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One Room Challenge: Week 5 | There’s Nothing Like a Fresh Coat of Paint

November 2, 2016

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If you’re just tuning in, we’re renovating a shared room for our daughters in 6 weeks as part of the One Room Challenge! My sweet mom loves to make any object or situation instantly desirable and charming by starting a sentence with, “There’s nothing like a _____.” Insert warm cup of cocoa, fall leaves, a bowl of spaghetti, a towel right out of the dryer, lines on the floor from the vacuum, etc. And today, I’d like to adopt her optimism, because after cracking open a couple cans of paint in the girls’ room this week, truly, there’s nothing like a fresh coat of paint to make a room feel clean, wonderful and so close to being complete.

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To jog your memory, below is how it used to look just a couple weeks ago after we finished building the bunkbeds, but before we built the reading nook.

Chris Loves Julia - Built-in Bunkbeds

After a marathon of caulking, the raw wood needed to be primed before painted. Farrow and Ball, a sponsor of the One Room Challenge, sent us the primer and paint we needed for the room. Although we have used their paint before (most recently in our home office), it was our first time using their primer and the coverage was fantastic.

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We’ve painted so much over the past 8 years, we definitely have figured out a system–Chris always does the rolling while I cut in–and can crank out a room pretty quickly thanks in part to just using the right tools. You can check out all of our go-to, tried and true, favorite painting supplies right here

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For the paint color, we decided on Farrow & Ball’s Wimborne White, a warm white that really brightened up the whole space without it feeling cold or stark. (Years ago, I ordered a free swatch card with all of their colors right here.) One of my favorite details is  how the natural wood stair treads pop in all that white. We’ll definitely seal them before all is said and done, but I love the added warmth in that little slice of the room.

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If you missed it on Instagram, we also finished up the wardrobes we shared last week and the way the rich black plays off of the soft, warm white feels just right in here. But! We’re excited to start bringing in the girls’ favorite colors before the big reveal next Wednesday. I ordered soft pink curtains and so many fun pillows and textiles. We’ll also be installing all the accent lighting over the next day or so–there is sure to be more updates before the final reveal. But, really, there’s nothing like a fresh coat of paint is there!?

 

See how the other designers’ rooms are progressing by clicking through the links below:

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Jana Bek | Chris Loves Julia | Shannon Claire | Coco.Kelley | The Curated House

Driven by Décor | 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

 

 

 

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What do you think?

  1. Casandra Wilson says:

    Hoping you see this! Did you roll the bunks? Or spray them? We’re currently working on this project for our boys room and would love to know! Thanks :)

  2. Kayla Groat says:

    I have had such a negative experience painting wood furniture. Despite our efforts to clean, sand, prime and use high quality paint, after a year or so the paint always begins to rub off and reveal the wood underneath, looking super trashy. You mentioned you would be sealing it. Did you mean you’ll seal the paint or the exposed wood on the stairs? If you seal the paint, please please tell me how you do it to keep it looking nice. Anywhere my kids touch their painted beds, it always wears off. :( Your project looks gorgeous!

  3. Andrea says:

    Love the contrasting colours! Can’t wait to see the reveal!

  4. Love the black cabinets with all the white! Great contrast!

  5. Brittany W. says:

    This looks freakin’ amazing! I’m anxiously awaiting the reveal with my cursor hanging over the Pin button. We are planning to build a house in the next few years and I already know that this will be the major inspiration for the shared bedroom in that house. Best of luck this week as everything starts to come together!

  6. I forget if you mentioned this or not, but are these beds for twin or full size mattress? I am obsessed. We are doing our boys room right now. We aren’t in the challenge but it sure feels like we are HA.

  7. It all looks so good! Can not wait for the reveal!!!

  8. Ashley says:

    I love your doorknobs and have been looking to replace ours with something similar to what you have. Do you mind sharing the source? I looked in the shop out house link and couldn’t see them! :) Thanks!

  9. Jenny B says:

    Inspiring! FYI, you can get twin xl sheets from Garnet Hill ( or The Company Store – I always forget which – mom of a college student here.)

  10. Monika says:

    Behold the power of paint! I love the massive buildout; you guys are such pros. The bed/nook/ stair situation is so, so good!

  11. I still can’t believe that the two of you built all of this…I mean, I can, but I’m so impressed. Looks fantastic.

  12. You are definitely keeping us in suspense here…..but I am excited to get to week 6 with you guys!

  13. Ashley says:

    you are right, paint does change everything! looks great!

  14. Of course, everything is looking incredible, Jules. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you and Chris are magicians; seems like anything you put your hands on turns to pure gold, and I am on pins and needles with anticipation for next week!

    Can you share the square footage of this room, please? XO

  15. It looks amazing…good luck in this final week!!! I’m panicking just a little over here!

  16. What paint sheen did you choose for the walls and for the trim? Just curious if the basement location changed your choice.

  17. What will you do with that spot between the wardrobes where you removed the carpet? If you’re gonna put some carpet back, how are you gonna hide the seam?

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