ORC Fall 2020: Week 1 (A Bedroom Fit for a Tween)

October 9, 2020 Erica Deputy

It really feels like we just caught up on our sleep from the Spring One Room Challenge but being one who doesn’t like to sit still, I signed up as a Guest Participant for the Fall 2020 ORC.

What is the ORC, you ask? The One Room Challenge, a biannual event in its 18th season (!), provides participants with a supportive, enthusiastic forum in which to share the process of transforming a room. The ORC is not a competition, but rather a celebration of creativity, inspiration, and original ideas. No prizes, just some great exposure and formed connections within the design community. This season, the Featured Designers are designing virtual spaces - not actual spaces in their homes - so click HERE to check out those out.

I didn’t feel like we had the energy to take a ORC project this go-round but we were planning on ‘refreshing’ our oldest daughter’s bedroom for her 10th birthday so that plan turned into tackling the project using the Fall ORC timeline. Every Thursday (or Fri or Sat), for the next 6 weeks, I will post an update on progress made on ‘A Bedroom Built for a Tween’ (love a good theme)!

BEFORE DETAILS: Overhead light and ceiling paint will be incorporated into the refreshed room design.

This list seems ‘do-able’ says the person who isn’t the furniture builder.

I recently read an article on bobvila.com titled “15 Old House Features We Were Wrong to Abandon” and was intrigued by the mention of picture rail molding so I am going to incorporate that ‘old house’ feature into this room design. Just check out the inspiration image below by Mandi of Making Nice In the Midwest.

I am using the existing yellow (my daughter’s favorite color) light fixture and blue/green painted ceiling as the starting point for a more grown-up design for our growing girl. A loft reading nook, platform bed and bookshelf (built by hubs), custom window coverings, refreshed bedding, and additional lighting are included in the 6 week project plan.

Thanks so much for stopping by (and following along) as we create a fun new space for our daughter. If you are new here, CLICK to learn more about me and New Home Old Soul. Finally, for loads and loads of practical inspiration, click below to view the Week 1 post of all the guest participants.

Click the logo to check out what the other guest participants are designing!

DIY: Giant Studio Pin Board

October 5, 2020 Erica Deputy

When I was designing my new office space for the Spring 2020 One Room Challenge, I knew I needed pin boards to keep me organized and to have a place for rotating visual inspiration. I also was on a budget with the wallpaper so I needed a solution for the wall opposite the built-in cabinetry, above the peg hooks. HELLO DIY GIANT PINBOARDS. With a few simple materials and leftover paint, we were able to make custom pin boards that are big enough to hold all the projects and inspiration I can dream up.

Here are the materials we used:
1 in. x 2 in. x 8 ft. Pine Board
1/4 in. x 4 ft. x 2 ft. Plywood
Cork Squares with Adhesive Backing
Linen or Linen-Blend Fabric
Pine Screen Molding

Tools and material we had on-hand:
Table Saw
Kreg Jig
Staple Gun
Wood Glue
Paint

DIY PIN BOARD INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Figure out where you will hang your giant pin board and MEASURE!

2. Prep the space where you will hang your pin board(s). Prep, in this instance = paint.

3. Cut your cork to size. We did this prior to building the frame using a table saw to get a clean edge.

4. Build the pin board frame with the 1 in. x 2 in pine board. Make it super easy on yourself by getting your 4 frame pieces cut to size before you leave the hardware store. We used a simple butt joint (keep the jokes to yourself) at each corner and attached with screws.

5. Next we used wood glue and brad nails to attach the frame to two 1/4 in. x 4 ft. x 2 ft. plywood boards . Depending on the size of your giant pin board, get your ply cut before leaving the hardware store.

6. TEST FIT before moving to the next step (if it is going to be wedged between the window and wall - cue the song).

7. Paint the frame (use a sample pot if you have one because you really don’t need that much paint for the frame). Using the adhesive backs, stick the cork squares to the ply backer board.

8. Source some linen (not drapery linen) but a solid hobby fabric that is budget friendly.

9. Use a staple gun to attach the linen to the inside edge of the frame.

10. Cut to size (we used a 45 degree mitered edge) and paint the pine screen molding pieces. Set and glue these pieces over the inside edge of the frame to cover the staples that attach the linen to the frame.

11. Use a counter sink bit to drill a hole in each corner of the frame and screw to wall. We covered the screw holes with natural colored wood plugs which added a custom design detail as well.

12. Starting pinning, IRL, all the things!

ORC Spring 2020: Week 8 (The Final Office Reveal)

July 2, 2020 Erica Deputy

Spring 2020 One Room Challenge has come to an end and I’m excited to share with you my office/studio reveal! I am really proud of what we’ve created and I can tell you, as I draft this post, I feel so inspired in this office/studio space. Home projects are not for the faint of heart and I am grateful that my husband agreed to tackle this room with me. He did all the heavy lifting/building/time consuming projects and gave up what very little free time he has, to create an office and studio space for me to grow a new business.

Let’s take a little 8-week-walk down memory lane, shall we?! If you have been following along, you’ll remember this project took a total of 8 weeks and was pretty much a blank space when we started. Previously, my studio was used as a crafting studio and didn’t have any cohesive design details - jumbled furniture and white walls felt uninspired.

