Let the designing begin
Each year I watch the beautiful home makeovers from the One Room Challenge and now I'm excited to say that I'm finally going to participate as a guest! Never heard of the ORC? Here are the deets! Twice a year (Spring and Fall) interior designers and bloggers from all over support each other with tackling the design of one room in their home. The challenge? Completing a total room transformation, start to finish, in only 6 weeks (more like 5)! This year, we've been graciously granted an additional 2 weeks (yay!) to complete the challenge. Each week, the participants will share their progress (you will be able to check out all the participants by clicking the link at the bottom of the post). I always pick out my favs on Week 1 and follow them from start to finish. The final reveal and completion of my Scandustrial Chic Entryway makeover will be on Thursday, June 24th.
Sounds simple enough right? Well, maybe not so much. If you've been following recent events (or recently updated your own home) you've likely experienced the effects of COVID. Backups and delays in shipping to the likes of what we've never seen before. So this year, we've been presented with an extra challenge, working against the clock AND shipping! We've got this though, so let the challenge begin!
SCANDUSTRIAL CHIC EXPLAINED
In case you're wondering what Scandustrial Chic Design is, let me fill you in briefly on the design characteristics. Scandustrial Chic is a fusion of Scandinavian and Industrial Design styles, but elevated! This mixes the simple, clean lines, monochrome art and natural hues of Scandinavian design. Wool, mohair, and sheepskin throws paired with shades of gray, like charcoal, natural textures, burlap or jutes. Then equally fused with the masculine patterns of herringbone and raw unfinished materials of Industrial style. Sleek metal, glass lighting, exposed brick, wood beams, and patina. You'll find that these two styles already have so many similarities; minimalist aesthetic, neutral background against contrasting black frames, love of vintage leathers, use of salvaged wood, and neutral tones. Then I soften and elevate the merging of these styles with feminine curves, greenery and luxurious textiles for a cohesive, balanced space. This style could also be described as Industrial Chic. Think, a happy medium between Restoration Hardware and Lulu & Georgia. I'm hoping to show more of this in the living area design at a future date!
Scandinavian Style
Industrial Style
MY CHALLENGE
I've got a confession to make. I'm an interior designer that hasn't decorated my own home (yet)! I know! Shame on me. What's worse, I bought my home nearly THREE years ago and I'm just now taking steps to put my personal touch on it. It's been a long time coming and way past due, but the time has finally come. Now, I've got to bring my beloved Scandustrial Chic design aesthetic to this blank canvas. Which room am I making over? The very first space my guests see the moment they enter my home. My entryway! The entry sets the tone for what you and your guests expect to experience as they continue to take additional steps into your space. You are going to see the low-down, dirty, nitty-gritty steps I take to transform this space from drab to fab. I must say, I'm a bit nervous. I've never really documented my design process and thoughts for a space for the public to see, plus, I'm hoping that my readers like the space as much as I will! I may make mistakes along the way, but I'm going to push forward straight through to the end. My mother didn't raise a quitter! Good, bad or indifferent, it's going to get done and I encourage you to ride this roller coaster ride with me for the next 8 weeks.
THE "BEFORE"
Ok, close your eyes, hit scroll and wait for it.....wait for it....BAM! Pretty drab right? Before I tear this room apart by pointing out everything that's wrong with it, I'll start by sharing the things I love.
HIGH CEILINGS: These 14ft tall ceilings really help to make a tight space such as this entry feel much larger. Height draws your eye up and gives you more to enjoy in the space.
WHITE WALLS: This space has good bones. The white walls are classic and in a texture that I love. The benefit is that if I were to ever sell this home, it will do great on the market. Neutral always sells!
WOOD-LOOK TILE FLOORS: Yes, wood-look tile, not wood! I love that I can just take a mop to this floor without worrying about sealing or warping the wood. These tile floors are much more durable than laminate and looks just as beautiful. No surprise here that they're staying right?
NATURAL LIGHT: I love a space that lets the sun shine in. The more natural light a space receives the better. Although it's a small window, the location of our home gets lots of natural sunlight, so I am enjoying the rays of sunshine I get when walking through this space.
With so much to love here, why am I changing it? Well, it's because there are some issues my design eye was bound to spot. Even a perfect space could use a personal touch, and this space needs it bad. My first issue is the lighting. With such tall ceilings, this dainty little light pendant just doesn't do it for me. I want something a bit grander to help fill the space more. This entry could use a bit cozying up.
Second issue is the super long hallway. This photo is from the very first day my husband and I bought this home. The arched openings are giving me life, sold me from the moment I walked in. I also like that it gives me a peek into the open plan living room. Maybe I can tackle it on the next challenge (decisions, decisions). But the long hallway is giving me chills! A long narrow hallway can be difficult to design. Aside from the space issue, what do you fill it with?! Entry bench? Area rug? Do we paint it or leave as is? Plus there's another thing I've spotted here. Can you guess what it is? If you've said the small hallway light fixture, you're right. It's time to get rid of it, pronto! I've got ideas, but you have to follow me for the next 8 weeks to see what I end up doing here!
