One Room Challenge (Week 1)

I am so excited to once more be a guest participant on the One Room Challenge, and to share the journey with all of you.

This year, I chose to remodel a living room/bar area by building custom cabinetry, tiling (for the first time!), creating some gorgeous looking back-lit shelves and installing a wine/beer cooler.

What makes this year's challenge special is that I am working with a client. I am remodeling my friend's space, which is a little nerve-wrecking, but also pushes me to do my absolute best.

Between my friend and me, we chose a white minimal palette that will allow for the details to stand out. He also requested lots of storage for board games and open shelving. One of the main requests is also incorporating a wine/beer cooler because he loves to entertain.

One of the biggest lessons I learned from my previous challenge is the importance of early planning. Trust me, when I tell you, you cannot plan enough. Eight weeks seem like a long time, but time will fly by. It is also important to do research and start planning how you will source your supplies/materials.

The space I will be remodeling is located in my friend's condo, which he recently purchased and asked me to help him decorate it. We have been working together to make his new place a home.

For this challenge, I prepared myself and planned ahead. I measured once, measured twice, measured three times! to make sure that I was minimizing my mistakes, maximizing my time and staying within budget. I also took the time to create a very amateur rendering of the space to show my friend what the final product might look like -- keep in mind, all the cabinetry will be painted white.

One of the best and most helpful tricks I've learned when planning a space is taking the time to plan it out. I found that using painter's tape to sort of "map out" where you want things to go will save you a lot of time and will give you a clearer picture of your design -- especially, if you're a visual person, which I am.

Last time I participated, it was the Fall Challenge in 2020 -- We all remember that craziness. That year, I needed something to keep me busy while being isolated from the world in my apartment.

During the first ORC, I chose to remodel my living room. As a renter, which allowed me to explore renter-friendly decor ideas and pushed me to learn a load of new skills, which is why I have chosen to push myself even further this time around.

For the next eight weeks, we will embark on a fun and creative journey that will push me to better my skills and will showcase to the world what I am capable of accomplishing.

I hope you find this inspiring and gives you the incentive to try something new. Be sure to follow the progress on my Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and check out the other incredible creators on the ORC blog.

PS: The One Room Challenge is not a competition, despite its name. It is a community of designers and creators working alongside one another to complete their own spaces. It is a very supportive and inspiring space. If you have been thinking about changing that space in your house, apartment, loft, shed or wherever you may be, joining the ORC may be a great way to get inspired.

Thank you for reading and for following along See you next week! :)

XO, Yaro

@oneroomchallenge @betterhomesandgardens #ORC #ONEROOMCHALLENGE