DIY PROJECTS & TIPS
When it comes to maximizing the impact of your kitchen renovation without breaking the bank, few materials offer as much bang for your buck as paint. Kathleen’s finished kitchen is absolutely incredible, and it’s mind-blowing how much she was able to do with paint alone.
Seasoned ORC vet Erin Zubot tackled a major mudroom overhaul during the Fall ‘22 event, during which she DIYed the most charming built-in storage bench. It looks incredible and is a vastly more efficient use of space.
As we bid farewell to 2023, it's time to celebrate the hands-on creativity that not only left us genuinely awe-inspired, but are also getting our gears turning for next year. This year’s ORC participants showcased an abundance of talent that deserves a moment in the spotlight.
As we wrap up the year, it's time to give credit where credit's due—the unsung heroes of our DIY endeavors. These six tools played a starring role in turning ideas into tangible creations this year.
Adrian of Addy Does It achieved quite a feat by gutting her powder room and transforming it into this lavender gem, 100% DIY. The amount that she was able to accomplish is completely nuts, so buckle up.
Selene had reached the DIY level where she had accumulated enough tools and supplies that she needed a dedicated spot for storage (if you DIY you know this struggle—it starts with one electric drill and gets out of hand fast).
Although DIY built-in elements are becoming a more and more popular way to upgrade and customize, in builder-basic spaces especially, banquettes are a much less common project. This completed dining nook completely makes the case for DIYing a built-in banquette.
When Carrie asked her 3 and 4 year old sons what they wanted in their new bedroom, they told her they would like space, dinosaurs, robots, and dump trucks.
Jourdan Fairchild and her husband hadn’t planned to tackle their daughter’s closet so soon after moving into their home, but the temporary wire shelf falling down one morning before school caused a change of plans.
When Rachel of sister duo Well She Tried tackled her screened in porch during the spring ‘23 ORC event, paneling the ceiling was not part of her original plan. However, when she went to do a light round of sanding on the old, flaky paint on the ceiling, it continued to flake off in layers and Rachel realized it wasn’t salvageable.
This project and Van’s step-by-step tutorial could not be more straightforward and beginner-friendly, so the possibilities for creating a creative and totally custom headboard for your space are endless.
Whether you're a seasoned DIY enthusiast or just getting started, keeping yourself safe should always be a top priority.
Before you grab your tools and dive into your next DIY project, check out our DIY safety guide and make sure your DIY adventures are not only fun and rewarding, but also hazard-free.
Although Steph is a lifetime DIYer, she considered herself a beginner woodworker and had never made anything of this scale. She was kind enough to share what she learned along the way of creating this gorgeous, mammoth built-in.
Lizzy Powers and her husband Zach made this built-in window seat themselves as part of their ORC office transformation. Lucky for us, they gave all the details, including what may be the smartest cushion hack ever.
From covering popcorn texture to creating an artistic masterpiece, these five One Room Challenge® participants have some terrific answers to the eternal question: “what should I do about the ceiling?”.
These 5 ORC® participants created absolutely killer DIY workspaces where they can flex their skills with ease thanks to their ingenious storage solutions.
Sometimes the star of a space was found on the side of the road, or Facebook Marketplace for $25, or even already in your own house. There are so many wonderful gems out there ready to be rescued and put to good use.
Whether you’re interested in trying your hand at making your own built-ins or you just want to look through some truly impressive projects, this is the article for you. Here are a whopping 16 DIY built-in projects from the most recent ORC® that will knock your socks off.
Whether you’re interested in redoing your fireplace yourself or you just love having your mind blown by amazing DIY projects, here are 6 ORC rooms that include a fireplace revamp.
You don’t have to be an experienced DIYer with a big collection of power tools to start making big visual improvements to your space.
Creating faux wallpaper with a stencil and paint is drastically cheaper than wallpaper, and it’s completely customizable.
Assembly is only the first step to a cost-effective yet truly unique piece of furniture.
Slat walls bring a lot of texture and depth to a room in an incredibly cost effective way.
You don’t need to be an artist to make a DIY art piece that looks great and fills your wall space on a budget.
DESIGN STORIES & IDEAS
Since the decade so far has been huge for both natural wood tones and collected decor, mixing wood is absolutely a skill you should have in your arsenal, and it’s a piece of cake once you know the basics.
A lot of the info online about curb appeal is specifically for people getting ready to sell their homes, which isn’t necessarily helpful if you want to spruce up your house’s exterior just for your own enjoyment of your home. There are plenty of smaller tweaks you can make that will make a surprising difference to your home’s facade.
Have you ever stepped into a room and immediately felt a sense of warmth and comfort wash over you? It takes thoughtful design to make a space feel like a hug.
