Hello Friends! Can you believe it, we’re at the halfway point of One Room Challenge and I’m living for the extra two weeks this round! Quick reminder, One Room Challenge is all about the process of re-imagining a space in 6 weeks (this round have an extra two weeks to transform our spaces due to Covid-19) and sharing the design process from start to finish. This round of One Room Challenge, I’m thrilled to be a Featured Designer, every Wednesday on my blog for 8 consecutive weeks. For my One Room Challenge, I’m giving my backyard cottage a makeover inside and out! I’ve linked my weekly blog posts below and you can also see the progress in real-time as I shared on Instagram & Instagram Stories, follow me here I’m also saving my IG Stories to my ORC 2020 Spring Highlight.

COTTAGE STUDIO UPDATES & PROJECT LIST

Last week I shared the exterior design plans for my Cottage Studio and not a lot outside or inside has happened! This week I have lots of roll-over projects that didn’t get tackled.

Over the weekend, Hasani and I made the firm decision to install sod in our backyard! We figure we’re working on making the cottage look its best inside and out and our yard has never fully recovered since installing, our cottage so now is the time! We initially planned on doing this in the Fall, but with spending so much time at home we want to have a backyard for everyone to enjoy. So over the weekend, we began the process of removing the grass, then regrading the yard, and so on. I should also mention it was 100+ all weekend! #TooHot

But I made progress in other areas. First up, two of the four Roman Shades in the cottage are complete and with the help of my friend the other two will get done this week! I shared the Roman Shades on Instagram Stories and got a ton of requests for a How-To. I’ll document the process while tackling the two roman shades.

Next, the paver stone cottage step is almost completed! I love how the step provides a nice landing and looks so cute! I need to glue the stone steps down and then add paver sand in between the joints. Even though I’m not doing pavers the traditional way, I think the paver sand with help secure joints and give the pavers a uniform look and fill in the little gaps shown below. I landed this placement for the stone step.

One big update, that I’m happy to share is the exterior lighting. I finally found the perfect light fixture and it looks amazing! Finding the right light fixture for the cottage has been super tricky! The light fixture placement is above the door, the roofline has a low pitch and tiny eves, making finding the right light extra hard. Thankfully the new light, is perfect and pretty and modern. I really didn’t want a barn light fixture, I wanted something a little more streamline and if possible with glass.

Herre’s my new light! I ended up going with the Westminster Black Outdoor Lantern, its a great exterior light and under $60!

Hasani, insisted I go with the Philips Vintage Style Light Bulb, and I’m so glad I did! The new light bulb feels like the perfect companion to the exterior light.

WEEK FOUR PROJECT LIST

Cottage Studio Interior

Install Quarter Round Moulding (half the room is done!)
Caulk & Paint Trim + Touch up walls
Paint Interior Cottage Door Downtown Grey
DIY Roman Shades, Two are done and look amazing

Cottage Studio Exterior

Scrape Old Paint Around Glass, Caulk Around Exterior Window Frame and Paint Exterior Door
Build a DIY Paver Stone Step, DONE!
Move Potting Bench on the side of Cottage (this week!)
Install Door Hardware

This week furniture is arriving for the Cottage and I counld’t be happier! Please follow me on Instagram I will share all the behind the scenes details, the good and the bad! I can’t wait to have a creative office space again, that feels like me and gets me excited to get some work done!

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY FELLOW ONE ROOM CHALLENGE FEATURED DESIGNERS BELOW

The real MVP’s of the One Room Challenge are my Design Collaboration partners for believing in me and being so supportive and making everything come together. Huge thank you to my ORC Design Collaboration Partners: APT2B, Calico Corners, Emtek Hardware, Handy Products, Hudson Valley Lighting, Velux, Overstock , The Home Depot, and Scandinavian Designs.

Hello and big Welcome to Week Three of One Room Challenge. As I move further into the design and execution of my transforming my Cottage Studio, I’m getting so excited. Little by Little, this space is feeling transformed. Quick reminder, One Room Challenge is all about the process of re-imagining a space in 8 weeks and sharing the design process from start to finish. This round of One Room Challenge, I’m thrilled to be a Featured Designer, every Wednesday on my blog for 8 consecutive weeks, I’m sharing the process of giving my backyard cottage studio a makeover inside and out! Be sure and check out my previous weeks linked below

Cottage Studio Exterior Design Plan

I’m so excited to share the progress of my cottage studio, my project list for week three, and my exterior plans! Last week I shared the design board for my cottage studio, which details all the elements I plan to implement into my space. The weather in Sacramento has been perfect, which means I need to start working implementing my exterior changes to the cottage now, before the Summer heat hits! My idea of fun is not doing yard work in a 100+ degree weather, you feel me!

It’s taken me a while to land on a design plan for the exterior of my cottage, I had some design aspects in my mind, but nothing was concrete. Whenever I get stumped tackling a design project, I go back to my original inspiration source and look at the elements I love and that inspire me. My goal for the exterior of my cottage is to make it look very intentional in our backyard and up the charm factor, and well make it look like a mini cottage. I want the little garden bed in front of the cottage to be overflowing with flowers variety of flowers. Currently, two flower types dominate the garden beds. I plan on moving my existing potting bench to the empty side of the cottage, which will give that area of my backyard more depth (plus free-up space for shrubs in another garden bed) This coincides with shopping my home and re-purposing ‘things’ I already own.

