Master Bedroom Refresh: Embarking on the One Room Challenge Journey

I am absolutely thrilled and incredibly excited to announce my participation in this fall’s highly anticipated One Room Challenge! For those unfamiliar with this fantastic event, it’s a semi-annual phenomenon that brings together a vibrant community of home design enthusiasts and DIY bloggers. The challenge is the brilliant brainchild of Linda, the creative force behind Calling It Home. Each season, she invites 20 featured bloggers to select a single room in their home and completely transform it over an intense six-week period, documenting their progress weekly through engaging blog posts. I’ve always admired and enjoyed following the incredible transformations achieved by the featured designers in previous seasons. So, when Linda announced that this time, there would be an open link-up for guest participants like myself, I knew I had to seize the opportunity to join in the creative fun and collaborative spirit.

This challenge is precisely the motivation I needed to finally tackle a project that has been lingering on my to-do list for far too long: a much-needed master bedroom refresh. I’ve been working on it, albeit half-heartedly, for what feels like an entire year. The inspiration ebbed and flowed, and without a firm deadline, it was all too easy for ideas to stay confined to my mind rather than manifesting in reality. But now, with a strict six-week timeline looming, I feel a renewed sense of purpose and a burst of energy. This is the perfect catalyst to transform all those scattered ideas and design concepts into a cohesive, beautiful, and functional master bedroom space. The thought of a looming deadline can be daunting, but for creative projects like this, it’s often the best way to spark action and bring a vision to life.

Today marks the beginning of our journey, and I want to take you on a detailed tour of how our master bedroom has evolved since we first purchased our home nine years ago. It’s been quite a transformation over the years, and you can see all our remodeling posts here for a comprehensive look at our home’s journey. Beyond the historical overview, I’ll also be sharing the exciting, albeit flexible, plan I have for this current bedroom redo during the One Room Challenge. To ensure you don’t miss any part of this exciting transformation, I’ll be diligently updating this very post with direct links to all my weekly ORC updates, making them super easy for you to find and follow along:

Thrifted Oil Paintings Gallery Wall and A Basket: ORC Week Two
Plate Wall & Coral Additions {ORC 3)
How To Hang a Plate Wall {ORC 4}
Lamp Makeover, Pillows & Cabinet Styling {ORC 5}
Coral & Green Master Bedroom Reveal

To truly appreciate the transformation we’re about to undertake, it’s best to start at the very beginning. This image captures our master bedroom exactly as it was when we first viewed the house back in 2004. Even though it was the early 2000s, the room was unmistakably and firmly stuck in a time warp – specifically, the 1980s. Everything from the dark, heavy wallpaper to the overall aesthetic screamed a bygone era. Stripping that wallpaper was an epic undertaking, a true test of patience and endurance. You see that faint smile on my face while I’m stripping wallpaper in the photo? I believe that was one of the *only* moments of joy or even mild amusement I experienced during the *entire week* it took to painstakingly strip this room, along with our daughter’s room. It was a messy, physically demanding, and often frustrating process, but knowing the potential beneath those layers of outdated decor kept me going.

After enduring the wallpaper stripping ordeal, the real work of transforming the space began. We started by painting the previously dark wood ceiling, instantly brightening the room and creating a more open, airy feel. Next, we added a charming French door, which not only improved the room’s flow but also brought in much-needed natural light and a touch of architectural character. We then installed a beautiful faux board-and-batten treatment, adding texture, depth, and a classic cottage appeal to the walls. Looking back, after all that effort, I was incredibly happy with the initial results of our first major remodel. It felt like a breath of fresh air, a complete departure from its 1980s origins, and truly reflected our style at the time.

Even though we were still living with that awful, worn-out carpet from the house’s original state, I genuinely loved the tranquil and restful atmosphere we had created in the master bedroom. Green has always been my favorite color, so I remained completely content with that calming color choice for years. In fact, a few years later, I even painted the walls with a slightly deeper shade of green to enhance its serene quality. However, as often happens with decor, I’ve gradually grown a bit bored with the current look over the last few years. My creative ~~whims~~ ideas, or rather, evolving design preferences, have led me to move various pieces of furniture and decor in and around the room. While these were individual attempts to refresh the space, they’ve unfortunately only contributed to making the room feel disjointed and unfinished rather than updated. It’s time for a cohesive vision to bring it all together.

This brings us to the present day, the starting point for our One Room Challenge journey. As you can see, the bedroom is “nice,” it’s comfortable, but it definitely lacks any truly fun, exciting, or intentional design elements. It feels functional but devoid of personality and a cohesive aesthetic. On the bright side, the dreadful carpet is finally gone! A few years ago, we replaced it with our inventive and budget-friendly brown paper flooring treatment, which offers a beautiful, unique alternative to traditional wood floors. Now, the main challenge is to introduce more intentional decor onto the walls, and importantly, declutter some of the items currently residing on the floor. I also haven’t been entirely happy with the thrift store lamps I painted last year. My intention was a mercury glass effect with silver paint, but they ended up looking more like plain stainless steel, unlike the incredibly successful and cool mercury glass pumpkin redo that turned out absolutely perfect. The beauty of DIY projects, however, is that if a particular attempt doesn’t quite hit the mark, it’s usually easy and affordable to try again with a different approach, which is exactly what I plan for these lamps.

