Thursday, April 10, 2014

One Room Challenge Week Two



Sorry kids, you're next.
I'm sure there's a way to point the speech arrows to the right.


Welcome back to Week Two of my One Room Challenge. I am tackling my daughter's old bedroom and turning it into a library/bedroom. Week One has the details. Let the transformation begin.


I took off the base, or skirting board, so the new library fits flush against the wall.
And dumped contents of bookcase on bed.


Number one on the list is the library wall. The plan is to take three freestanding bookcases (one was already in the room) and fit them to make it look like one really big bookcase.

Theoretically simple but reality almost never is.

I spent the better part of the weekend taking the bookcases apart.

The desk was where the hammer is now. The dresser and mirror were where the desk is now.
The dresser went to the hall, the mirror to the attic.

They fit with seven inches to spare on each end. This coming weekend is slated to finish the reconstruction and apply a coat of stain killing primer.

the right back panel will have a hole cut for the electrical outlet.
these are going to look so good painted white. I put the middle back panel on backwards, less stain to cover.

Aghast that I dismantled perfectly good bookcases? They are not heirlooms; no beloved relative was involved in their making. Just ordinary bookcases contributing to one of the project's financial goals: purchase no new furniture.

Moving on to the fun stuff. The original fabric plan.




The blue and white print stays, as does the pink stripe, the appliqué and the white linen (the teeny white swatch above the blue velvet). The print will be Roman shades, pink stripes for the comfortable chair, white linen for curtains as well as headboard and two square pillows with appliqués. I'm on the fence about the blue velvet.

I thought the green honeycomb for an end of the bed throw was too much green. The scale and colors of Martin Houndstooth work much better, and it is washable.

Martin Houndstooth in Paradise from Schumacher



white linen/cotton from Eastern Accents, contrast cording made from kravetsmart poly taffeta

The white diamond matelasse would make a lovely coverlet. For another project. It's too pointy.

A matelasse with curves, in the right shade of white, is so much better. Searching for something this specific is always a Goldilocks quest. Some whites are too yellow, some are too stark, that one is headed in the gray direction, this one is too $$$, the scale on that one is too big, this one is too flowery. I think this one is just right.

Scale is just right, the diameter is 1.5 inches. Bounty Matelasse from Thibaut
It is not this stark looking in real life. 

Now for that comfortable reading chair. In keeping with the zero furniture purchasing plan, the living room donated a Louis XVI fauteuil.

To be reupholstered in the pink and white stripe. It is surprisingly comfortable.
I think a little footstool to prop up your feet while reading would be welcome.
I don't know how the grayish-green finish is going to work with the overall color scheme.
I'll leave it as is hoping it will contribute to the 'undecorated' look. 


Time for an interesting bit of design knowledge. Fauteuil,


French for wooden seat in the form of an armchair with open sides and upholstered arms. The French came up with the concept, the name stuck and it is still widely in use today -- in furniture and design circles. My French is like my furniture purchasing plan, zero. Unless threatened with bodily harm, I never, ever say this word out loud.

That is all for this installment.

Make sure to visit the other Linda's blog, Calling it Home, for Week 2 of her mud room plus links to the other 19 fabulous projects. Then pop over to the ORC Linking Party and see dozens of room re-do's by other nutcases really lovely people, like me.


Linking Party Link
Meanwhile,



Thanks for reading,
Linda Pakravan

9 comments:

  1. Holy progress!!! Love your fabric and bedding choices!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Foo dog conversations are too funny! I am crazy about your fabric choices. Yum!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. have no idea how that came about...

      Delete
  3. Those foo dogs are hilarious! I must admit, I was a little sad last week to see the Schumacher go, but I absolutely love the new fabrics you have selected!! This room is going to be gorgeous!

    XOXO,
    The Glam Pad

    ReplyDelete
  4. That hounds tooth is beautiful. It will look fabulous in the room, I am sure!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love your goal not to buy any new furniture! I know you want to keep this "undecorated" but it would make me uneasy not to have something with pink green and navy in it! I am excited to see this come together. Thanks for leaving a comment on my ORC progress report.

    ReplyDelete
  6. That print in roman shades will be gorgeous! Love your fabric choices!

    ReplyDelete
  7. LInda I love what you are accomplishing here and the Foo Dogs are perfect pals to watch along with the progress! Great color palette!
    xoxo
    Karena
    Feature: Decorate Fearlessly

    ReplyDelete
  8. you have been busy! love you fabric choices, those appliqués are beautiful! cannot wait to see it all come together. dana

    ReplyDelete

Please do. I love to know what you think!