featured image via Jeweled Interiors
Every year, I look forward to the One Room Challenge (ORC). Not familiar with the ORC? Basically, it’s a roundup of bloggers and designers who share weekly progress on their 6 week room makeovers. Today, I’m rounding up my favorite one room challenge designs from the fall 2018 challenge that just ended.
Here’s what’s cool about the ORC: it’s a celebration of creativity and design, not a competition. It’s a fun way to build enthusiasm and encouragement for finishing a room in your home that might be lack luster. Simply put, it’s a great way to build community and get inspired by others who are just like you. Even better? Some people are lucky enough to be sponsored by home brands, in which case I am guessing they pretty much get a free room makeover with the brand. Score!
This year, there are SO many good rooms. I loooove me some color and I was not disappointed. I like unique rooms full of energy and delight. I want a room to look like it definitely isn’t cookie cutter, and wouldn’t fit in a perfectly styled catalog. My favorite spaces are thoughtfully and creatively curated; truly, one of a kind. Let’s check out my favorite one room challenge designs!
My Favorite One Room Challenge Designs
If you like a space, click the link to read the designer’s blog post. They update you on their weekly progress and also give you some great before and after shots. Some of these “before” shots…oh my. I love a terrible “before” shot; it really showcases the designer’s talent to compare it to the “after” images. Eye sore to eye swoon!
PMQ for Two
My favorite one room challenge designs are just like this: layered and happy! This space might be my favorite. The color, the pattern, the texture…oh.so.good. I especially love how the inside of the cabinet is covered in wallpaper that is also repeated on the other side of the room on the wall flanking the sofa. You can tell so much about someone’s personality by the way they decorate, and I’m obsessed with those who design with abandon.
Clark + Aldine
This year, there were a lot of really great kids’ rooms. If you didn’t already know, kids’ rooms are my absolute favorite to design. Most client’s aren’t really down for color and fun in the “grown up” spaces, but in a kid room, you have a lot more creative freedom. My favorite part of this space is the ceiling; the chandelier and navy ceiling makes my heart soar. What a fun space!
Joy Street Design
Yes, this is a home gym. Yes, it is so awesome. This space is one of my favorite one room challenge designs because of the awesome use of color. I love the floor pattern, the ceiling paint, and even the black side wall. It’s a really energetic space that actually makes you want to work out. Compared to most gloomy home gyms, this is paradise. So well done.
Harper Rae Design
So precious, right? I really love kid rooms that have different “stations” throughout the space. The designer really takes lifestyle into consideration (as one should) and gives us a craft table, a reading station, a teepee, and plenty of hidden storage that is creatively concealed. And those beautiful floral curtains? SWOON. This is a great example of a mostly neutral palette, with pops of a single color repeating throughout the space.
Jeweled Interiors
Now, these people went above and beyond. They designed both a living room and a dining room! Each room is unique in its own right but also brilliantly accents the other space. For sure one of my favorite one room challenge designs. You know I’m a sucker for vintage cantilever chairs, wallpaper, and mixing patterns. And can we talk about that super colorful artwork in the living room? COME ONNNNN. The whole vibe here seems to expand on the Victorian trend and I’m here for it.
Chelsea Hill Styles
Would you believe this is a craft space/home office IN A GARAGE?!?! True story. That’s why I love the One Room Challenge so much; you see how people creatively solve their space issues and meet their lifestyle needs, all while looking bonkers amazing. My favorite one room challenge designs are just like these: creative solutions to often overlooked spaces (like that awesome home gym!).
Blue Agate Abode
This space won me over because of the fabric art (that is most likely a DIY) and that awesome ombre fringe chandelier. I am obsessed with rattan chairs and faux bamboo, and this sweet bedroom is the perfect blend of boho and chill. It’s so homey and friendly and the blue accents are just right. This is how you do a space if you want it to be neutral with a twist. This is probably the most neutral pick of my favorite one room challenge designs.
LW Interiors
I swear this space looks like it’s straight out of House Beautiful magazine. The moody colors, warm woods, and mix of texture carves out the coziest little reading nook. You guys, #NookLife is real and here to stay. A really great way to get this lived-in eclectic yet nostalgic vibe is to buy second hand furniture. That’s my favorite trick to really bring the space home. I love second hand furniture because you can get some really great quality pieces for a fraction of the cost. Can you believe furniture was once built to last?
