be honest, I'm not entirely sure what this space will look like when we're done, but I'm hoping it will be something along the lines of these inspiration pics...a little trim, a few nautical bits and some vintage accents. Should be easy, right? Heh...

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Custom Creations from Loom Decor

I am more than aware of the fact that I have a serious pillow addiction. Lately I’ve been able to reign in the crazy and say ‘no’ to several beautiful pillows that have crossed my path, but when Laurel and Wolf asked if I was interested in learning more about Loom Décor and creating a free custom pillow, I jumped off my wagon and said YES.

Vaguely familiar with the brand (I can’t not click on an online ad with pretty pillows), I was given a tour of the site and services with one of their Pro Stylists, Erica. She walked me through the ins and outs of the shop, highlighting all of the services they offered, and the countless opportunities to create something customized—not to mention that each piece is handmade at their workshop in Nashville, Tennessee.

I’m pretty curious about their window treatment offerings and definitely want to give this service a whirl, especially since one of the site’s features includes a chat box with an online stylist ready to provide assistance (because you definitely don’t want to make a mistake when ordering custom window treatments…) But what I am most obsessed with are the bed skirts! For anyone who has recently shopped for these, you’ll know the struggle to find something that feels modern (read: NO ruffles) and in ANY colour other than white or cream. Sense my frustration? Honestly though, how cute is this?

Being the generous daughter that I am, I had my mom and dad’s room in mind when creating my custom pillow. We went with the Simple Lumbar style with feather insert, and pulled from their lengthy selection of blue fabrics. Immediately I was drawn to the breezy ombre palette and largescale print of Birds of a Feather in Pool (coincidently, that was my mom’s first choice too) and mom chose Mazing Grace in Aqua for the back of the pillow. When the pillow arrived, we were pleasantly surprised at how accurate the colours were – not always the case when ordering online. We had one small issue, where the zipper was placed on the wrong side of the pillow, but it took a few days for us to realize the mistake, and Loom was quick to replace for us.

Browsing their site, you definitely get caught up in all of the gorgeous fabrics and styles they have to offer, and I’ve rounded up a few fabulous prints that caught my eye…

Simple Throw Pillows: classic velvet - nectar / udaya - berry / classic linen - ivory w/ classic linen - terra cotta edge /  chantilly stripe - midnight / zoo-la-la - ruby / optrix - ash / xu garden - indigo / spot on - azure / babar - twilight / shore - classic / stream up - mist / band stand - oyster / classic linen - safari w/ classic linen - ivory edge /  classic linen - iron, casual linen - dune, crisp linen - dawn 

The Most Underrated Feature in Your Home

What's one of the most underrated and underutilized decor feature in your home? This week, my vote goes to your stair risers!

Commonly found in Spanish Mission-style homes, adding tile, wallpaper, paint or stencils to the risers on your staircase can transform them into an interesting focal point. In many North American homes, our staircases are among some of the first things guests see when entering, which makes it the perfect place to add a touch of personality. It can also help to create a sense of connection between your home’s main floor, and the often over-looked second floor.

From bold, high contrast colour schemes to soft and subtle monochromatic palettes—no matter your décor style, those blank risers have potential.

Renters can also take advantage of this DIY with Apartment Therapy's clever (and less permanent) hack.

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**As hard as I try to source correctly, it can be tricky to find an image's owner. If you notice an image that has been incorrectly sourced, please notify me so I may correct ** 

Go for the Gold: Olympic-Gold for Your Home

Is it just me, or does watching the Olympics feel stressful?? Like everyone else, I'm sure, you can't help but feeling invested in the successes of your country's athletes. Despite never having met them, or even knowing a thing about their Olympic event, you know they've practiced and competed their hearts out for a chance to bring home some bling (..I'm also a little envious at the passion and dedication they have for their sport)

Since I'm probably considered to be way too old to begin an Olympic career, I've done the next best thing, which is rounding up a few fabulous home accessories that come pretty close to being as lovely and sparkly as a gold medal. 

(Ps. Go Canada!!! Which sport has you on the edge of your seat?)

Lunar Kingdom Wall Art |  Ralston Pendant  |  Ranore Fire Screen  |   Set of 2 Vela Candlesticks  |   Paige Tray, Arteriors  |  Olso 5-Piece Cutlery Set, Canvas  |  3 Piece Fotochain Photo Display Set, Umbra  |  Audrey Lamp, Peachy Nude

ikea hacks: billy bookcase built-ins

One of my favourite decor features are built-ins. Not only are they multi-functional—offering precious storage and space to display your favourite books, family photos, souvenirs, etc.—but they can add value to your home, giving it the look of a custom build. If you don't have a carpenter in the family, built-ins may seem like an expensive and daunting task, however, one of my favourite Ikea hacks to peruse on Pinterest is the millions of different ways people are transforming the Billy Bookcase to look like a built-in.We attempted this in my parent's previous house, installing a set of wall to wall bookcases with doors in the dining room. We were looking for extra storage since both myself and my Bubi had moved in, bringing a lot of our belongings with us. These units held a ton of stuff, and kept things accessible when we needed them, or hidden when not in use. For some reason I never took a picture of them styled and in use, but managed to snap the below shot just before we moved. 

Now that we've officially moved everything into our new house, my parents and I are hoping to use the Billy Bookcase once again to create built-ins in our kitchen/dining space as well as a pair to sit on either side of the soon-to-be-built fireplace in the living room. Our first experience with the Billy was good, but I think we can customize them even more to look less like the Ikea staple and more like a custom piece of millwork. 

As inspiration, I've rounded up my favourite 5 Billy Bookcase hacks:

Bliss at Home via BHG Blog 

 Orlando Soria via Lonny 

 Suzanne's Colour in Harmony Room via Apartment Therapy 

Laura's Living Room via The Makerista 

Love these, but cannot find a source -- if anyone knows where they're from please let me know so I can credit them.