Today kicks off Week 1 of Calling It Home’s Fall edition of the {One Room Challenge}, and I’m thrilled to announce I’m a featured participant again! I’m beyond flattered that Linda invited me back, and can’t wait to get started sharing our latest makeover.
For those of you not familiar, the ORC is an online event that brings together 20 bloggers with a love of design, and challenges them to transform a room from start to finish, while documenting the process along the way.
The kicker? We’ve only got six weeks to do it!! That’s about a tenth of the time it usually takes me to make over a room! I’ve been a huge fan and follower of the series for years, and was finally brave enough to take the challenge last year with our Master Bedroom Makeover, and again with our Living Room Makeover.
It’s always a fun, crazed, panic-stricken few weeks, but exactly the kick-in-the-pants I need to finally complete a room in this new(ish) house. (If you’re new to Hi Sugarplum!, you can read about our unexpected move here, and see the finished rooms here.)
So let’s get to it…I waffled a little as to which room to select this time, because let’s get real, it’s going to be difficult to top our last makeover. Part of me wanted to keep it small with our teeny-tiny powder bath, but I know ORC followers have come to expect big makeovers in big spaces. Plus, it makes more financial sense to choose a room that can truly benefit from all the generous sponsors! #keepingitreal
Ultimately, I decided on the room you see first upon walking in the front door…the Dining Room.
When we bought the house, the entire place was hosed down in this yellowy-beige color, and the downstairs was a chopped-up mix of carpet and tile. I made these crude floor plans (using this website) so you can get a better feel for the room…basically a box with two windows, a doorway to the Butler’s Pantry, and an opening to the stairs.
If it looks familiar, that’s because it directly mirrors the Living Room…the two rooms face each other, and are almost identical in size and layout. Only the Foyer separates them.
Just before moving in, we installed hardwoods throughout the first floor, and painted the walls. I knew the room would get a bonafide makeover down the road, so I just chose a color from the same paint strip we’d been using throughout the entire house, SW ‘Dorian Gray.’ I also tore down the light fixture, even though I didn’t have a replacement, because sometimes staring at a dangling bulb is enough to get me moving!
Here’s the room right after moving in, with all the furniture in place from our previous Dining Room. The dimensions of this new Dining Room are basically the opposite of our last one…so while the pieces fit, they were much too small for such a large room (it’s 14×14, with 10-foot ceilings).
The funny thing is, I’ve known since moving in 18-months ago what I wanted to do with the room, so I’m beyond excited to finally tackle it! Next week I’ll show you the design…and then ohemgee, it’s go time! How am I already overwhelmed and it’s only Week 1?!
Oh well, my name is on logo with all these talented friends, so there’s no backing out now! I can’t wait to share the progress and transformation, and hope you’ll follow along! And thanks again, Linda, for including me in this fabulous madness!
Be sure to click over to see what everyone else has planned!
I love what you have done with the room! Sophie x
sophiehmstewart.com
I cannot wait to see the finished product! You rock a ORC!
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sooooo excited! And no pressure, but the expectations are HIGH friend! #itsyourownfault
Can't wait to see it my friend!
I cannot wait to see how you transform this space! You knocked it out of the park with the living room, so I'm expecting big things here 🙂
I love to watch you design a room! Such an inspiration! And, thank you for the floor plan site – this was exactly what I've been looking for! We're in a remodel phase too! Eek!
Exciting! I can't wait to see what you do with it. xo
What design program did you use to get the virtual layouts of the room?
Hi Kacie! It's a free floor planner website…I linked it in the post! xo
Ooh, this is gonna be fun!!
I look forward to seeing you work your magic in your soon to be divine dining room-
xoxo-
Holly @ The English Room
Six weeks … eek! Are you going to work with the talented Kristin Jackson or handling the design on your own? you two work well together but you've got some design chops too. Interesting to see how this room will work with the stunning living room right across the foyer.
Lucky for me, Kristin is one of my best friends, so I never make a design decision without running it past her first! 😉
It looks great so far! Can't wait for the rest of it to come together. I'm sure it will be amazing!
So glad I saw this post today. I'm trying to find a great gray color for my living room and Dorian Gray looks beautiful. How do you like it? Does it work well with other colors in your house.
Cassie! Cannot wait to see what you do, friend! I know you will knock it out of the park!
I cannot wait to see what you have in store for us!! It's going to be so good!!! Looking forward to linking up tomorrow!
I've enjoyed your blog and one room challenge! Do you have a final update on your laundry room?
Oh, I wish!!! Not one thing has happened since the last update. Sadly, my contractor had a death in the immediate family, and it's slowed his schedule considerably. But he assures me I'm coming up…so stay tuned! xo
Cannot wait to see what you have in store for this space! Love the new floors!
Can't wait to see what you do, it's going to be amazing, I'm sure of it!
So very excited to watch the progress! I love how your home is coming along so beautifully. Good Luck!!
Didn't you hang and chandelier and do some decorating last Christmas?
Yes, I'll share the rest of the room next week! This post was to show the original Befores! xo
Yay! I was so excited to see that you're an invited designer again. Your living room is my all time favorite ORC! I am dying to see what you end up doing in your dining room!
Tricia @ Suburban B's
Looking forward to watching your dining room be transformed! You always do a great job. 🙂
Ooh this is going to be sooo good!!!! I can't wait to follow along with this dining room! Hugs x
Nancy
HI Cassie! I just found your blog a few weeks ago when I started looking for interior design ideas for the house I'm buying (I close next week). I'm really looking forward to seeing how this room comes together and to watch the process. I've never tackled a big home project before as I've always been a renter and I have to admit I'm a bit intimidated by it all! I'd much rather train for a marathon than write up plans for gutting and redoing a room at this point! haha
No pressure mama!!! But knowing you and your style, this is gonna be amazing! Can't wait to follow along!
Thank you! I'm so glad you wanted to do this. I love seeing your house. The floors look amazing. Can't wait to see how this turns out.