ORC Spring '24: The Concept

Hey friend. Thank you for coming back for an update on my ORC journey, especially since I didn't write anything last week...

It has been a sad couple of weeks in our household. Jack, our dog, passed away last Monday and I've been absolutely heartbroken. His health hasn't been the greatest for a while, and Sam and I had been preparing ourselves to say goodbye, but you're never actually ready when the time comes. I'm glad he is at peace now and no longer in any pain, I wish he could still be here me. This bedroom refresh is a welcome distraction as we grieve the loss of our fur baby and we slowly put our lives back together.

The Layout

The overall layout of the room isn't going to change as far as where the major furniture pieces live. I've moved around these little furniture blocks every which way, just in case there was another option I wasn't seeing, but at the end of the day this is the best use of space for the flow we want to have in the room.

So what has changed? Good question. If you'll remember our #1 pain point in the room was the traffic flow. I moved the laundry sorters from under the western window to flank either side of the dresser. Y'all they JUST fit with less than an inch wiggle room on either side. Talk about meant to be! With the sorters moved it opens up the pathway to the dresser to exactly 41", which is a very comfortable width for Sam and I to pass each other.

To take further advantage of the space to the sides of the dresser, and address pain point #3 (lack of closet & storage space) I would like to add clothing racks above the laundry sorters. The idea is to put the clothes that we don't use as often in these spots, Like the winter coats we only use for one month out of the year. I would also like to hang curtains to create a faux wardrobe so that everything can be contained and isn't creating a lot of visual stress.

The only other change to the layout is the addition of a narrow shoe sorter cabinet to go behind the powder room door. Sam's shoes currently do not have a place to live, so they will be happy to have a dedicated home. And, if I do a little editing of my collection, most of my shoes would be able to relocate from the closet and go into the cabinet as well, freeing up a good portion of space for clothes to move in.

The Concept Design

For the color scheme, I wanted to come up with a palette that would work with our walls (remember we're not allowed to paint), and our current sheet sets because they are still in great condition. I also wanted to add in a bit of forest green because that is Sam's favorite color. Well, to be specific, his favorite color is British Racing Green, but they're both blue-green hues so I think we'll be fine.

I love getting my color palettes from nature and I found a lovely picture of a foggy pine forest that had all the colors I was looking for. I especially liked the small splash of honey yellows that added warmth and balance to all of the cool toned colors. This image set the stage for everything else I selected for the mood board.

Paint dot #1 is our current wall color, Pediment by Sherwin Williams. Paint dot #2 is the color of our bed sheets. Paint dot #5 is a pretty close match to Sam's British Racing Green. Abstract artwork "Into the Woods" by Sebastian CiuCiu.

I'm going to follow the basic 60/30/10 rule for the color distribution in our room. Dedicating roughly 60% of the color to a mix of dusty greens and forest greens, 30% to blacks and grays, and 10% to warm honeys.

We're not really big "pattern" people, so instead I opted for texture in the concept design. For example, finding a duvet set that is one color throughout with a textured pattern for visual interest instead of a printed one. For more texture I want to add some fluting to our flat IKEA dresser drawers, and find a shoe cabinet with some caning or rattan detail. When I showed Sam this mood board he was apprehensive about the amount of texture going on, but I have a feeling once he sees the 3D renders he'll feel better about it. It does seem like a lot when all the inspiration images are right next to each other.

Some Proof of Concept Pictures

Sometimes you just have to see something in real life. I have a better time imagining in my head how things will look, but Sam needs to see it. Enjoy some "see darling, it's going to work!" pictures.

Don't worry! I'll share the 3D renders with y'all next week. Sam and I are currently discussing the proper height to hang curtains at and the right length they should be so I'm putting together multiple options. Keep an eye out to vote on which version you like the best.