One Room Challenge: Spring 2015 ~ Week 4

And the One Room Challenge continues....

The entryway and powder room in my house are coming right along. If you would like to see the progress so far feel free to check out my past weeks here.

There have been some set backs.

The mirror I ordered is heavy, and it looks like it needs to go into a stud or risk it falling off the wall and me getting seven years bad luck. Of course there doesn't seem to be a stud anywhere near where the mirror needs to go. Because that is just my current luck! I am sure we will figure something out...

Also, the rug I wanted for my stairs is sold out at the nearby store, and I haven't had time to drive around and find it elsewhere. The thing is I am almost taking it as a sign that maybe I need to rethink this rug since I was facing a dilemma with picking it anyway. Have to make a decision soon...

My camera is acting up, so I can't take any "pinworthy" pictures of me pulling up the old rug on the stairs, and putting up the wall covering in the powder room. I should have it all fixed soon, so do not worry. Anyway, I have to save something for the reveal, right? If you would like to see some great eye candy of beautifully styled entryways while you are waiting out my malfunctions, check out the pinterest board I put together. And feel free to follow all my boards if you like...I love to follow back and discover what others are pinning that way!

In the meantime, I did take a quick picture with my phone of the lamp that will go on the entryway table. I bought this at a Pottery Barn outlet almost fifteen years ago. It was one of those times where I walked away from it since I didn't really need it, then once I got home had second thoughts since I really wanted it! I had a sleepless night where I tossed and turn and finally woke up in a cold sweat panicked that someone else would get it. Quickly, went to the store the next day, and it was still there. So happy! It has now been on many tables in a few houses now, but it always seems to look right at home.

I purposely picked a small shade for the lamp this time since the maps I framed will go on the limited wall space behind it, and I didn't want a large lampshade to cover them up.

I also am playing around with how to style the console table. I am sure it will change several times in the next week, but will definitely have my must haves for styling an entryway.

-A lamp for task lighting. This is where I check my mail, and since the entryway doesn't have natural light, I need a something to brighten the space.

-Console table with drawers. I keep things I have to get quickly when I am dashing out the door, like my family's membership cards to the pool and the dog's leash.

-A tray. This is essential. Once I started making myself always put my keys in the tray, I suddenly never lost them. Amazing!

-A candle. I always like to add something nice smelling to the entryway. Love being greeted by it when I walk in the door.

-A plant. Once again it has to be a something that is ok with low light, and I am struggling right now to find something that meets that requirement and that I like. Now that the flowers are finally blooming, and it feels more like spring, I will most likely do a few clippings from my yard and put them in a small vase. Love the pop of color that flowers can add to the space.

What is your must have for an entryway?


Be sure to check out all the other linking participants on Calling It Home.

One Room Challenge: Spring 2015 ~ Week 3

Yikes!!! How is it already week three of the One Room Challenge hosted by Linda at Calling It Home. I am redoing the entryway of my house and the accompanying powder room. You can see the before pictures in Week One.

I haven't gotten very much physical labor done so far, but I did do a lot of shopping this week...so not all bad.

First off. Thank you to everyone who left a comment last week. You all gave such thoughtful advice to my big what-rug-to-put-on-the-stairs dilemma. I so appreciated it. It was a hard decision, but I finally decided to do the stair runner in a colorful pattern. Since I picked one that was fairly inexpensive (for once!), it would not be too hard to redo if I ever wanted to down the road.

Marrakesh Rug

 

 

The one easy decision I made was what to put on the walls of the powder room. I wanted something blue and white. While I liked the wallpaper in the inspiration picture, I really wanted something more geometric instead of floral.  I looked around at wallpaper, but just wasn't finding the right pattern. Then I saw this fabric featured on Beth's blog. It was perfect! After a little bit of research apparently it is fairly easy to put fabric on walls. We will see though...