I recently Ubered to New Jersey to pick up an architectural coffee table hand made in Rhode Island. I bought it off of Facebook Marketplace for only $30…buuuut it cost over $100 to go from Manhattan to Hoboken and back, so there’s that. But I’m still thrilled. Funny story though, about 10 minutes into our trip, I started feeling really sick.
That Homebird Life
Another out of the park shared kids’ bedroom. It’s the perfect blend of whimsy, nostalgic, and just all around cool. I’m loving the neutral palette that is accented by soft hues and plenty of eye candy (um, hi, that bed!). Earlier this year, I did a vintage inspired kid’s bedroom and it was one of my favorite projects to date. I love this old timey wallpaper that makes me feel like I’m inside of a story book. Love so much.
Stellar Design Interiors
Proof that rooms with a limited color palette aren’t boring. I love the triangle shape repeating in the rug and wallpaper. This room is mid century modern in both style and color. I’m loving the green and mustard, but also enjoying them being paired with cooler colors like blue grays. It’s a really great bedroom that has juuuuust enough color to be super warm and inviting, but not overwhelming for those who prefer a monochromatic room.
Jessica Brigham
This whole space is darling. If you go to the website, you’ll see the other side of the room showcases the front door on a black and white wallpapered wall that is my favorite part. This lovely living room cleverly combines a lot of texture (hi, velvet sofa!), woods, and even vintage florals. It’s one of my favorite one room challenge designs because there is soooo much going on, yet it all works together. This is the perfect modern boho style.
Delicious and DIY
I know. It’s A LOT. However, it all works! Pretty much everything in this space is a DIY and I love that. Pairing colorful wallpaper with colorful art is realllly tricky, but miraculously, it looks awesome in this space. I like that this designer knew when to quit; going sans-rug was the right call as that would have been too busy. Going without a rug makes a space look more modern and gives it a minimalist Scandy vibe. I’m now noticing a lot of my favorite one room challenge designs have wallpaper! Don’t be scared of wallpaper, people; it’s in!
The Home I Create
I want this to be my home. The mismatch here is just sublime. First, there’s the tulip table, then the upholstered X benches, the tufted sofa, the Chinese ginger jars, the pastel rug, I can go on and on. This room makes me so insanely happy to look at.
Lazy Mom’s Blog
Small space design for the win! You don’t see much color with this type of shag rug and Moroccan pouf, so this is refreshing. I love the “well traveled” feel of this space for a little nugget. That wallpaper reminds me of the infamous Great Wave painting, and I’m loving it.
Lifestyle Dutchess
In my opinion, the English are the best at mixing pattern. Now, while this room isn’t located in England, it makes me feel like I’m in a cottage in the British countryside with a spectacular garden. It’s so homey and you can never go wrong with a blue and gold color pairing and the Chinoiserie pattern is making a come back in a big way. My favorite part of this space is actually the ceiling detail. I can tell these ceilings are low, so giving them a little accent really helps.
Semigloss Design
Yes, yes yes! I’m pretty sure this affordable tulip table is from IKEA, which is awesome! This whole room is a gorgeous take on modern mixed with vintage. I love the Tiffany blue, the vintage chandelier, mirror, hobnail vase, and vintage inspired chairs and table. It’s very old Hollywood-esque, but revved up.
Elle C. Wolfe
Last but certainly not least, this graffiti! Wall murals (and wall coverings in general) are back, people. There is nothing I love more than graffiti. I’m obsessed. I actually considered hiring a graffiti artist to make us a giant custom art piece. I still might do it later. I just think that graffiti is awesome for a teenager’s room. It’s wild, uninhibited, urban, and just oozes cool. If you’re not into covering an entire wall, no problem! You could easily do a DIY art piece by covering foam core board with wallpaper and then frame it.
So, what do you think of my favorites? I’m really happy with the amount of unique spaces this year; from entryways to home gyms, this year’s One Room Challenge made for some really inspired ideas to adopt. Just remember, there is always room for color when building a friendly and inviting home. Color will never make someone not feel warm; it’s impossible.
When in doubt, color it out.
-Kristen
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