Week 2: Better Homes and Gardens ORC - Moody: A Matter of Depth.
So, it’s very clear that moody spaces have taken over the design world as of late. I find myself scrolling endlessly on IG or Pinterest only to be stopped in my tracks by each and every moody space. For various reasons, I am drawn to the warmth and coziness of those spaces, and clearly I am not the only one. To me, moody is a feeling of depth. Allow me to illustrate…
Image: Devol Kitchens
Image: Moore House Design
Image: Stoffer Home
Image: Amber Lewis (the Queen)
Image: Moore House Design
Image: Studio McGee
So the question then is whether I can feel inspired in a moody office space. Will the depth one day be too heavy, or maybe feel like the walls are closing in? Am I here for the Instagram showstopper or the long haul “I have to live and work in this space?” Those questions are inevitable when working outside of my Sherwin Williams Alabaster (read creamy white everywhere) comfort zone.
But, ya’ll this is the ORC, and I didn’t learn how to make a mood board, a blog and website over the course of a few days, only to play it safe. Therefore, I am going with the notion that I can have the best of both worlds. I can have a space rich with depth, but not dark. A space I can breathe in. I have to honor the natural light that floods the room and give it the proper credit it deserves. Friends, I’m going to paint those walls and gasp…the trim and cabinets all the same color. As if they were in fact, a whole mood!
I’ve been collecting…and collecting…colors, samples and pictures for awhile now. I’ve wished for a way to magically poof colors from my screen into a can of paint. Alas, no one, to my knowledge, has developed that technology (for real tho, how can the colors be so differnt on-screen and on the wall??). Despite the challenges, I’ve narrowed it down (for now) to the following Farrow and Ball colors 1.) Lamp Room Gray 2.) Pigeon 3.) French Gray 4.) Card Room Green 5.) Green Smoke 6.) Down Pipe 7.) Studio Green. You may be wondering why only Farrow and Ball. Their colors are rich with depth and I cannot forget the experience of visiting their showroom a few years back during a trip to London. Let’s just say, I bought into the vibe and I was sold on it all! I mean some people visit Big Ben and the Tower Bridge. Me, I visit design showrooms (because paint swatches make the perfect souvenirs. ;-)
Other points to consider are how the color coordinates with our hardwoods, the adjacent rooms and the color pallet of the entire home. For me, it is important to have cohesive spaces that flow into one another. It is no secret that I love to mix various wood tones, blacks and warm colors in a space.
A quick roundup of some of my pieces for the space to help visualize the feel.
Finally, let’s talk sheen. As I mentioned, in an effort to both modernize the space and avoid the cabinets feeling too heavy on one side of the room, I plan to paint the entire space one color. The walls will be painted in an eggshell finish with the trim and cabinets in satin. This is a trick I learned and have wanted to try for some time. Chris Loves Julia perfected this in their modern cottage home.
Image: Chris Loves Julia
Before I sign off, I’d like to once again acknowledge the great minds of the ORC. They have pushed me out of my comfort-“I’ll get to it someday”-zone and given me a platform to showcase our work. Most importantly, they have developed a community of designers and renovators that are not only crazy talented, but share a common passion for both friendship and design! Please be sure to check out more of the designers and their latest updates at The ORC Blog!
IMPORTANT LINKS:
One Room Challenge sponsored by Better Homes and Gardens
Featured Designers for Spring 2021:
Ariene C. Bethea | At Home With Ashley | Banyan Bridges | Bari J. Ackerman
Brit Arnesen | Brownstone Boys | Cass Makes Home | Dominique Gebru
Gray Space Interiors | Haneen's Haven | Home Ec. | Nile Johnson Design |
Pennies for a Fortune | Prepford Wife | Rachel Moriarty Interiors | Sachi Lord | Susan Hill Interior Design | This Is Simplicite | Tiffany DeLangie | Victoria Lee Jones
BHG One Room Challenge
It all begins with an idea.
Anyone else not generally thrilled about the idea of putting yourself out there for the world to critique? I’m going to assume that many of you, like me, fall somewhere between “the next TikTok dance sensation” and “why the heck would anyone care about how I load my dishwasher.” Admittedly, I’ve watched both at length.
So here I am, embracing the “challenge” portion of the One Room Challenge. Figuring out how to make a website, a blog and get an email address over the course of 3 days. Yah, no problem.
But, I’m a girl who loves design, like LOVES design, and pretty much spends all my free time thinking about and researching it. As a child, my grandmother would let me rearrange her living room over and over until I felt it was “right” (yes, she has since achieved sainthood).
Looking back over all the spaces that I’ve renovated, created and then re-renovated over the years, I realize it was a matter of problem solving. Working within parameters and using items that were available.
So, when considering the possibility of entering the challenge, I didn’t think about the critics of the world, but instead focused on how to solve a simple problem in our home. We have corner cabinets that are original to the home - like so OG they are on the home’s blue prints (side note: we have the prints in our possession and that’s pretty heckin’ cool). So the question is, how can we ensure their character would shine in a renovated home? Bring on the challenge!
These cabinets have been through a lot. They’ve lived all around our home throughout the renovation and eventually found a tenure in our garage. But we’ve finally recognized their proper place. The office! So, we hope you enjoy the journey as we give these corner cabinets a new, functional life. Oh, and we’re also completely transforming the rest of the space too. But let’s give those cabinets the credit they deserve. They’re the grandma that every room needs…
Corner cabinets temporarily placed in the office Corner cabinets in their original location
Office Update List:
Retrofit cabinets from corner to “built-ins” to provide more storage and usability
Build bench between cabinets, under window
Add sconce lighting to cabinet sides
Create a new desk from FB Marketplace finds
Install new lighting
Add Millwork to room
Decide paint color/paint
Update window treatments (still using the mini blinds from the previous owners =)
Also, be sure to check out all the activity and updates from designers around the world at www.oneroomchallenge.com/orc-blog
I’m thrilled to be a part of such an amazing community!