Six weeks ago I joined the One Room Challenge hosted by Calling it Home. The premise is simple: start and finish a room renovation in six weeks.
Today is week six, and this post would normally be the big reveal.
Unfortunately, I’m not quite there yet.
I debated whether to even link this update with the other guest challengers tonight. Will the makeover police kick me out for not finishing on time? I hope not.
This situation reminds me of when I missed a college paper deadline and had to ask the professor for an extension after being quarantined with salmonella food poisoning (true story). He granted grace and an extension, and the paper eventually got turned in. I’m asking for the same kind of grace here—only mine is for a living room makeover.
The good news is I’ve had zero bouts of food poisoning. The bad news is the room isn’t ready for its reveal. So please accept this as my request for an extension—unfortunately, it looks like the finish line has been pushed out to July because a couch and rug are taking their time.
That said, real progress has been made, and I want to share where we are so far.
Here’s where we started:
My goal was to inject a more farmhouse-inspired aesthetic into the living and dining area of our small townhouse while keeping the space practical and welcoming.
I enlisted the help of Melissa from The Farmhouse Native for inspiration and guidance. She created two beautiful inspiration boards that helped me visualize how to blend styles and lay out the room.
Updated progress so far
1. We painted the dining room walls to match the rest of the space
One of the first big changes was painting the darker dining room walls to Simply White to create a cohesive, bright backdrop for the entire area. Below is the room at the start:
And here’s how it looks now after painting:
The lighter walls create a clean canvas that lets furniture and accessories stand out and gives the whole space a fresh, airy feel.
2. Added extensions to the Billy bookcases to reach the ceiling
To make the bookcases feel built-in and maximize storage and display space, I added a Billy bookcase extension so they now nearly meet the ceiling.
Before:
Now:
I’m planning a few more updates for this area—styling the shelves and finding a neater solution for the TV cable box and Wi‑Fi router, which always seem so obnoxious in plain view.
3. Farmhouse table / office desk makeover
I refreshed my small farmhouse table that doubles as an office desk. The makeover brought new life to the piece and better suits the updated room style.
Before:
After:
If you enjoy DIY furniture transformations, I documented the steps for stripping paint and refinishing a farmhouse table as part of this project.
4. I ordered the couch
This was a significant milestone for me—picking and committing to a sofa felt like a major decision. I even talked through my purchasing struggles during a Facebook Live session.
While I shared the process on social media, the delivery timeline has stretched, which is a big reason the final reveal is delayed.
5. Rug ordered
I found a rug I love, but its arrival has been postponed to mid-July. It appears my couch and rug are determined to arrive together, which will delay final styling and the full reveal.
There are a few more projects ready to go; I’m simply waiting for a day when my husband and I are both available to tackle them together. I’ll continue to document progress and share updates.
Special thanks to Melissa from The Farmhouse Native for collaborating on this makeover. Her design guidance, inspiration boards, and encouragement have been invaluable as I made decisions about layout, paint, and styling.
We also hosted a DIY and decor workshop on Facebook Live that covered shopping your house, choosing paint colors, and working with a budget. Replays are available on our social channels for anyone seeking design direction.
I’ll post further updates as progress continues. If you want behind-the-scenes photos and short updates, follow along on Instagram and Facebook.
Thank you, dear readers, for your patience and grace on this One Room Challenge makeover. Your encouragement motivated me to start, and with a little extra time we’ll reach the finish line and share the full reveal.