The step in front of the cottage needed a re-do, at first I was thinking of using Trex Decking to build a little step, but after coming across this pin. I was super inspired. I’ve been a long-time reader of Jenny of Juniper Home and love her blog. I loved the little playhouse she built her kids and I loved the paver stone steps she built! I’m going to DIY a Paver Stone Step for my cottage and using the same pavers build a little pathway in front of the garden bed.

3aa47319c906a61e19f8dfef45b124dc (1).jpg

images via Juniper Home and The Visual Vamp

We currently have large pavers in our yard that create a path to our patio, but I’ve never been a fan. After talking with Hasani we decided to move them and use them as a base for the potting bench and skip the pathway. It doesn’t rain much here and on the days it is raining I’ll wear my rain boots to walk to the cottage through the grass.

After polling everyone over the weekend on Instagram, I got the push to paint the cottage front door! I landed on a pretty blue-green shade called Bariton from Glidden. I’m painting the door this week! The exterior of the cottage will stay the same color as my house and I’ll give the trim around the door a fresh coat of Ultra White Paint my Behr.

PRO TIP // When looking for the perfect paint color for your front door. Tape paint swatches on the door and to see how the color looks throughout the day. Remember in full sun the color will look more washed out and read lighter. I also love buying small paint samples and painting large swatches on paper and having them or painting large swatches directly on the door.

The front door hardware is getting a big upgrade, YAY! I quickly fell in love with Transition Heritage Monolithic doorstep from Emtek Hardware in a beautiful Stan Brass finish. The door hardware is amazing and it’s going to take the door of the cottage to the next level. The hardware I selected comes in seven different finishes and Emtek lets you customize the inside handle of the door. You can go with either a knob or lever pull. For my door hardware, I choose the L Squared level pull. The hardware feels like jewelry on my cottage door inside and out! Below is my Exterior Design board for the cottage!

Sources: CedearLast Potting Bench (out of stock) Similar Cedar Potting Bench, Emtek Door Hardware, Matte Barn Light, Concrete Planter

One element of the exterior of my cottage that is still influx is the lighting! I have a few lighting options in mind and I can’t decide! I love mixing and matching finishes and decided on a black. finding the right light has been tricky, for a few reasons. The light fixture is located above the cottage front door, there’s not a room above the door for a large gooseneck. Here’s three below that have caught my eye.

matte-black-globe-electric-outdoor-sconces-44569-64_1000.jpg

Shop the Look

Cottage Studio Updates // New Flooring

On Saturday Hasani and I installed the new flooring and its a #GameChanger. After looking samples at The Home Depot, I fell in love with Pergo Outlast+ Flooring in Marigold Oak . The flooring looks incredible and I’m so happy with how it looks! The installation process went pretty smooth! I used the online calculator on The Home Depot website to help determine how many boxes of flooring we would need, the estimator suggested seven boxes, we ended up using six boxes and returning one box. Before installing the new flooring we laid down Pergo FloorMate underlayment, the underlayment has built-in tape which makes it super easy to install.

To install the flooring we used Laminate Flooring Installation Kit, which includes spacers, tapping block, and pull bar along with Rubber Mallet. These tools made the installation so much easier, the Pergo Outlast+ Flooring. The flooring is waterproof, which makes the installation tricker than typical laminate flooring, all the joints have to be completely locked in. Once we got the hang of the installation it took a little over four hours.

Next up, we’ll install quarter round molding to complete the floors. I’m so thrilled with how everything turned out and I’m in love with the floors. The Marigold Oak is a beautiful modern natural oak color and is so warm and helps make the small space appear spacious.

WEEK THREE PROJECT LIST //

Cottage Studio Interior

Install Quarter Round Moulding
Caulk & Paint Trim + Touch up walls
Paint Interior Cottage Door Downtown Grey
DIY Roman Shades

Cottage Studio Exterior

Scrape Old Paint Around Glass, Caulk Around Exterior Window Frame and Paint Exterior Door
Build a DIY Paver Stone Step and Paver Pathway
Move Potting Bench on the side of Cottage
Install Door Hardware

Please follow me on Instagram I will share all the behind the scenes details, the good and the bad! I can’t wait to have a creative office space again, that feels like me and gets me excited to get some work done! Next week, I have some major pieces arriving for the interior of the cottage and I’m super excited!

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY FELLOW ONE ROOM CHALLENGE FEATURED DESIGNERS BELOW

A Glass of Bovino | Beginning in the Middle | Beth Diana Smith | Clark + Aldine | Coco & Jack

Deeply Southern Home| Design Maze | Dwell by Cheryl | Erika Ward | Home Made by Carmona

Veneer Designs| Rambling Renovators | Renovation Husbands | Studio Plumb | Media BH&G

The real MVP’s of the One Room Challenge are my Design Collaboration partners for believing in me and being so supportive and making everything come together. Huge thank you to my ORC Design Collaboration Partners: APT2B, Calico Corners, Emtek Hardware, Handy Products, Hudson Valley Lighting, Velux, and Scandinavian Designs.

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on my Exterior Design Plans for my Cottage Studio! What exterior lights do you love the most? And most importantly, what do you think of the new flooring? Are you blown away, like I am! Sound off below.