Fall 2014 One Room Challenge || Week One

Oct 1

It's that time of year again! I'm very excited to begin the One Room Challenge, which is the bi-annual event created and organized by Linda from Calling it Home. All of the bloggers participating will redesign a room over six weekly posts. I'm choosing my entry, which is very intimidating for me. I started to do my entry for ORC a year ago, but was overwhelmed and did my daughter's bedroom instead. Designing a formal room makes me a little nervous. When we moved into this house seven years ago, I didn't purchase one new thing for the entrance hall. I used things that had worked in our last house. They didn't work here nearly as well.

So, here's one view of my entry. Three questions are most likely foremost in your mind. 1) Why's that opening not cased? Answer: We have no idea why casing wasn't put on this opening. There are eight doors/openings that lead off of the entry, and all of them are cased but this one. 2) Why does a large piece of furniture protrude into the path of one's walk to the family room? Answer: Because when we moved I was exhausted from packing/moving and my brain wasn't functioning. 3) Why did you put a hall runner there? Answer: See answer for #2.

This lantern came with the house, and it looks itsy bitsy here. It's one of the things that has bothered me about our entrance hall for years. What I'm replacing it with is so exciting I can't even believe it. More to come on that soon. The thing that has annoyed me most in this room is the sideboard. I love the piece itself, but it's placement makes me feel claustrophobic. It's going to be removed from the entry and something WONDERFUL will go on this wall. If you follow me on Instagram you might have an idea : )

The rug at the front door was borrowed. It's too dark and too small for the space, so that's something else that will change. Oh, and I'm dating myself here, but do the three doors remind you at all of Let's Make a Deal? The front door is in the middle with a coat closet on either side. That's something else about which I'm not particularly crazy.

I don't have any inspiration photos. I wish I did, but I can't find any that are similar to what's in my imagination. Just know that I want to take this stuffy, stale, lifeless room and make it feel FRESH AND LIGHT. As is, it doesn't feel like me. Expect big changes!

Thank you for being here. I'd love to hear any thoughts or suggestions. You know I'm not an experienced interior designer. I'm just an enthusiast, and I'm in some pretty impressive company. I can use all of the help I can get!