The final reveal.
I have always been one to throw myself into projects but this One Room Challenge took that to a whole new level.
I went into the challenge with a pretty specific idea of what I wanted.
I truly thought I would finish very early.
Jokes on me - because it felt like every week I was thinking of some new detail I wanted to add to the room.
With every finished project I continues to watch my estimated finish date get further and further away from me - because I kept adding on so much.
This is how I always am with projects and I always love where it takes me.
I enjoy the journey of discovery and the evolution of my ideas.
I love putting a ton of thought into the details.
But this was my first time working with an actual deadline.
It was a little stressful when I kept adding on projects with a deadline approaching.
Or when I'd spend entire nights working on small details instead of the big picture.
Part of my brain (the rational side!) was telling me to stop it and just stick with the planned projects.
but the louder side of me (the creative side!)
needed to explore these ideas.
I needed to see them through.
This project was about so much more then just completing a challenge.
I didn't want to miss out on the beauty I knew this room could have simply because I was worried about a deadline.
I prepared myself to finish late, but it all worked out and I was able to finish everything in time - new ideas and all.
and I AM IN LOVE.
genuinely stunned every time I walk in there.
This bathroom is everything I wanted and more.
Not only am I so proud of the finished product,
but I am so proud of the work I did to get it.
This room is filled with projects.
Every single square inch of the room was touched by me.
Floors, walls, ceilings.
The details on pictures frames, the art on the walls, the vases the plants are in.
Everything.
And I managed to transform the entire room for under $500.
I don't think beauty and creativity need to be expensive.
In fact, the only "new" items that were purchased were:
the towels.
the shower curtain and shower bracket
the cabinet hardware
the shelf brackets
the soap dispensers
Literally everything else was either built from scratch or thrifted and refinished.
(the wood for the builds was the most expensive part and where the majority of my cost went - but so worth it to have the custom builds! and still cheaper then trying to find something already made!)
I wasn't sure what I wanted to write about today.
There's just too many individual projects to explain how I did them all in one post.
(I'll save that for many future blog posts - so please comment below which project you'd like to learn about!)
I decided to go back and read my blog post from week 1.
I was so struck by the words I wrote then...
about what I desired from this room.
I feel like now that it's complete, I need to share them again.
They hit differently now.
"I always start a project with a word.
An emotion.
a particular feeling that I want to feel when I'm in that room.
Are you ready for this room's word?
tranquil
Tranquil is defined as free from disturbance, calm.
my design plan for this room is one that will take you back in time.
To a time before phones, business meetings, and social media.
a time before screens and schedules dictated by time.
I want this bathroom to feel earthy, organic, calm, quiet, and still.
old world.
I plan to stimulate all the senses so that when you walk in, you feel present.
So present that there is no need, no desire, to pull out a device that takes you away.
The feeling of taking a breath of fresh air.
The feeling of being.
One of my favorite writers and musicians, William Fitzsimmons sings beautifully:
"I will pull you from the water
let your lungs return to air
take you back unto the shore
and lead you home."
William Fitzsimmons "From the Water"
I hope this room makes me feel that."
I think I achieved that.
Are you ready for this reveal?
Here's the before:
Here is the after.
definitely taking daily baths now.
cement counter tops and painted vanity; gorgeous hardware.
built a shelf that runs around the tub
created a gallery wall out of thrifted art and frames that I have been collecting for months.
I built the ceiling beams and the ceiling "brackets". SUCH a fun project
a different view of the gallery wall. I made the line art woman!
Probably my favorite view in my home now.
I built the arched divider wall. It is my favorite part of the room.
I built these shelves and aged them to look like the ceiling beams. I had so much fun styling them all all kinds of thrifted goodies I've been collecting for this room.
I found this wall candelabra at Goodwill the day before I finished the bathroom.
It was the most perfect find.
I rub n' buffed the entire thing to make it match the room.
I painted these floors and they turned out even better then I could have ever imagined!
the faded stencil "tile" on the wall was such a fun surprise that I kept from everyone until today!
When the light shines through this......perfection.
the view from the bedroom.
I built the shower shelf on the last day! The shower curtain took a long time to find, as well. I adore it.
The shower curtain is a play off of one of the art pieces I have on the gallery wall.
another stunning view of this arch. I have way too many pictures like this now :)
I painted and texturized the existing light fixture and replaced all the bulbs with these "vintage look" ones.
one of my favorite thifted finds. It reminds me of my sweet family.
Small project that I made that fit the vibe well.
candelabra details. I had black candles and brass fixtures on my original mood board.
Didn't pay more then $5 for any of this art/frames. Found it all at Goodwill and garage sales.
All the vases were small painting projects from cheap thrifted glass/ceramic vases.
I might just sit in here forever.
I told you I had a lots of shots like this!
That's it for now!
Does it say "Tranquil" for you?
What's your favorite part?
What would you like to learn more about?
Have you checked out all the other AMAZING One Room Challenge projects?
I am so in awe of the incredible talent in the DIY community.
I have so many favorites.
Look here:
I've put together some fun reels of the room on my instagram, so if you'd like to see some video footage of the room, go check those out as well.
Thank you SO MUCH for all of the support and encouragement along the way.
It made all the difference for me.
Although a bit stressful, it was an amazing experience and I already know I'll be participating again in the fall.
Thanks for following along!
Carrie
Honeydohoney_home