Finally Joining the Fun!

My One Room Challenge Journey Begins

ONE ROOM CHALLENGE EXPLAINED

For years, I’ve quietly admired the creative community of designers and DIYer’s who participate in the One Room Challenge. It’s a platform that resonates deeply with me, with its mission to foster a sense of community, motivation, and inspiration among creatives.

Specifically, the ORC, held bi-annually, extends an open invitation to interior design enthusiasts, inviting them to showcase the transformation of a single space. Over the course of eight weeks, participants share their journey, offering encouragement and support along the way.

If you’re interested, you can learn more about it HERE

WHY I’M PARTICIPATING

As someone who’s neurodivergent, my journey with interior design and home improvement has been profoundly therapeutic. For me, home serves as a sanctuary—a space where I can cultivate creativity and find calm amidst life’s chaos. 

This deep understanding of the power of home has fueled a long-held dream to extend that sense of sanctuary to others through a blend of design services and the creation of inspirational, educational content on design and DIY projects.

My path to realizing this dream has been multifaceted. Over the years, I’ve honed my skills in various roles: apprenticing for This Old House, working as a timber framer, a frame-to-finish carpenter, and managing projects for a high-end residential design-build firm. Alongside these core experiences, I’ve taken on intermittent projects as a freelance carpenter, interior stylist, and professional organizer. This unique blend of experiences in the realm of home improvement has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge and expertise.

Now, with this collective expertise as my guide, I finally feel ready to make this dream a reality. That’s where the ORC comes in, offering the perfect platform to take that leap – to face the fear of putting myself and my work out there, and to connect with a supportive community of like-minded design and DIY enthusiasts.

WORK FROM HOME OFFICE TRANSFORMATION

Over the next eight weeks, I’ll be tackling the makeover of a very important space: my partner’s work-from-home office.

For way too long, this space has been overshadowed by the demands of daily life—a bustling household filled with teenage boys, playful dogs, and an elderly bearded dragon (more on him later) 

Due to its central location, my partner’s home office has become a cluttered catch-all zone, leaving an otherwise generous amount of floor space covered with doom piles. My goal is to revamp the layout, clear out the clutter, and add some much-needed storage using semi-custom built-ins (with a little help from some hard-working, ready-to-assemble cabinets from the Home Depot)

As for our beloved elderly bearded dragon, Otto. Recognizing his need for sunlight and stimulation, I’ve planned a cozy bench seat beneath the window—a tranquil spot where he can bask in the warmth of the sun while enjoying his surroundings.

DESIGN BRIEF

I have a long standing habit of remodeling spaces while my partner is out of town. While he’s grown to trust my design instincts for less extensive projects, I’m fairly certain he wouldn’t have greenlit the ambitious built-ins I have in mind. So, I’ll be seizing the opportunity of his attending a friend’s upcoming bachelor party weekend to get started. I have absolute confidence he’ll love the finished result.

At his request, I’ll also be incorporating the following design elements:

Antique Stained Glass Windows

He recently acquired a beautiful pair of stained glass windows via Facebook Marketplace. Remarkably, they nearly fit perfectly into our existing windows and have served as the catalyst for this entire project.

Transparent Dry Erase Board

Another Facebook Marketplace treasure, he purchased a large piece of tempered glass years ago with the intention of turning it into a DIY glass dry erase board. I’m really excited to incorporate this project into the design plan. 

Pottery Display

My partner’s mom is a truly gifted ceramicist – her work is stunning! We’re fortunate to have many beautiful pieces of hers, and I’m really looking forward to styling them on the bookshelves, providing them with the proper display they deserve and infusing this space with a meaningful family connection.

PROJECT ROADMAP

I’m fascinated by how different designers approach their work! There’s so much we can learn from each other’s creative processes. Podcasts like A Well-Designed Business, The Interior Collective, and Designers Oasis have been fantastic resources for this. I hope that sharing my process will be helpful to others, just as the stories I’ve heard on these podcasts have been to me.

My plan for bringing this project to life  is as follows:

Gather Inspiration 
Decide on a Floor Plan
Create a Mood Board
Create a Concept Image
Plan Carpentry Projects
Make a Shopping List
Make a List of all Tools Needed to Complete Project
Clear Out Space
Install Site Protection for Existing Flooring
Move Tools and Rough Materials Into Space
Construct Built-ins
Install Stained Glass Windows and Glass Dry Erase Board
Paint 
Style

UPCOMING POSTS 

Week 2- How I Learned Space Planning, Mood Board Design, and Concept Image Creation
Week 3- Built-ins
Week 4- Installing Reclaimed Stained Glass Windows (plus DIY Glass Dry Erase Board) 
Week 5- Paint Colors and Process
Week 6- Adding Ambient Lighting (plus Hiding Cords)
Week 7- Interior Styling and Organizing
Week 8- Home Office Reveal! (Plus Honest Cost Breakdown, Including Tools Used)

Stay tuned for some behind-the-scenes magic (and inevitable mishaps) as I embark on the journey of transforming this office while simultaneously diving into the realm of content creation centered around my favorite subject.

INSPIRATION PHOTO CREDITS

Mood Board Photo Left (Peach & Pine Interiors)
Mood Board Photo Right (Laura Design Company)