My Favorite Fall 2017 ORC Rooms

If you’re not familiar with it, every Fall and Spring the website Calling it Home hosts what is called the One Room Challenge. Hundreds of gluttons for punishment volunteer bloggers join in to completely transform a whole room in a mere 6 weeks. This year of the Fall 2017 ORC was no small exception for some awesome makeovers and design feats.

This herculean task is not for the faint of heart, and it’s amazing how many people not only meet the challenge and finish the room in time, but come out with flying colors (and perhaps the need to sleep for the next 36 hours).

Each of the 6 weeks they report in at Calling It Home to show the progress they’ve made in their room…and their tears, the number of beer bottles they’ve gone through, anxiety, physical and mental anguish, and indecision. With so much craziness, it creates an automatic bonding between participants and shows the human side of otherwise seemingly-perfect design bloggers. It’s also a great look into how the whole design process works from start to finish when planning a room’s design.

Each ORC I like to follow a few choice featured and participant bloggers. Mine mostly consist of those with old homes or old home aesthetics. Go figure.

I thought it’d be fun to share some of the ones that have drawn me in.

Here’s who I’ve been following from the Fall 2017 One Room Challenge:

Old Home Love – Andy & Candis are the quintessential old-house-lover-and restorers-couple. This is their second time doing the ORC, and this time it was their kitchen and living room. I’ll admit it’s not as awesome as when they did their master bedroom and office in the Spring 2017 ORC. I’m all about details, and there were two things that bothered me in their kitchen makeover. One was that their fridge did not fit the height of the cabinet space it’s in, and two, the paint job on their cabinets looks bad – very gnarly. But they still did a great job overall and I know they were pressed for time because they were renovating an entire house for another series AT THE SAME TIME. Knowing them, these things are probably something that bother them too and that they’ll correct in the future so it’s all good.
P.S. – I love seeing people hopping onto the emerald-sapphire decor color train!

The Gold Hive – Ashley, a creative tour-de-force-of-a-gal, knocked out a paint-by-color wall mural as part of her room’s makeover! It turned out like awesome-sauce, and she also goes into how she made it if you’re at all wanting to try it and get carpal tunnel. I know I’m tempted (no sarcasm – I really am).

Making It Lovely – Nicole and her family are the lucky ducks who own a vivacious Queen Anne 1891 Victorian in Illinois. If you’re like me, you’ll be “oohing” a lot as you peruse her house tour. This year for the ORC she spent the time making over an attic room into a comfortable and stylish office. I must say the wallpaper…despite my traumatic past with wallpaper…is so so pretty (wallpaper and I have a love-hate relationship).

Then of course one of the points of the ORC is to discover new bloggers because of their amazing design (and dedication) skills. I want to highlight these folks too as they made such an impact. My faves were the following:

The House That Will – The lovely Norma, from my homeland of Ireland (Galway to be exact) shows just how much wall paneling can transform a room. And let’s not skip over that luscious blue paint color, because it is divine. Their entire home has been undergoing major work; when they moved in, the exterior of the house was done and they had walls, but everything else was yet to be done: floors, installation of toilets and sinks, kitchen cabinets…they’ve had their work cut out for them! Once they DID have toilets, Norma has been going room-by-room and doing superb work in making their house a home, such as their master bedroom chimney-less fireplace. She is definitely one to follow!

Teal & Gray – Madeline is one to follow just for her pure die-hard determination on this room. She’s another kindred spirit who has made the choice to go the route of taking great pains while restoring her old home and does it all with such humor. This Fall she took her guest room and repaired the plaster, stripped all the trim, painted, made a bed frame, and decorated…all in 7 weeks. (it was 7 weeks this year for various reasons). Talk about madness and a well-deserved virtual high five!

Beebout Design knocked it out of the park with her very chic baby boy nursery. She made the ladder and that neat fabric “Adventure Awaits” banner. I’m a sucker for board n’ batten…and green; that green shade is so soothing and appropriate for any age. I’d consider this look for my baby girl’s room too, minus the dinosaur wallpaper. Dragons though? Yes.
P.S. – I am also SO glad to see a nursery that DOES NOT HAVE A FOCAL WALL.

Any of you follow or participate in the semi-annual ORC? Which bloggers did you attach to during the 6 weeks? Any good ones that I missed?

Thinking of being a glutton for punishment in the Spring 2018 ORC? I know I’m considering it. Heaven knows I could choose any room of our house cause they all need it! My only concern is that I won’t finish because, as y’all may be aware, I curate my things over vast amounts of time. To hope that everything I’m looking for reveals itself in a 6 week span seems foolish…but if I could find decor and furniture ahead-of time….maybe…?

Be sure to hop over to these blogs and give them some love if you like what they’ve accomplished and tell them “Hi” from me! :)