Issue #3, this narrow, yet wide wall niche. Most people don't see a benefit to wall niches and for me, this niche is no different. There isn't a ton of depth to work with here, so I can't quite fill it with decorative objects. Plus the arch makes it difficult to mount an art piece that doesn't feel out of place. Currently, this handmade book page wreath I made years ago is mounted here, but I want to jazz it up a bit. This niche needs something to give it a bit more character and I think I've got just the thing.
This sad lone wall clock, though functional (when the battery is ticking), just doesn't give this space enough appeal. However with the vent, I have to be careful about what I place here. Our smart home has all the fixings to be energy efficient, and this double vent is helping to maintain that. The functionality of the space should remain as-is. Plus, I don't want to do any construction especially with the HVAC system. My thought is to cover this empty wall space.
THE PLAN
Write the vision make it plain. I've thought about this entry quite a bit, and although nothing is set in stone, I feel fairly strongly about this concept. Some things may change (that's the beauty of having a plan), here is what I'm thinking to do with this space. The feel I'm going for here is what I call "Industrial Chic". It is a fusion of Industrial, Transitional, and Modern Farmhouse design. An edited version of the Industrial Style; Clean, Sophisticated, and Minimal. his style typically incorporates a monochromatic (black and white) color palette with warm neutrals (cream/beige/brown) and minimal clutter, but with contrast and pops of color for interest. It's comfortable, warm, inviting, and timeless. Remember that dainty light fixture I talked about earlier? I definitely want to go larger there. I'm thinking modern, industrial-inspired pendants. One in the entry and the hallway. The space should feel fuller and more "designed" in a sense and new lighting will be the perfect solution. Additionally, I would like to incorporate wall sconces for ambiance and as accent lighting when I don't need the full illumination of the pendants.
BENCH | FLOOR VASE | CANDLEHOLDERS | THROW PILLOWS | MIRROR | PENDANTS | POTTERY | LAMP | BOWL | BEADS
To fill the long hallway, my thought is to create two focal points with a console table and bench. I've got a long and somewhat narrow space (the hallway is about 5ft wide), so I can't add too much here. We still need to be able to freely walk through the space without obstructions. These two pieces should work great. One thing I often say is that neutral doesn't have to be boring. However, too much white can be. Black, white, grey, and tan will be my color palette, but to break up the monotony, I will incorporate lots of texture! Whether it's through reclaimed wood, textured throw blankets, or patterned pillows, this space will come alive, while still feeling cozy and airy. I love my white walls, so that beauty isn't changing, but I definitely want to bring in color somewhere. Contrast helps to add a bit of a kick to the space so I'm thinking to paint something black! What will it be? You'll have to continue to follow my 8 week transformation to find out! My first thought was to l revert to my favorite black paints from Sherwin-Williams. Here are the three colors I'm deciding between. Which one do you think I should go with?
To help pick up on the beautiful yellow tones of the natural wood-look tile flooring, I want to incorporate a metal. I pulled out my trusty metal finish chain deck and of course, I'm immediately drawn to gold and brass tones. I don't want to overdo it with these metals, so I plan to only use them as accents. A pinch of brass in the light fixture or touch of gold with picture frames. Too much of any good thing can feel cheap, so I'm hoping to create the right balance with the use of these finishes. To top it off, I'm planning to keep my DIY book page wreath. It always gets compliments when I have visitors, plus it's my way of bringing the old in with the new. This wreath just looks better and better with time as the pages age. Plus, believe it or not, it seamlessly works in this space with any season, so I think I'll hold on to it for a little while longer.
NEXT STEPS
I have a solid plan in place, but things are bound to change. I'm still trying to decide if I want to incorporate a runner. The idea is great in theory, but the front door gets quite a bit of foot traffic. Any runner I opt to buy will definitely have to be an indoor/outdoor rug. One that can take a lot of wear and tear, while maintaining its structure. That decision is still up in the air at this point. Plus, I've thought about what accessories I want to see in the entry, but I usually like to wait until a bit closer to install date to purchase. This way when all the major pieces arrive, I can select pieces that will coordinate the best. What happens from here is still being worked out, but I think I'm going to start with the most fun part, paint! Catch me next week to see which black paint I opt for and where it's going! I'll also be sharing videos along the way, be sure to keep up with me HERE on Instagram. I'm super excited for this journey and hope you'll join me every Thursday for the next 7 weeks. Lastly, don't forget to keep up with the other amazing designers as well who are participating in the challenge. You can catch all their ORC projects by visiting the home page HERE or clicking the ORC logo below.
Can't get enough design? Feel free to snoop around my website and check out completed design projects. Our eDesign and 3D renders are also a huge hit! I specialize in curated spaces to help you live authentically you. If you have a burning design question that you could use some help with, I'm here for you! Our FREE discovery call is an opportunity for us to get to know each other and the perfect introduction to providing solutions.