Living Room Makeover: The One Room Challenge Week 1

Hola!
I am so excited about my post today! I mentioned last week that I would be joining the lovely Linda at Calling It Home for her fall home decorating challenge called the One Room Challenge. She hosts this event twice a year and I’m taking the plunge and joining in this fall.

This week is all about our before pictures, designing ideas, and inspirations. It was a challenge for me to hone in on one design. If you are new to my blog, I shared a bit about my home style and invited 19 other bloggers to do the same. My style is cozy, global, eclectic but also colorful. So you will see that my inspirations are really dramatic.

Let’s talk about the room. I have not done a thing with this room. It is my formal living room and is the first room you see as you enter my home. You didn’t know I had a formal living room did you? Yes, it is hardly ever photographed and has been used to hold all of my extra decor things since my basement office/craft room is not yet finished. Hmm, perhaps I should have done that room.

Anyway, so I want to really share my journey with this room. The first two photos were taken prior to our kitchen fire that left so much soot damage in our home. The third and fourth photos are taken after the walls were painted in Versatile Gray by Sherwin Williams.

Here is a photo of the entryway after painting and a few updates done earlier this year. I think I’ll have to add on this little area to my makeover since the living room opens up to it.

This is a picture of what looks like an episode of hoarders! I snapped this picture a few weeks ago in preparation for the challenge. I wanted to remind myself of how far this room had come. I moved the china cabinet to the larger wall and it seemed to make the room look much bigger. Though, it looks a bit smaller with all the mess.

Here is the room now!

What I would love to see in this room is color, appropriately sized furnishings, and global accents complemented by coordinating patterns.

1. Color is a must for any room in my home. I’d love to incorporate colorful artwork, have an accent wall where the china cabinet was moved, and incorporate colorful accents like bright colored lamps.

2. Appropriately sized furnishings is also very important. The room is small and the furniture that my husband purchased, prior to our marriage, is incredibly too large for this space. I would prefer to either change out the coffee table or the chaise.

and 3. Incorporate global accent pieces that gives the room a cozy, worldly look. Globally inspired pillows, rugs, and textiles will be used as well as my favorite chinoiserie ginger jars.

I am so eager to get started that I have already started hunting down what I will need. Here is a peek at what I’m envisioning for the room.

The beautiful pillow covers are from Aloriam found on Etsy. Believe me when I tell you that she makes any type of pillow cover for any style. I was on the Aloriam store for hours! Best part, Aloriam is currently offering free shipping on all orders within the US until the 11th of October. Just use code CASAWATKINS when you check out. The price of the covers is ridiculously unbeatable for the quality of the pillow covers. Check out the selection here and see Aloriam on instagram here.

The artwork by Paper Words is exactly my style. I found great inspiration in the set of 6 Chinoiserie Floral and Geometric Ornamental Patterns Print collection. Not only are there beautiful pattern prints available on the Paper Words store on Etsy, but also stunning prints of chinoiserie chic ginger jar for all the ginger jar lovers like me. The pricing is great especially if you order a set! Check out the vast selection of prints here.

I’ve also been searching for the perfect rug for the living room. The rug has to be colorful and full of global influence. I’ve been shopping the internet and came across the stunning rug in my mood board at none other than LampsPlus! Yes, LampsPlus! This online retailer of lamps is also a carrier of fabulous home accent pieces. I fell in love with the Kaleen Global Inspirations rug immediately when I saw it. There are so many accent rug choices that I’ll be sharing my top picks for a globally inspired room this coming week! Stay tuned for that. I’ll also be pinning my favorite pieces from LampsPlus so be sure to follow me on Pinterest.

Finally, here are a few amazing rooms that have inspired me for my living room transformation.

I love the colorful rug and dark coffee table found in this living room by Sig Bergamin.

Source

I also adore the colors popping off the walls in this room. Color is pouring out of the walls all the way down to the pillows. Check out that ikat chair! Gorgeous right?

Finally, this amazing living room by Pamela O’Brien. This has everything I love. A colorful rug, beautiful pillows, and a popping red accent chair. Oh yes!

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Please be sure to follow me on Instagram to stay in the know during my room makeover. I’ll also be sharing some sneak peaks on Periscope (@casawatkinsblog) and Twitter! So be sure to follow those accounts too!

Next week I’ll be sharing some textile options and hopefully about my progress on my wall colors!