 

 

 

valori-wells-ashton-road-fern-stripe-indigo

 

 

The mirror for the powder room was also love at first sight. I really needed more white in the room, to tone down the bright pattern of the walls. The frame of this mirror fit that bill. Plus that pattern done in nailhead trim matches the brick design on my fireplace in the next room. I think it will be a nice tie in.

 

 

Upton Home Fayette Mirror





 

 

 

And of course I had to add a little more shine to the powder room with some brass bling.

 

 



 

 

Faceted Soap Dispenser

Moving on to the other part of the room, I did get the art made for above the table in the entryway. We have moved several times since we were married, and I want to do something to remember the many places we called  home. I have always loved decorating with maps.

 

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I decided to frame vintage maps of each state we lived in. I then added a little heart over the city that we called home. Fairly easy, but very meaningful. I will have the tutorial up soon.

Be sure to check out the other linking participants. I am sure they got a lot more done than I did!

One Room Challenge: Spring 2015 ~ Week 2

 

Welcome back to Week 2 of the One Room Challenge. I had such a good time last week checking out all the creative plans for rooms. (You can see mine here.) And thanks to everyone who left the great encouraging comments. I just love how those that are a part of the ORC are always so supportive of one another.

I had about fifteen minutes yesterday and decided to play around on Polyvore. I quickly formed an idea for how I want to style the table placed in front of  the steps. It will be the first thing you see when you walk in the house, so it needs to look good, but still be functional as a place to drop the mail or place my keys.

 

Most of the items I already have around the house. Only thing I really need to come up with is the artwork. I do plan to make a cute art project using maps. More on that later.

Now I have a dilemma and need some advice. I am trying to decide what carpet to put on the stairs. I am leaning towards a colorful rug runner like this.

But then I start to second guess myself.

One side says, a rug with a fun pattern will add  style to the entryway. I love color, but the rest of my house is tending to be on the neutral and dare I say safe side when it comes to decorating. A colorful rug on the stairs with add some pop to the room.

 

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But the other side worries, that when we do sell this house (which will be a few years, but is inevitable) this would limit the type of buyer. They might look at the stairs and walk out the door. Also, it would be harder to decorate around it if later on I decide to change things up. Plus, keeping it neutral is the safe way to go.

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 I like both ways, and see the benefits of either style. So what do you all think! Which way would you go. Colorful or neutral rug for the stairs?

 

And be sure to stop by Calling It Home to see the other linking participants. 

 

 

 

 

One Room Challenge: Spring 2015 ~ Week 1

SOOOOO Excited!!!!! It is One Room Challenge time again!!!!

This is my fourth time participating in the One Room Challenge. I am so glad that Linda at Calling it Home hosts this event every year. I love meeting the other bloggers who are participating, so please leave a comment, so I can learn more about you and check out your room. And if you are just here to be inspired by all the great room design creativity, welcome! Feel free to follow along by subscribing to my email list in the sidebar.

The best thing about the ORC for me is that I actually get a room done in my house. Here are past rooms I put together....

Fall 2014 ~ Library

Spring 2014 ~ Mudroom

Fall 2013 ~ Laundry Room

For this One Room Challenge I am going to work on the entry way of my house. I plan on redoing the carpet on the stairs, style and add artwork to the table that everyone first lays their eyes on when they walk in the house, and spruce up with new wallpaper and a few accessories the powder room which is just to the left as you walk in the door. Here are the before pictures of the space....

The one thing I do know is that the powder room will have many of the elements of the room in this picture. I just love it as it is definitely my style, and I will be constantly referring back to it as I pick out things for the powder room. Now what to do with the stairs is another story.....

Via

I honestly have not done much advanced work yet for this room. I have some ideas swirling around my head, and I started a Pinterest Board to get some inspiration, but I don't have a set plan yet. By next week though I should have everything firmed up and a clear design for the space, so be sure to check back then!

And head on over to Calling It Home to see what everyone else is planning for their room.