When we first moved into the house, I meticulously made the Roman shades for these windows using a lovely green ticking stripe fabric. They served us well for nine years, providing privacy and a touch of handcrafted charm. However, after nearly a decade, they are understandably dirty, worn, and simply no longer align with my evolving aesthetic. I’m ready for something fresh and different, a new window treatment that will infuse the room with renewed energy. It’s definitely time to inject some more vibrant color into the space. Lately, I’ve been completely captivated by coral; its cheerful and warm tones feel incredibly appealing. What’s more, I absolutely adore how coral looks when paired with green – they create a sophisticated yet lively combination. So, my vision for this master bedroom refresh involves strategically adding thoughtful pops of coral to complement and enhance our existing white/cream and green color scheme, creating a dynamic and inviting atmosphere.

With all that in mind, here is my ambitious plan for the next six weeks of the One Room Challenge. While I’ve laid out a clear roadmap, it’s important to remember that design projects, especially under a tight deadline, can evolve. So, this plan is subject to change – you never truly know what creative twists and turns might emerge! However, this is the current blueprint for transforming our master bedroom into the serene yet vibrant retreat I envision:

Create a Dynamic Plate Wall: Above the bed, I envision a captivating plate wall. I plan to incorporate a collection of plates in varying shades of white, green, and coral. I believe the graceful round shapes of the plates will offer a beautiful visual contrast and help balance out the more angular, boxy mirrors that currently flank the bed, adding softness and a unique focal point.
Reimagine Our Lamps: The thrift store lamps are getting a second chance! I intend to repaint their bases to better suit our new color palette. For the shades, I’m exploring options to add interesting texture or perhaps a subtle stencil pattern. My previous attempt to add coral with ribbon on the shades, regrettably, turned out looking more pink than coral, so a new approach is definitely in order for a more sophisticated finish.
Craft a Graphic Decorative Pillow: To instantly update the bedding and introduce more of our accent color, I will make a new decorative pillow. I’m on the hunt for a striking graphic coral fabric that will provide a bold and stylish pop of color against the existing linens.
Curate an Original Art Wall: We’ve accumulated a wonderful collection of original artwork from various thrift store adventures over the years. I plan to create a cohesive gallery wall featuring these cherished pieces. Many years ago, Brian even made this funny video about his thrifted ‘bad art’ collection, showcasing some of these treasures. This wall will add personality and a unique, personal touch to the room.
Update the Duvet: A fresh duvet can dramatically change the feel of a bedroom. I will either make or purchase a new duvet that complements the coral and green theme, serving as a clean and stylish foundation for the bedding ensemble.
Find a Functional Basket: My antique sewing machine currently serves as my nightstand, offering charm but lacking enclosed storage. I need to find the perfect basket that fits snugly underneath it, providing both practical storage and adding a layer of texture to the space.

Continuing with our detailed master bedroom plan, here are the remaining tasks that will bring cohesion and charm to the space:

Accent Pillow for the Chair: The armchair in the bedroom is comfortable but could use a vibrant touch. Adding a colorful pillow, likely in a coordinating coral or green pattern, will tie it into the room’s new aesthetic and provide an inviting accent.
Thoughtful Dresser Styling: My dresser often becomes a magnet for clutter, detracting from the room’s overall serenity. A key part of this refresh will be to meticulously edit and style the dresser to be less cluttery. This means thoughtfully selecting a few meaningful decorative items and ensuring the surface remains organized and visually appealing, creating a sense of calm and order.
Window Treatment Decision: The old Roman shades are on their way out. I’m currently weighing my options: either purchasing new bamboo blinds for a natural, textural look, or investing time in thoroughly cleaning and possibly repurposing the existing Roman shades if they can be revived to a satisfactory standard. Bamboo blinds offer a fresh, modern cottage feel, while reusing the existing shades would be a more budget-friendly and sustainable choice.
Address the Corner Lamp: There’s a lamp in the corner of the room that, frankly, I don’t really use. It’s become more of a dust collector than a functional light source. My plan is to either paint it to give it a new lease on life and better integrate it into the room’s design, or simply remove it entirely to declutter the space and free up valuable floor area.
Rehang the Door Mirror: The mirror on our door is currently hung in an awkward position or perhaps isn’t securely fastened. Rehanging it properly will ensure it is functional, aesthetically pleasing, and safe, contributing to the room’s overall polished look.
Replace Dusty Dried Flowers: The dusty, years-old dried flowers from the backyard have long overstayed their welcome. They contribute to a dated and neglected feel. My final touch will be to replace them with something – *anything* – else that is fresh, vibrant, and alive, bringing new life and a delightful fragrance into the master bedroom. Perhaps a new plant or fresh cut flowers will be the perfect final flourish.

Well, what do you think? Can I really accomplish all of this in just six weeks? It’s an ambitious list, but I’m ready to embrace the challenge and the creative process. Stay tuned to find out if I succeed in transforming our master bedroom into the refreshed, coral and green oasis I’ve envisioned!