Beyond the design detail WANTS, the number one NEED for the room was storage solutions…. so we designed built-in cabinetry using unfinished units from a local furniture company.

And it’s not that the ‘wants’ didn’t get addressed also. Soft peachy pink painted walls + decorative molding, design crush wallpaper, handmade hardware, oversized DIY linen pin boards and a repurposed family heirloom table were all those special design details that we’ve added over the 8 weeks.

CLICK BELOW TO RECAP EACH WEEK OF THE ONE ROOM CHALLENGE

And welcome to the finished space! My inspiration/muse for the design is my original Juniper Briggs painting ‘Bowl of Plenty’. The pinks and greens in the painting were the jumping off point for the room design. (I am thrilled to own this original piece but if you love it as much as I do, you can still snag a print off of Juniper’s website). The chandelier is by Sazerac Stitches and I am a huge fan of this handmade brand out of New Orleans.

JUNIPER BRIGGS ART PRINTS // SAZERAC STITCHES CHANDELIERS

CLARE PAINT // BARE WOODS FURNITURE

I couldn’t be happier with how the built-in cabinetry turned out but designing and installing these units did pose some challenges for us including that floor register under the window and a bridge cabinet unit that needed to be rebuilt because the one we ordered was 1/8 of an inch too wide - we just couldn’t fit it into place between the two bookshelves. Luckily my husband/contractor is handy and creative and built a new one. He also meticulously trimmed out this whole unit to make it seamlessly blend with the decorative wall trim. Built-in cabinetry, decorative wall trim, picture ledges and peg hook racks were all painted with Clare ‘Wing It’ Trim Paint.

ROLLING LADDER KIT // CABINET HARDWARE

Let me just take a moment to mention the crown jewels of the built-in unit - how about that rolling library ladder?! I’ve always wanted one and this project seemed like the perfect opportunity to try our hand at installing one in our home. Beyond looking so cool, the rolling ladder has proven really functional because I am storing my decor magazine collection (hello, old Domino issues) and other design references up on the top shelves so the ladder gives me quick access to all those materials. The other star of this very pink show is the door handware. The handmade quality and unique brass + matte black finish has me all gushy and now I am a huge fan of maker Pepe & Carols.

WALLPAPER // TABLE LEGS // DESK CHAIR

A graphic deep green wallpaper might not seem like an obvious pairing with pink walls and cabinetry but ever since I laid eyes on this paper, I thought about pairing it with a soft color. Kate Zaremba’s patterns always inspire and encourage me to not be so serious and design with the things you love. Speaking of love - my family heirloom table top turned work table (we added new legs) ended up being just the right amount of vintage for the room.

PEG HOOKS // RUG // PUSH PIN CLIPS

Styling this room, when we were finished, was pretty straightforward. Not a lot of furniture in the room, on purpose. I got myself a round placeholder rug for the time being while I continue to search for the perfect vintage rug. The DIY linen pinboards got a good dose of pretty inspiration but also serve to keep my ongoing projects organized and in-view. If you are still reading, THANK YOU! Thank you for stopping by and for your interest in this project. I hope you have found some practical inspiration to create the space of your dreams too!

CLICK ABOVE TO SEE ALL THE OTHER EXCITING ROOM REVEALS!

DISCLOSURE: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

ORC Spring 2020: Week 7 (Work Table Refresh & Ladder Install)

June 20, 2020 Erica Deputy

Week 7 of the Spring 2020 ORC is complete and next week we will REVEAL the final room updates! To be honest, I am so excited for this to be complete for the simple reason of finally being able to use and enjoy the updated office/studio space.

This week was busy - we took last weekend off for a long weekend trip to the lake - then realized we had a lot to accomplish if we wanted to be finished by the end of June. LAST WEEK we started and finished the one wall of wallpaper and completed the built-in trim. This week we needed to finish the wallpaper and I am happy to say it’s finished but not without angst and some creative patchwork. Let me just put this out there in the world…I will never DIY wallpaper again. After this project, I can confidently say hiring a professional wallpaper installer will always be a priority when it comes to project budgeting.

Wallpaper puzzle...

Using ALL the scraps

Wallpaper DONE!

Here’s a little reveal spoiler…there will only be two pieces of furniture in my office. One of those pieces is a square-ish size work table. Years ago I acquired a dining room table that had once belonged to my Great Grandmother. We used the table in our previous house because we had a formal dining room and it filled the space perfectly. Hubs could tell that the legs on the table were not original so before we moved, we donated the table legs and just moved the table top for a future project. ENTER FUTURE (turned current) PROJECT.

To turn the antique table top into a refreshed work table, I found a set of unfinished knotty pine table legs from a small company in GA, who manufactures wood components. I decided to paint the legs a matte white shade/finish because matching the stain and years of wear to the tabletop, would have proven futile. And from a design perspective, I wanted the tabletop to shine and the legs to pull together the other white contrasting elements (ceiling, wallpaper shapes) so they could play a role opposite ALL the pink.

