I might be losing it – but I’m embarking on another ‘room makeover challenge’!! And do you want to know the honest to goodness truth?! I AM TIRED OF PLAYING IT SAFE.
You’ll probably remember in the spring when I tackled our Master Bedroom for the One Room Challenge. Well, this month’s challenge is a bit different. I’m doing the…
$100 ROOM MAKEOVER CHALLENGE!!
*hands up* OH YEAH!
The rules? It happens for the entire month of July (so that’s four posts including this one). I have to track my spending and not spend more than $100. That’s it! It’s hosted by Erin from Lemons, Lavender and Laundry and it’s a link-up, so there are dozens of other bloggers attempting $100 Room Makeovers too! I’m going to be tackling my living room. And while $100 doesn’t go very far, I do have plans for some low-cost DIYs that will have high impact.
Here’s the thing (or ‘the thing of it’ as they say in my part of the world), somehow in the last while – I lost myself completely. I played everything safe. I bought ‘farmhouse’ style things because that is what was driving huge traffic on Pinterest, I invested way too much time in thinking about how to neutralize my decor so it appealed to the masses… but *NEWS FLASH* a few months later and I look at my living room and NONE of it reflects who I am. I am a bubbly, energetic, colourful person. And I’ve always been drawn to rooms with bright white walls and bold pops of colour. I have at least four design books that all celebrate that style.
One of my favorite pieces of art is the multi-coloured Moose-Deer-Elk (we don’t know what it is) in LB’s playroom. I paid FULL price for it on a whim because I loved it so much. If you’ve been following along with me over the past few months, you’ve likely noticed that I’m tossing ‘expectations’ aside and reminding myself to create space so my heart can truly be heard in all that I do.
This is just a silly room makeover, I know. But it is an opportunity to listen to my heart and make a few fun changes to reflect ME. I want to reflect into the world the boldness and beauty I see and experience each day. And it starts NOW.
(And in case you’re wondering, this is the fourth draft of this post. I had to keep rewriting it and redoing my inspiration board because I was so used to ‘playing it safe’.)
Now that I’m finished philosophizing 🙂 –
Here’s what I plan to do week to week:
Week One (this week) – A Mood Board with some Design Inspiration and Ideas
Week Two (next week) – Shopping our House so I can use what I’ve got!
Week Three (DIY it up!) – Tackle a few low cost projects
Week Four (Reveal!) – Present the newly decorated room for $100 (or maybe less!!)
Here’s how the living room looked at the end of winter. It’s just sorta blah and I hadn’t put away the winter cushions yet. 
My plan is to re-do that gallery wall and reinvigorate the room with COLOUR. I have a DIY art project in mind that I really, really hope works out and that should only cost me about $18.
The other side of the room looks like this. The mirror was hung high because we had our Christmas tree there and so we sorta just hung it out of the way and then life happened and it stayed there… LOL
I really want to do something to emphasize this nook more. Right now, I’m waffling between cool hanging shelves and a lamp combo or doing picture ledges. I guess it all depends on the budget and what I find along the way.
As for the storage ottoman, it is still one of my most used DIY makeovers. I recovered it more than two years ago, so I’m thinking I will just recover it again in a fun, flirty fabric. I’ll need about a yard, so I should be able to swing that budget wise.
These are the three items that inspired me in this design – if you can even call it a design.
I love the gold on this frame AND I love the word art in it. The soft pink and the blue and the nautical message are very much me. The gorgeous vase was a gift from Dan and LB to me on my first Mother’s Day. It is handmade by a local artisan. I love the interplay of the textures and the colours in it – this picture doesn’t do it justice. AND of course – the HOT PINK rhododendron buds that explode in our yard each year and never fail to make me smile. I mean, why wouldn’t I want to design a room around that feeling? 🙂
Art work // Faux flowers // Mug rack (similar) // Chevron Throw // Clip Art Frame // Pink Toss Cushion // Teal Storage Ottoman // Large Hyacinth Basket
If you look at the retail cost of all the things on my inspiration board, I’d be out A LOT more than just $100!!
But here’s what I’m thinking:
- DIY some bold and graphic art that will tie the living room into the dining room more (to the right of the couch on the blank wall)
- Cheer it up with fresh blooms (I think my hydrangea should be blossoming by then)
- Find a way to upcycle something to give texture and a fun way to display items
- Bring in some new throws (and drapery)
- Build a better family photo display
- POP the white couch with bold toss cushions
- Recover the ottoman to make it a little more modern and less manly
- Add texture to the room with baskets (y’all know I love my baskets)
I’m fairly confident I can achieve all of this for $100 – maybe even LESS!!
Let’s be real. This entire plan could go to pot REALLY QUICKLY… all it’s going to take is one mistake, bad purchase or messed up DIY and I’ll be pooched! lol
No matter what – this is gonna be FUUUUUUUUN 😛
-E
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