One Room Challenge - Week 1!

THE TIME IS HERE! The Fall 2021 #oneroomchallenge with @betterhomesandgardens is underway and somehow I have convinced the hubs that we "need" to remodel our bedroom and that it will still be pink...with more pink... He must have blacked out whenever this discussion took place because I am SHOCKED that he is going along with this. He recently did a "no more pink" ban on the house, yet here we are, so I'm just taking this little miracles as they come!

So HERE IT IS. The glorious mood board for out Pattern Party Bedroom. Yes, it's gonna be biizzzaaayyyy, but I'm also here. for. it.

The Before

Our bedroom has always been an after thought. We made small changes here and there to make it more "insta-worthy", but the reality is, I have never loved it. We have had to make do using a lot of our old pieces and I was really missing out on having a show stopping backdrop with how the current layout was. The bedroom is not HORRENDOUS, but it just isn't something that excites and inspires us.

The Details

We will be conquering everything DIY for this project. Most of these will be pretty simple with the help of my handy dandy dad, but it's a nice little list, so we have some WORK TO DO.

The list of changes that we will be tackling are:

1. Move the bed to the right wall and create arched bookshelves on either side of the bed to make the bed appear to be on a sunken wall. The bookshelf frame will be made to look like it is actually part of the wall and will be textured- we are just too lazy to build actual walls instead of bookcases.. but I digress..

2. Create a DIY stencil using a Cricut to paint an Anthropologie wallpaper dupe behind the bed. (This could be a disaster)

3. Add wall sconces above the bed.

4. Build a half circle tufted velvet head board

5. Add modern picture frame paneling to the walls AND ceiling.

6. Color block the walls and ceiling.

7. Style the shit out of the place with fun new furniture and decor!

I will be keeping you updated on the progress through my instagram and blog, so make sure to follow along to see how these DIY's actually come together, and stay tuned for the final reveal towards the end of November! Also don't forget to check out www.oneroomchallenge.com/orc-blog to see all of the exciting projects taking place this challenge!

WISH ME LUCK YOU GUYS!

The Power of Pattern Play and How to Pull it Off

It is no surprise that I LOVE color, but I truly believe what makes my designs stand out is actually the use of pattern and mixing genres! WHO WOULD'VE THUNK IT!?

Color blocking and choosing vibrant palettes in your home are both easy to do, but what makes it magical is the extra layering of elements that feel unexpected and even contradictory to what you may believe is a design "rule". Playing with pattern mixing can feel totally intimidating, and we all know that some patterns can be tacky as hell, but there are some simple rules that, when mixed with following your heart, makes the process soooo much easier to grasp! Below are 4 steps to follow to become a badass pattern mixer.

Play with Scale

This is the most important aspect of pattern mixing. Everything is about BALANCE. Pattern can become overwhelming very quickly if there isn't enough to differentiate the patterns. Let's use this above picture as our guide. As you can see there are 3 different scale of prints used. The statement wall is a very large scale print with thick lines and open black space. In order to soften this look, the tile is a much tighter, smaller scale geometric print, that is also very symmetrical vs. freeform. By choosing a smaller, more uniform pattern in the tile, the eye is able to actually appreciate the details instead of being completely overwhelmed as a whole. Too much of one thing is never good. It's all about variety.

Go for Opposites

When mixing patterns, an important part of this is juxtaposition! If one pattern has a colored background, then pair it with a pattern that has a neutral background. By going for OPPOSITES there is a clear definition of space which is much more pleasing to the eye. So when in doubt, just play opposite day! if one pattern is vertical, have the other pattern be horizontal. If one is super colorful, maybe throw in some monochromatic or black and white. If one pattern has harsh edges or straight lines, have the other pattern be soft or abstract. (This is why stripes and florals make such a great combo!) You can see with the above picture, since the floor was a white geometric tile (white background with harsh and repetitive edges), I paired it with a wallpaper that had a pink solid background and a soft, unorganized pattern with the birds. Both patterns can be considered "busy", but since the patterns are opposite in their nature, they create a dynamic layering effect vs. overwhelmingly crazy. Remember, the key is balance!

Ground it with Solids

Yes, pattern is SO FUN, but don't forget to always have at least 1 solid in the mix. I would say for every 2 patterns, have 1 solid. If the rug and walls are patterned, then make sure to have a solid sofa. And if you have two different patterned pillows on that sofa, then make sure to also have 1 solid pillow! It is as easy as that!

Follow your heart

A huge part of my design philosophy is to only choose items that makes your heart skip a beat! Ultimately, if you are choosing patterns that you genuinely LOVE, then the personality of your home will shine through, whether you are following rules or not. Sometimes, I simply just choose pieces that I love, whether they match perfectly or not. In the end, it creates a space that just works. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's the tea that brings you joy with every sip!

So as you start planning your next design, I challenge you to add in that pattern play and make your home be a reflection of the crazy bold badass that you already are!