If you’re hankering for a little extra warmth in your space, here are just a few ways you can infuse a bit of coziness into any room of your home.
When it comes to interior paint, even your very favorite shade won’t live up to expectations without a well-executed paint job.
If your watchlist is looking a bit sparse, whether you're a design enthusiast seeking fresh ideas or simply looking for some beautiful escapism, you’ve come to the right place.
The major theme we noticed last year was that ideas and styles trended while not necessarily being trendy. Micro-trends are out, and timeless design is in.
Whether you’ve known it or not, there’s a good chance you’ve used biophilic design principles in your home before.
Are you or a loved one dreaming of a home office with lots of magnificent built-in storage? Stock, unfinished stock, and RTA kitchen cabinets might be your ticket to making that dream a reality.
One tool every design enthusiast should have in their toolkit is contrast—the difference of value or brightness between colors. The level of contrast in a space can greatly influence the way we feel within them.
As a lifelong resident of Texas, I grew up with almost exclusively mild winters. With summers getting hotter and winters getting colder, there are most certainly lots of people in the same boat I’m in, who are needing to figure out winterizing for the first time in their lives.
Whether you’re needing assistance with the technical side or the creative process, we’ve got you covered below with a complete guide to creating an interior design mood board.
Just like PEMDAS from algebra class, there’s an order of operations for transforming any room.
Temperatures are soaring and kids are back in school. A pile of clutter by the door is to be expected in these conditions.
It's important to have the right lighting to make the most of your time there, and designing the lighting in your home office comes with unique challenges and considerations. From how to decide how many Kelvins you want to gorgeous and inspiring examples, we’ve got you covered in our guide to lighting your home office.
Good eclectic design is more than just mixing lots of elements. The best eclectic spaces feel surprising and remarkable due to the juxtaposition of eras and styles.
In our quest for a clutter-free living space, storage solutions play a pivotal role. However, finding storage options that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing can be a challenge.
Looking to go green? It’s is a versatile and refreshing color. When used in your home, green can be used to create a number of moods and feelings. There are so many gorgeous shades, though, that it can be difficult to know where to begin choosing the best green for your space.
This is Gallery Walls 101, and today we’re learning from the brilliant Beth Diana Smith and the amazing gallery wall she created during her spring ‘20 One Room Challenge® project.
When it comes to floral wallpaper, the options are as diverse as the flowers themselves. From traditional to modern, there is a wide array of styles to suit every taste and interior design aesthetic.
Check out these ORC projects with floral wallpaper, broken down by style, for all your inspiration needs.
With its timeless charm, easy installation, durability, and versatile applications, beadboard has long been an interior staple.
Check out these 14 ORC projects for all your beadboard inspiration needs.
70s interior design is, more often than not, either unfairly maligned or chronically misunderstood. Many people see the 70s as either the decade of wild floral prints and avocado green formica, or the decade of checkerboard print and terrazzo. Although all of those trended at some point in the 70s, there’s much more to the decor of the decade.
If you’re like me, when the weather gets nice, you gaze out your back window and think “man, I wish I spent more time outside” at least three times a week. If you’re also determined to finally make it happen this summer, read on for four hot tips on making backyard dining a piece of cake.
Ready to dive into the wonderful world of container gardening? Your future self will thank you for the endless beauty you'll enjoy all summer long. There are so many reasons to try container gardening, and a few things to consider as hot weather approaches.
Most people have an idea of whether their personal style is more minimalist or a maximalist. However, the practical side of these interior design styles is far less frequently considered.
Pets bring so much joy, companionship, and fulfillment into our homes. They also tend to bring other things into our homes— things that might clash with carefully curated decor.
If you're looking for some inspiration to transform your backyard into a cool and stylish outdoor oasis, we’ve got you covered! From DIY projects to inspiring design ideas, here are five ways to create a cool backyard that will impress your guests and make you want to spend more time outdoors.
What exactly is mid-century modern? And why does it have such a hold on us all?
Spoiler alert— its iconic status is well deserved, and it’s not going anywhere.
Whether you’re looking to get inspired to try color drenching yourself, or you’re just wondering what in the world color drenching is, you’ve come to the right place.
Check out our guide to marble, marble alternatives, and how to choose, featuring some amazing past ORC projects.
What better interior inspiration could there be than the movie and TV sets we swoon over? Our favorite media requires an intentional, visually striking, immersive space where the story can unfold.
BEFORE & AFTER
Linda’s big renovation project has been eight years and two hurricanes in the making, and the result is absolutely incredible.
ORC vet Samantha of Signed Samantha embarked on another room transformation this past fall ‘23 event, this time creating her home office 2.0. You may remember her gorgeous green home office from the fall ‘21 event—with a second child on the way, the need for a dedicated nursery meant saying goodbye to home office 1.0.
