one room challenge week #2: the design plan + the "B" word

well, even with spring break happening last week, i was able to make a lot of progress on olivia's room.

the most important accomplishment was the fact that we (olivia and i) decided on the overall look of her room!

and what better way to share the design than with a design (or "mood") board! (since i specialize in e-design, it is SO important to be able to create a visual guide for my clients, who are installing and shopping for their spaces on "their own". this design board acts not only as an inspiration tool, but for reference and for motivation!)

here it is:

here is the overall plan for the room:

*bed, dresser and nightstand will stay

*white entry storage piece, and aluminum table will be brought up from the main floor.

*walls will be painted a soft warm neutral tone. i want the room to feel grounded and not too youthful, so i am shying away towards the look of a "colored" wall. i am leaning towards something like this:

(urban sophisticate, benjamin moore)


*the back wall will be alternating stripes of chalkboard and cork board. i am still nailing down sources for the cork, since i would like to avoid tiles. this is going to be the most time consuming project of the room, so my husband got off much easier than he did with my younger daughters room. this is the area that olivia is most excited about!

*revamping the two vintage lamps (new wiring and shades)

*redoing the vintage wing backs (paint them white, add faux croc leather to the front, and stripes to the back)

*add curtains. there will be THREE different fabrics on these curtains. i will be using a band of smaller stripes at the top, thicker stripes at the bottom, and the body of the drape will be the faux bois/zebra print from loom decor.

*new bedding (a simple white duvet, and some new pillows)


*add art, accessories

*new chandelier...ugh. still going around in circles with this one because of the B word.


yah, thats right. 
i said the "B" word. 
BUDGET.

i am saving a ton of money in this room by using existing furniture, and one place that i wanted to splurge a bit was on a new light fixture. the one she has now is darling, BUT, it stopped working several months ago, and i am not really keen on the thought of replacing it with the exact same fixture.

in my dreams, i would love to have something like this:

 (jonathan adler sputnik chandelier )

or, this:

(oly studio pipa bowl chandelier)


or, this:

(circa lighting aerin lauder mill ceiling light)



but COME ON. this is a teenagers room, and i am not a gazillionaire. those fixtures are all in the $1500-3000 range.

time for some budget friendly options.

speaking of budgets...
i already HAVE this light. i bought it to put in my laundry room....(whenever we get around to finishing it!) i like the shape. the size is nice. and did i mention i already have it?

this is the light that i put on the design board, and it may well be the light that is hanging in her room at the end of the day...but i am still considering a few others...

like this one for west elm. it is simple and modern and i like the natural feel that the capiz shells could bring to the room.


(west elm capiz tiered pendant)


i like this one, but olivia isn't too crazy about it:

(Conic 5 Light Chandelier)

this one is also a contender: but is it just me, or are there so many sputnik chandeliers out there that they are starting to lose their edge? (unless you can splurge for a fantastic one, like the above one from jonathan adler) also to consider...i have the chrome z gallerie sputnik chandelier hanging next door in my sons room, and so i think i might want something a little different for olivia's room.


(George Kovacs Pontil 6 Light Chandelier)

i also consderered something with a more organic feel like this:

(uttermost civenna rope pendant)


(links to all of these lights are on the pinterest board that i created in order to brainstorm ideas for this room.)

i am still going around and around about which light to hang. the decision might come down to pure cost. one of the arms in the vintage chair has some damage to the caning, and the estimate to fix it is $120. THEN i have to paint them (one estimate was $90 each, so i think i will tackle that myself), and then the upholstery will cost somewhere around $250-350 per chair. SO, i think i will wait a bit and see how i feel in a week or two.



for my WEEK 1 post, click here.

to see the last one room challenges i completed click here and here.


be sure to follow along and see what the other designers are up to as well!

Jana Bek

Autumn Clemons

Coco+Kelley

The English Room

Vanessa Francis

Greige Design

Hi Sugarplum

I Heart Organizing

Jenna Sue Design

Stephanie Kraus

The Pursuit of Style

Julia Ryan

Savvy Home

Simple Details

Simply Grove

6th Street Design

Jill Sorensen

Swoon Worthy

Waiting on Martha

Kimberly Schlegel Whitman

Trademarked by Calling it Home

see you next week!