I love this time of year–it’s One Room Challenge time! I can’t believe it’s already been a year since we transformed our living room during last year’s One Room Challenge. Since then, we’ve moved into a new house, which means a new collection of rooms to transform and make our own!
What’s the One Room Challenge?
This interior design event has been held biannually over the last 10 years, during which participants tackle a room of their choosing to transform over the course of 8 weeks. Every week, designers post updates on their progress, concluding in an exciting final reveal in Week 8! The result is a wonderful community that inspires, encourages, and uplifts each week and beyond the challenge.
I’m a little late to the party this year, but fashionably late is always better than missing the party altogether, right? We are already in Week 3 and I cannot wait to see everyone’s vision come to life! Check out their progress ORC blog.
The Room
We have tried to call this room a number of things since we moved in: Game Room, Pool Room, Garage. And so far, SIGH the only one that has stuck is “Garage”. Because that’s what it is!
The previous owners of our home left us a garage that is currently somewhere between a garage and an entertainment room: the garage door has been sealed up–there’s no way to get a car in here anymore!–and the previous owners had been using it as a hangout spot centered around an 8′ pool table. I really like this room, but it unfortunately still feels like a garage: concrete floors, no insulation, exposed beams, not a lot of natural light. So it’s time to change that!
For this ORC, I will be transforming this garage into a space that hopefully feels like a natural continuation of the rest of the house. I want guests to walk and and feel like they’re in a family room or a game room instead of a garage.
The Road Ahead
So how do we get Cinderella ready for the ball? Here’s the makeover I’m envisioning:
Installation of:
- hardwood floors
- ceiling insulation and shiplap
- more windows
- recessed lighting
- demo wall to connect secondary room
- safety railing for stairs
DIY projects
- TV media wall, including slat wall, media shelves, and floating media drawers
- shelf behind couch
- window frame
- wainscoting treatment for walls
- bar table
Finishing touches
- furniture: couch, rugs, chairs, tables
- sound system
The Progress so far
The room is coming to life! Over the last two weeks our contractor and his team have been working tirelessly to install all insulation, drywall, new windows, ceiling, and recessed lighting.
What a difference drywall and sunlight make! Next up is to paint the walls and install hardwood floors to really get this space feeling a little more homey.
