Jonesville

I hope everyone had a fun and productive One Room Challenge this round! I started out with no direction, made a mood board, and went almost the complete opposite way. It was a big learning experience for me and again I found myself being thankful for such an encouraging community. 6 weeks of crazy running around and making long drives to get products, but sitting in my bed writing this post makes it all worth it. Without further ado, head straight to the good stuff.

Week 1: The Befores & Plans
Week 2: The Mood Board
Week 3: Paint Swatches
Week 4: Wall Paint Fails
Week 5: Final Paint Color

It wouldn't be a reveal without a good before and after, and let's be honest, that's what we all want.

The rug was the piece that threw a wrench in my dark walls plan. It was such a large aspect of the room and as I laid it down knew the walls needed to be white.

Ikea came through in the 9th inning with these giant frames. I bought some framing mats and made a custom size that was a little smaller than Ikeas. Since kids are on the horizon, I wanted this room to be 100% about Auston and Elizabeth. So I filled all 4 frames with memories just of us.

One of him kissing me as we left our wedding and us in San Francisco sit on my side and another of us in SF and kayaking live on his side. The nightstands are the ones we actually had in there before, just some old handmedowns from my grandparents. I had originally planned to put new white oak ones from Target in there but when I got them they were like 6" too short - a big no go for these two tall people. But these are growing on me really.

I know you're asking yourself what kind of tree that is - it's a willow tree. I grabbed it from a nursery for $20! I was kind of annoyed at first because this was the fullest looking one but had a curved trunk. Now the curve it growing on me and it's probably my favorite part of the entire room. We will only keep it for a little while and then go plant it where we're going to build our house because these things need like 40 feet to grow.

I finally got a new fan to replace the one that came with the house. I was actually kind of skeptical of the three blades but they really do work just as well, if not better, than a four blade.

I love Asian everything (and am currently learning Japanese). Actually, last night we went to an asian restaurant instead of writing this post because I needed my dumplings. I sifted through an encyclopedia set and picked out the topics I loved. I'm a closeted history buff.

So let's talk about this pot. I saw it in a shop up near our cabin about a year ago and fell in love with it. I didn't get it then but when we were up there this last time, I snagged one. Got home the next day and started painting the room only to hear a loud crash followed by the worst sound in the world. I had just broke my pot. This was last weekend, meaning I had one week to finish the room and I had a mini anxiety attack. The store was an hour and a half north of us and I also had to go to Ikea in Atlanta, an hour and a half south of us, to get the dresser and frames. So last Saturday I got up early, headed up to Highlands and then drove all the way down to Atlanta. I spent like 6 hours in the car that day but came back with so many great things, including another pot. I've also seen it on McGee & Co for you guys to buy online.

I kept the dresser we got last year for Auston's stuff but spray painted the knobs black. Also spray painted the mirror from Target. I painted the closet and finally got nice hangers for all of his shirts.

I DIY'ed the drop cloth curtains when we moved in and really don't feel the need to replace them because I love them so much. I didn't sew a black out panel on the back because they let a soft light in during the morning that really helps me to wake up. If I wake up in the dark I am definitely not getting out of bed.

If you know me at all you know I can't do a room without doing my own art, partly because I like it but mostly because I do things on a budget. This time I wanted something modern and simple to go with the busy frames on the other wall. I found a small image on Instagram and blew it up to go on my big 36"x 20" Walmart canvas.

The dresser from Ikea. I have to compose myself to even talk about it. It was my first major piece of furniture from the Sweedish motherland. I assembled it by myself and in my minion halloween costume. Three hours later though, I had an awesome modern new dresser with deeper drawers to replace my childhood one. I just threw out my back, nbd.

More DIY art. I just renovate on a budget people, it's not that I don't appreciate real art I swear. For this piece I printed out a photo of black marble and wrote out the line to the song I walked down the aisle to - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic. No, not the original, the cover by Sleeping At Last. I also used a photo from our very first hike together on top of the book by Robert Burns my granddad used to hold the ceremony notes as he married us.

THIS TREE YOU GUYS.

The frame on Auston's dresser holds the very first note he wrote me. There's alot of things in this world that you like to brag on in detail about your significant other, but what he wrote in this note is something that I hope will be our little secret for forever. But I can say, it still brings tears to my eyes remembering the beginning of our friendship.

At the beginning I only had $400 to do this entire room. However, when we decided to not do a vanity for the full bathroom, we put that $500 towards this room. So all in all, I spent $900 on this challenge space. That is over two months of play money and the $500 we had saved up. What I'm trying to say is you don't have to have a thousand dollars right now to start on a room. You can plan ahead and start saving little by little until you reach your goal.

It is always a stressful six weeks and sometimes I wonder why I do it every time. But on reveal day remember why I do, because I have a finished space. For the moment at least. I hope you like how the white walls turned out as much as I do!

I'm astounded once again by how many friends I've made through this challenge, and that's really the best reason to participate.There has been so many good reveals so far, and I know you know this already, but be sure to check them all out.