It’s week 2 of the One Room Challenge, and we’re plowing away over here on our sunroom. You can see week 1 here. First and foremost, that popcorn ceiling had to go. We get rid of it in every room we renovate, and while this might not seem like an obvious detail to some, it’s one that makes a huge difference to me. If you want to undate your space smooth walls and ceilings are the way to go and completely worth the investment. We tackle the scraping ourselves. Paying someone to float and sand is usually only a few hundred dollars for a space – completely worth it.
Our main level has 10′ ceilings and requires scaffolding to work on it, where the upper floor’s 8′ span is reachable with a scraper on the end of a short paint pole from the ground. I usually do the scraping myself, but because of my growing belly Micah helped this time around and between me spraying the water (here’s how we do it) and him scraping the popcorn we were able to finish in around an hour. Prep and clean up – taping plastic down to catch all of the mess and hauling it away- seem to take just as long as the actual process.
We also took down the chair rail and had our drywall guy float the walls where that was installed. Even though they’ll be covered in wallpaper, it’s still just as important that the walls are prepped to a smooth finish. After the ceiling was finished Micah painted it, put a quick layer of fresh white on all of the vents using a can of spray paint, and installed the new lights. We’re going from a centered ceiling fan with two cans to a centered can with two lights, so this required Micah to get up in the attic and do some switching of electrical and components. I’m constantly impressed by all the things he’s learned to do throughout our renovations. Below is a peek at the lights. They cast the most beautiful shadows at night. Next we’re onto trim, and I know it’s going to make a huge difference in the feel of the space.
I thought I’d also show you the sources and stories behind some of the thrifted pieces today. Practically every room I put together is a combination of newer splurges and older steals. Saving here to splurge there is a design philosophy I swear by, and it also helps create a really great mix. Because this will be my office for the long haul, a desk was the first thing on my mind. I’ve never had a space where I could really sprawl out, and as a creative that is important. But big desks usually mean big money. A dining table can easily function as a desk, and secondhand ones are often reasonable, but I really wanted some storage. You can’t believe my excitement when I stumbled upon this at my local Red Racks this summer.
Not only was the size incredible, the shape clean with a bit of detail, and the drawers ideal storage…it was $30. The thing is solid and Micah was thrilled to go pick it up. Sarcasm. We’ll be painting it and adding some shiny hardware to really give it new life.
You can’t just have a standard desk chair with a desk this big. I knew I needed either a pair or something large. I loved the idea of a big wingback for several reasons. Something comfortable is ideal when you sit in front of a computer for any length of time. I prefer to sit with my legs up in a chair, so width was important too. And then I wanted a wingback for some help with noise. The spiral staircase connects the two sunrooms in our house, and yes, there is convenience being right above the kids, but the noise that travels up that thing is so amplified. A wingback would muffle some of that. I came across this mauve, velvet chair for $25 on Craigslist and the upholstery is in perfect condition. The wood needs some love, but that’s such an easy fix.
It was nice that the room had cabinets for storage, but they weren’t anything special. I liked the idea of bringing in some wood, and this wardrobe I found on Craigslist will fit perfectly between the new blush sink I picked up at ReStore for a few dollars and the staircase.
With some cleaning and a pretty faucet, that sink will sing against the wallpaper. Now that I’ve shown you some of the items that are one-of-a-kind, here’s a look at where you can get some of the other elements I’m planning to incorporate into the space.
ART | STACKER | LIGHT | MOBILE | GLIDER | FAUCET | CRIB | BASKET | LAMP | WALLPAPER | CARPET | CHAIR | BLANKET | DRESSER
I had my 36 week appointment and sonogram today and baby is in a favorable position and measuring perfectly. We’re praying they stay comfortable even though I may not be for a while longer. A lot is happening this week, so I can’t wait to bring you up to date next Wednesday! In the meantime, follow along on Instagram stories and Snapchat @themakerista. Want to catch up? In case you missed week one you can see that here. And be sure to check out the other participants updates…
Jana Bek | Chris Loves Julia | Shannon Claire | Coco.Kelley | The Curated House
Driven by Decor | The English Room | From the Right Bank | Sherry Hart
Hi Sugarplum | House of Jade | Hunted Interior | The Makerista | Making it Lovely
Marcus Design | Pencil & Paper Co. | Megan Pflug | Place of My Taste | Suburban B’s
Waiting on Martha Media Partner House Beautiful | TM by CIH
Ariel says
Looking good! Those are some solid finds too.
Haneen says
Amazing finds! Drooling over that mood board!
Preciously Me says
Love the colour palette and this zebra is just… wow!
Nicole M. says
Ahhhh, I have been hunting for a desk exactly like that! What a great find 🙂
I can’t wait to see this room … it is going to be killer with that wallpaper.
Oksana | FOXYOXIE.com says
Kudos to you, mama, for tackling this massive project with a little one and another one on the way! We don’t have littles yet, and I can barely wrap my mind around all that has to be done for our ORC living room! LOL
On a separate note, you’ve got a serious gift for Craigslist shopping. I was hoping to find some gems for our living room, but no luck yet. Looks like I’ll have to order all-new furniture…
Can’t wait to see more of this space next week! XO
~abi~ says
so freaking excited to follow along! love love love your style!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks so much, Abi!
Kathryn R says
Thank you for demonstrating we can all redo a room on a budget! Can’t wait to see how these items you’ve thrifted turn out!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks, Kathryn! Yes, I’m anxious to see it all come together!
Sara says
This looks like it’s going to be amazing! I love your secondhand finds and that desk is to die for. I totally agree with saving where you can!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks, Sara!
Megan Pflug says
I can’t believe how easy it was to remove to popcorn ceiling, super cool & makes a huge difference.LOVE the pink sink this room is gonna rock.
themakerista@gmail.com says
Isn’t it easy? The mess is the hardest part, not the scraping itself. Excited for your space too!
Dianne says
Love everything you do! Cannot wait for the reveal.
Aniko @Place of my taste says
Your mood board is amazing! And those finds…!! Can’t wait to see what you create, girl!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks so much!
Jana Bek says
Eek the ceiling & those pendants, this is going to be soo good!
Calling it Home says
Two stunning light fixtures. What a fab and unexpected surprise. I love your vintage finds…and the desk should be mine. Each week I hold my breath to see if this is the week baby wants to come out. Hang in there.
themakerista@gmail.com says
Ha, thanks, Linda!
sherry hart says
I love mixing in thrift with new…always gives the room a nice eclectic feel! Changing out the popcorn ceilings is definitely a game changer! Good job…..
Tricia @ Suburban B's says
Those are some amazing finds! I absolutely love the desk! And I bet that feels so good to have the ceilings and the lights done!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks, it does!
Rosanna Bassford at Eggshell Home says
Such amazing finds that are perfect for your design plan! Loved the sneak peek of the lights! =)
themakerista@gmail.com says
Thanks, Rosanna, yes, I got lucky! 😉