During the fall ‘22 ORC, Princess of Noire Motif tackled a gut renovation of her kids’ bathroom. Her goal was to create a bathroom that her kids would love, but that also felt mature enough to grow with them and eventually be used for guests once her kids have flown the coop.
When Shawna and her husband purchased their house a decade ago, they had planned to turn the unfinished basement into a playroom, but the arrival of their third child put the project on the backburner.
Tiffany’s goal was to turn this storage area into to a cozy space with more visual interest where daughters could read and enjoy spending time.
The second “after” was a result of a fire sprinkler bursting in the bathroom and flooding the downstairs of their home, forcing Joannie and Mike to do much of their work over again, along with a few changes and upgrades.
Jana Donohoe gave her builder-basic white box kitchen and breakfast nook a dose of character and charm. A few small changes in the kitchen go a long way, and the DIY IKEA hack steals the show.
Christin of My Homier Home tackled her garage during the fall ‘22 ORC event, and wow are the before and after photos satisfying.
It’s hard to believe this is the same bathroom she began with, let alone that the entire project was DIY by Jenni and her husband.
When she moved into the house a year and a half before the event began, she had already started mentally planning the changes she wanted to make to the builder-basic kitchen.
The biggest undertaking of the project was definitely the DIY faux-wallpaper. Yes, you read that right—that’s a stencil and paint, baby.
Her sun room was in need of a subfloor repair and other repairs, so she had yet to decorate it and make it her own. During the 8 weeks of the ORC she tackled all the repairs, as well as a multitude of DIY projects to bring the room to life.
Originally, the bright yellow space in the before photos wasn’t actually connected to the inside of the house. Rather, it was a storage area at the back of her garage— a less than ideal space for laundry.
Tim’s project had an extra special, very sweet twist: this living room and foyer are in his family home, and he would be transforming them secretly as a surprise for his father while his father was out of the country on vacation.
Makenzie and Matt did almost all of the labor themselves in order to save money for their upcoming wedding, including stripping the room back to the studs, drywalling, tiling, and wallpapering.
This incredible loft transformation is by Dorsey Designs from the spring ‘20 One Room Challenge® event. That built-in is to die for, and Sarah’s styling is masterful.
The den started out with a great stone fireplace and gorgeous wood floors, but the room had no exterior windows and overall felt very dark and uninviting.
Kourtni had already spent a little time updating the laundry room, but wasn’t quite satisfied. She took the ORC plunge, and the finished product is stunning.
Some major elements stayed the same, like the cabinets, countertops, sink, and window treatment— if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. The changes Dee did make take this kitchen to a whole new level.
Sarah Gunn started with a great but generic base, and really made it her own without doing any demolition at all.
This incredible primary bathroom transformation is by Gathered Living from the spring ‘22 One Room Challenge® event. Emily was able to give this bathroom a whole new look without doing any demolition at all.
WHAT’S TRENDING
Furniture brand Wovenbyrd has been a One Room Challenge sponsor for more than five years now, and we are thrilled to have them on board Team ORC.
While we can’t tell you why the majority of Black Friday roundups all have the same 20 products, none of which you want or need, we the ORC editors CAN offer you our handpicked list of 35 Black Friday home deals that are truly worth your attention.
Architectural Digest and Ruggable have joined forces with a collection of 16 rugs, designed by 8 rising star designers from AD’s New American Voices.
If you’re not keeping an eye on Target’s brand collaborations, especially in the home decor section, you’re missing out.
Adding a home collection is de rigueur for brands presently, and Banana Republic has just launched theirs. The look is for those who want global, textural, luxe, and sculptural pieces that still look minimal and neutral.
A special offer from Spoonflower, plus three recent ORC projects that feature Spoonflower peel-and-stick wallpaper.
As we perused all the amazing projects from the recent spring ‘22 ORC®, there was one color that kept catching our eye. The definitive color trend from the most recent ORC event was… drumroll please…
Original art is one of the absolute most enriching things to collect, but for non-artists, it can be challenging knowing where to start. There’s so much amazing art out there, so a little guidance can go a long way.
We’re in the middle of one of the hottest summers ever and aside from being incredibly unpleasant for us, this heat is also very hard on your plants.
Here are some tips and ideas to help you get your plants through this heatwave.
The quintessential coastal grandma is all about neutral tones, understated but beautiful linen clothes, and reading a novel on a chaise lounge with a glass of wine in hand.
Crochet is hot right now, for good reason. Check out these home project ideas, as well as our tips for beginners.
A great rug pulls a room together — and it definitely doesn’t have to be neutral to do so.