20 "One Room Challenge" Makeovers That'll Inspire You to Roll Up Your Sleeves
We want to wake up in #18 every morning.
Over the past six weeks, a brave group of designers raced against the clock to refresh their least-favorite rooms — or update an entire home. Check out the jaw-dropping results for yourself, and then visit their blogs to see more of each space.
The Backstory
After last season's impressive reveals, we've teamed up yet again with Linda Weinstein from Calling It Home for the One Room Challenge. This spring, 20 designers rushed to finish their chosen rooms while sharing their progress along the way. Now, they're ready to show off what they accomplished.
An Open Kitchen
No, you don't really need upper cabinets after all. Abby Manchesky never kept many dishes in her tiny kitchen anyway, so she now stashes her pieces right out in the open. The new shelves also set the stage for trendy green cabinets.
A Dreamlike Bedroom
Kate Riley wanted a "hazy zone" that would shift from night to day. She added lots of blues (including a pair of azure club chairs) and mixed metals to make her escape happen.
A Serene Nursery
With a baby on the way, Chris and Julia needed a space for their youngest daughter. A textured poof brings the cloud wallpaper into the third dimension — and provides a place for tired parents' feet.
A Bright Basement
Christine Covey used three different Farrow and Ball shades — All Black, Wimborne White and Slipper Satin — to create her neutral backdrop.
A Fresh Start
The nonprofit Dwell With Dignity completely overhauled this family home, bringing in new furniture and art with the help of design duo Gordon Dunning and almost 90 volunteers.
A Charming Guesthouse
Erica Reitman reimagined her backyard guesthouse as a "cozy luxe boutique hotel room" for visiting Airbnb-ers. She kept her storage-savvy banquette (which holds sheets and towels) but added a new wallpaper "mural."
A Sleek Kitchen
The corner window made hiding ventilation impossible, so Erin Williamson knew she needed a showstopper hood. The custom piece features tiny metal rods welded in a chevron pattern, just like the floor.
An Airy Bedroom
Caitlin Kruse swapped French door blinds for floor-to-ceiling curtains, but new baseboards and crown molding really gussy up her master suite.
An Emerald Bedroom
William and Susan Brinson created this elegant jewel box by going green. Lucky guests now sleep in a regal suite painted Farrow & Ball's Inchyra Blue.
A Marbled Bathroom
Brit turned an unused closet into an en suite spa with a double vanity, but the herringbone tiles in the shower stall really steal the show.
A Colorful Living Space
Joanna chose this AllModern rug because it married her living and dining areas, but the piece also provided the room's color palette. With navy as a base color, pinks, oranges and gold all make complementary appearances.
A Restful Living Room
Jacquelyn Clark wanted a "sanctuary" for both entertaining and movie-watching. The fix? An extra-deep sectional from AllModern that's both elegant and cozy.
A Cheery Dining Room
A former white box got a brunch-ready makeover thanks to the new chair rail and gold paint. A live edge table adds some heft — and balances out the seriously-gorgeous chandelier.
A Saturated Suite
For the sitting area outside of their master bedroom, Andy and Candis Meredith went with a rich clay color, but mounted a sculptural light to break out of "granny mode."
A Preppy Living Room
Jen loves her traditional-style colonial, but she needed a little more personality in her home. The original mantel stayed, but nautical accents and a vintage shield mirror rev up the living room.
A Warm Living Room
Nicole Cohen embraced the midcentury vibes and decked out her living space with burl stools and cozy textiles. She customized the wood coffee table to fit the scale of the room.
A Tween Bedroom
Erin's daughter requested a purple bedroom — "the last color I want to design around," the mom said. She kept lavender as an accent, but made the space more grown-up with cactus wallpaper.
A Luxe Bedroom
The ceiling! The wallpaper! The carpet! There's so much to discuss here, but the acrylic bed makes it all work. Holly Hollingsworth Phillips even treated herself to a new mattress too.
A Multifunctional Entryway
Myquillyn already used her back porch as a mudroom and laundry room, but the space also greeted the guests coming from the driveway. Now, cleaning supplies and coats disappear in a storage-packed library and matching armoire.
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