One Room Challenge Week Two – Spring 2020

And here we are, already into week 2 of the One Room Challenge! Last week I introduced the project and shared our “before” images and the list of the things we plan to tackle over the course of the challenge.

As I mentioned in my Week One post, my husband is the client for this project, so I’ve presented him with the proposed design and vision for the space.

Since I live here too and want it to flow with the plan for the rest of the house, we negotiated a few items. But I am giving him 100% veto rights, because ultimately it’s his office.

Here is the client-approved mood board for the space:

This being a man-cave office in the context of our home also informed my design process, as I really want to create a space that is both masculine and casual, yet also elegant and refined. So I chose calm neutrals, warm natural woods, and a bold, deep navy to really ground the space. Possibly my favorite detail is the cabinet hardware, which is both polished and masculine.

Now, in the interest of being completely transparent, he is cool with everything but the chair and the fiddle leaf fig, and has agreed to use them for the project as long as I take them out and give him back his ugly chair when I’m done. Apparently it’s that comfortable.

Still, I do think the navy chair is worth ordering. If it’s as comfortable as the original, maybe I can convince him to upgrade. The jury is still out on that one, ha!

Painting and electrical are going to be the two biggest projects, so those will be tackled in the coming weeks first.

For this week, the next step is to order the fan, the rug, the cabinet hardware and the window treatment. With the current shelter in place being extended in certain areas and lifted in others, I don’t want to take any chances with lead times.

So here are the items I’m ordering:

Note: this post includes affiliate links, which means if you click one of the links below and make a purchase, I earn a commission for the referral.

Ceiling Fan
This natural walnut ceiling fan is one of the spendier items in the room. But, I like the modern, clean lines and the warmth of the natural walnut since we are using a paint finish on the cabinetry.

I want to acknowledge here and now that yes, there is already a medium brown ceiling fan in the room. It’s a builder-grade fan with a builder-grade light fixture attached to it. It’s also a great example of how a subtle difference such as the lines and aesthetics of the item can make a big difference in the finished space.

Cabinet Hardware:

Amerock Esquire Knob for the small upper cabinet doors, Amerock Esquire 3″ pull (76 and 96mm centers) to allow us to switch out existing hardware on the lower cabinets without having to putty and redrill the holes, and 10 1/16″ long pull (for the new drawers and tall upper cabinet doors).

Area Rug:

I opted for a 7′ square rug in cream and navy to ground the space and tie into the accent wall color. It’s usually a good idea to repeat the color in at least 3 different sizes/ gradations in a space. The solid navy accent wall is a large gradation, the chair is medium, and the navy in the rug is small. I have an unusual plan for this rug, which I’ll reveal in a later week’s post. Keep your fingers crossed with me: it’s either going to be brilliant or an epic fail on my part.

Window treatment:

Again, to create repetition and warmth, I’m repeating the natural walnut tones that are in the ceiling fan. The floor will already warm the space, but it’s a grayed wood laminate, so I’m counting on the medium wood tones to balance the floor without falling flat as a grayed woodtone would do. I’ve opted for a top-down woven wood for privacy while still offering the option to maximize the amount of natural light coming into the room. I love using Smith and Noble (not an affiliate link, I just love them!), as they will ship samples in advance so you know exactly what you’re getting, and they offer installation in most areas.

That’s it for this week…. stay tuned next week for paint and electrical updates!