As luck would have it Kelly from Stylish Patina saw one of my Instagram posts where I talked about using a different brand of furniture paint to update some pieces for our master bedroom and bath and she offered to send me some Jolie paint and wax samples, a brand she stocks in her amazing shop in Falls Church, VA. I used Jolie Palace White and Clear Wax to finish the table legs and couldn’t be happier with the matte finish and bright white color.

Table legs getting some paint

Only needed a sample pot for 2 coats!

And then a coat of clear wax

Hubs built custom brackets to attach the legs to the table top, added back 2 table leaves, then reinforced the whole thang to make it the perfect size for the space.

Leg brackets

Reinforcement

Work table complete!

Now for the excitement…the rolling ladder has been installed and I’m smitten. We purchased the parts and hardware for the ladder from Custom Service Hardware. After having some issues ordering online, I called them and their customer service was just so good. All the pieces arrived within days of ordering, nothing was damaged, and the order was filled correctly! I mention this because there have been several instances in the last few weeks where this hasn’t been the case. The ladder pieces are made of beautiful unfinished red oak so we decided to finish them, simply, with a medium walnut dry oil. After the pieces dried, Hubs assembled the ladder.

Red oak ladder pieces...

...with a bit of Medium Walnut Danish Oil

Ladder is ready to 'roll on in' to the office

The rail install was quite the project and I’m thankful my partner was up for the challenge. He started by adding a support piece across the already installed built-in unit. The rail brackets needed somewhere stable to be mounted and he was able to seamlessly blend the support piece with the rest of the unit and painted it after it was in place.

Adding a support piece

Blends seamlessly

Rail secured

The ladder rail and rolling wheels and components are the most perfect matte black finish. Often hardware is labeled black and when it arrives, it’s actually a dark bronze so I feel confident we ordered from a suburb company, who I will continue to recommend and use for future clients and home projects.

Between the rolling ladder and the antique work table top, the office now has the warm wood elements it needed to make the space feel (almost) complete. Next week (week 8) is the final week and all the styled room reveals. I’m certain you don’t want to miss what the featured designers and other guest participants have created!

Click on the ORC Logo to check out the progress of the other participants!

ORC Spring 2020: Weeks 5 & 6 (Cabinetry Trim and Wallpaper Progress)

June 11, 2020 Erica Deputy

I want to first acknowledge that the good people running the One Room Challenge decided to cancel Week 5 posts to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and make space for important conversations, reflection, and planning. I completely support this decision and am just rolling up two weeks of progress into one post. While I was completing some touch up painting, I listened to Live Free Creative Podcast’s last episode on Becoming Imperfectly Anti-Racist where the host talks in detail about simple steps and actions over the next weeks, months, years and really, our entire lifetime to challenge the systemic racism that our country is founded upon. Please note the host is a white woman and this is her POV - challenging herself/ourselves to actively become anti-racist. There is so much work to be done but there is no giving up anymore.

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better. ”

— Maya Angelou

With weeks 5 & 6 of my office project being complete, let’s check on progress. I feel pretty good about where we are at - I think hubs would disagree because the rolling ladder install will be a doozy but I’m gonna keep the faith.

The built-in cabinetry is looking so goooood! At the end of week 4, we had installed the window bridge unit and added a piece of flat molding to make it a seamless unit from floor to ceiling. Week 5 started with installing the plant shelf under the window + trimming out/filling all the seams around the entire built-in…

…AND ended with me covered in pink paint (again) from painting 9 individual shelves and all the trim work. Just in case you forgot, the pink paint is called Wing It by Clare Paint.

Teeny tiny paint brush required

Painting under the plant shelf

It's a paint your legs kinda day

Week 6 was dedicated to the fun stuff…wallpaper and hardware! Did you catch a glimpse of that dark green paper in the earlier photo? I’m happy to report that 1 (of 2) half walls are papered. Wallpapering with a spouse really should not be allowed. But I am happy to report we are still married and hope to still be after the second wall is complete.

Let's get this party started

Lots 'o towels needed

Team work makes the dream work

Still married!

This fun paper is by one of my favorite artists/pattern designers, Kate Zaremba. She is semi-local to me - residing in Washington DC - and I love all of her creative designs but green is my favorite so Shape Theory in green was an obvious design choice for my office. KZ wallpaper is pre-pasted and easily removable so it is a good option for rental homes. She is still offering 20% off orders so if you are thinking about wallpaper, now is the time to purchase (not sponsored, just a fan).

It is really important to me to support small, independent businesses in most aspect of life and decor is no exception. I’ve been following Pepe & Carols Handmade on Instagram for their unique handmade lighting options so when it came time to choose built-in hardware, these pulls stopped my insta scroll and I ordered immediately. The combo of the raw brass and matte black fit perfectly with the office design aesthetic and complement the hanging light fixture (also from an independent shop I love) while not being to matchy matchy (this is expert design speak).

Hello, gorgeous

All lined up

Door install and adjustment

Handmade craftmanship

So, onward to week 7! Thank you for reading and following along. Don’t forget to check out all the other featured and guest participants. There is so much inspiration to be found within this season’s One Room Challenge.