One Room Challenge – Week 1: Bedroom Plans

Today I’m both excited and feeling a little crazy to be participating for the first time in the Spring 2020 One Room Challenge!

In case we haven’t been introduced, then hello! I’m Kelly, a SAHM who has been slowly restoring our 1901 Folk Victorian Foursquare in PA! I’ve been known to stalk antiques at auctions, am a long-time DIYer, night owl, history nerd and preservationist…and just starting to test how green my thumbs are with a vegetable garden this summer.

Each season of the One Room Challenge I would debate for a hot minute about whether or not to join. Ultimately I would decide the timing wasn’t right as a new mom in years past. BUT…the little one is older now and with nearly 8 weeks instead of the usual 6 weeks (as well as this quarantine thing we have going on) …I’m diving in!

The room I’ll be practically living in these next 7-8 weeks will be our daughter’s room. Meet this season’s lucky recipient of the Spring 2020 One Room Challenge, Miss E!

She loves pink, dresses, music and dancing and flowers. Yet she’s also got a huge independent streak, loves wearing farm boots (and dirt), helping us with house projects, and is a complete ham and tomboy. Miss E is one of the sweetest kids I’ve ever had the privilege to know and I’m so blessed to be her Mama.

Now to introduce you to the room of the hour:

BEFORE:

Last year we converted from a crib to a bed. I had been on the hunt for an antique bed for her for several months, and the bed I found and won at a local auction happened to match the dresser and mirror I’d bought to use as a changing table a few months before she was born. These 2 pieces really set the tone I was going for with what I was picturing for her room (I’ll get to the main design inspiration part in a bit!).

I also got her vintage quilted bedspread last September at a church rummage sale for $20 and LURVE it. It’s something I intentionally bought with the final “look” for her room in mind and it’s therefore staying as well.

PROBLEMS WITH THE ROOM

White Noise: We currently have a standing fan in the corner of the room we’ve been using at nights for white noise since she was a baby. It’s bulky and takes up room, not to mention just looks BAD. I’d like a different way to provide white noise without needing to buy anything expensive (a.k.a. over $15 haha).

Stuffed Animals: I had lots of stuffed animals growing up but ultimately had a few faves. I would love to work with her on paring them down to her faves and figuring out a way to nicely work the rest into the room without the current chaos.

Beside Lamp: Her bedside table lamp blinds us whenever it’s on and is also a hazard that can easily topple (it’s lightweight). We want to find a corded wall sconce light so that it can still be easily moved if we re-arrange her room in the future and prevent topple accidents (and blindness haha).

I also need to clear her bedside table surface and find a better storage solution for her shoes; I’ll likely work on an easy way for her to access them in her closet.

DESIGN

I am approaching Miss E’s bedroom design with longevity in mind; I want a room that will grow with her. Something that she will likely still love 5 years from now.

Furthermore there are the aesthetics and history of our 1901 home to be attuned to. I want to have fun playing up our home’s Victorian character, but still keep it light and bright.

(here’s a little tour of our main floor to give you a quick glimpse of our home’s design so far)

Of course, there’s the factor that even under normal circumstances we work on a very tight budget for our home projects, so I am very conscious of using what we already have and thrifting for decor.

Here’s my biggest inspiration I’ve had pinned away on Pinterest for years:

A little Victorian, a little English country manor, and an overarching design theme of elegance and time-honored pieces.

I also am attracted to the strong earthy colors, checkered and plaid fabrics, but girly touches of florals and white bed linens to balance it out.

Ok, enough talk. Y’all ready for the mood board?!

So what needs to happen to make this “dream room” a reality?

TO-DO LIST & SOURCES

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• wallpaper removed (easier said than done!)
• wipe off glue residue
• repair any areas on plaster
• prime raw plaster
• find stencil (“Meandering Rose” from Royal Stencils is the top pick so far, but not completely sold on it)
• paint/stain wall moldings (not sure which yet)
• install crown molding (Metrie)
• install picture rail (Metrie – here’s my post on how to find picture rail in your local area)
• fill nail holes on moldings, sand
• caulk moldings
• paint walls, BM Atmospheric AF-500
• stencil walls (probably going to use these brushes)
• replace window shades on West side
• find antique canopy for chandelier
• find ceiling medallion
• paint ceiling medallion
• install ceiling medallion
• install ceiling light (thrifted the chandelier last Fall for $20!)
• find wall sconce
• install bedside sconce light
• organize toys
• organize shoes
• install new curtains? (looking at these and these – still not sure if green or pink either)
• add picture rail hooks (hooks from Amazon)
• find wall art and hang (some have been thrifted already)
• thrift Karastan area rug? (depends on if I get lucky on FB Marketplace)

First on the list comes the wallpaper removal. I started working and experimenting on a little section of the wallpaper this past week. It’s 2 layers and not easy. It has a waxy finish to it, somewhat like a paper plate, making it hard to soak. As I told someone on Instagram (join me in the Insta world for more daily video content!), I’ll either succeed scraping all this wallpaper or die wrapped in it. ;)

Right now my process is using a scorer, plastic scraper, and a steamer…and it’s been working. Yesterday I picked up some Zinnser DIF wallpaper spray (only $4.37 at Home Depot) and will be trying that out as well.

TWO TIME CONSUMING TASKS:

REMOVING WALLPAPER

STENCILING

Not sure if I’m slightly insane for trying to do both of these things in a 7 week time frame AND all the other stuff…plus remember to make dinner and do laundry…but it’ll either get finished or I’ll fail. Both aren’t the end of the world so I’m not stressing…yet.

I WILL BE GUARANTEED SLEEP THO! I will only be able to work on her room in whatever hours I can steal away during the day, as she’ll obviously be sleeping in her room at night. I prefer (and get more done) on projects I do at night when I’m not being bothered by anyone. So this is a slight disadvantage but perhaps also a good stretch for this Mama. ;)

I’ll be sharing the entire “behind the scenes” One Room Challenge process via my IG stories and already have some “ORC Spring 2020 – Girl Bedroom” highlights saved! Find me @livinginafixerupper ! :)

Be sure to follow other participants from the “old home community” who are taking on the One Room Challenge on Instagram! Shelly @brass.bed.manor, Larissa @oldhousemuse, and Madeline @maddyteal ! I’m rooting for y’all!

See the other posts in this series below!

Week 1 / Week 2 / Week 3 / Week 4 / Week 5 / Week 6 / Week 7