First One Room Challenge

Finished bathroom

Twice a year, for several years, The One Room Challenge commences.

I had been following a long for some time and almost thought my living room renovation would be worthy of it. But alas, I was still drumming up the confidence that I could do it, not the confidence that I could share it publicly. Once the living room was finally completed in January of 2021, 6 months after it had started, I set my sights on The One Room Challenge.

I wasn’t going to do my kitchen, not yet, I needed to do a smaller, more manageable room first. A powder bathroom would be perfect. And since my powder bathroom had some oddities and some blah-dities, I was confident I could take it down to the studs and back again in 8 weeks.

Of course it wouldn’t do to just add lights, wallpaper and a cool feature wall that went up the ceiling. No, I had full confidence in my woodworking abilities after the living room and felt certain a custom-made, floating vanity would easily happen.

I ordered the wallpaper, the lights, and the sink. Found the exact wall-mounted faucet I wanted for a steal at a yard sale (I don’t frequent yard sales which made it even sweeter) and found a new lumber yard (as opposed to the home improvement stores I usually frequent) and went to find a piece of wood I liked best with everything.

I found hickory.

Novice me had no idea that hickory is not just a hardwood but a hard wood.

I waited for the One Room Challenge and dove in. The first week was exhilarating, rip all the things out. There are so many big changes, so much confidence and energy and belief that I can accomplish everything in 8-weeks. And then by week three when I still had open walls, still had to plumbing to do, electrical to do, and it’s all starting to feel too big—especially when more seasoned Challengers are starting to paint and wallpaper.

Nevertheless she slogged on.

When I finally got wallpaper on the walls it felt like a corner was turned. That doesn’t mean it went faster or was all down hill, but it meant all the behind-the-walls was finally completed and the pretties get to go back in.
Buuutttt—

The challenge timeline had completed.

Not that I couldn’t do the job if it wasn’t connected to a challenge, nor was I disqualified by any means, it just meant whatever I finished AFTER the challenge wasn’t going to be featured in the challenge. Which is a bit of a disappointment, because I wanna be featured!

I did, however, make some amazing connections with peers during the challenge and that made up for the fact I didn’t finish “in time” and wasn’t going to be featured.

It took me two more months. Cutting and framing a mirror (I broke it wrong and had to figure out how to sand glass???) I also added a slat wall feature that went up the mirror wall and to the ceiling. It’s gorgous.
Did I mention the vanity? The FLOATING (but actually securely attached to the wall) vanity?

Three drawers for all the storage you could ever want in a powder bathroom, two of the drawers nest inside the big main one, perfect for feminine hygiene products I don’t want getting scattered among the extra toilet paper, soap, and towels.

And the Hickory? How does that come into play?

I had all the confidence and none of the skill, and glued it up wonky. I know now I needed to plane it, use biscuits or dowels to help with alignment, and clamp it way better. So what’s the troubleshoot when you don’t know all that and glue it together wonky? Take it to the new favorite wood store who also offers affordable milling services and have them sand it down to flat.

All crises adverted next up was getting the sink attached.

You want to know what I love most about woodworking? People who do it are SO EXCITED to help and share and teach. Through the grapevine I found a friend who has a lot more woodworking tools than me and he lent me a jigsaw for the sink install!! Do you know, a year later and I still don’t own one yet.

Having a vanity and sink installed really felt like the finish line was insight. I just needed to do the floor, baseboards, touch-up paint, and decor.

With the dark space I decided to go light on the floor. A year with the light floors and I like the look, but don’t love how dirty they look. It’s fine, I need things to look dirty so I remember to clean them (thanks adhd brain).

Now that we’re on decor, lets do a quick rewind to the beginning. See I was inspired by Carmeon Hamilton’s tiger print wallpaper in her hallway. I looked everywhere for a tiger wallpaper that would give me the feel, without 1. copying and 2. be within my budget. I couldn’t find one. So when I found this Japanese-inspired wallpaper I loved the feel of it, even though it lacked the cats. Now cue the decor.

I started looking for art, sculptures, anything that would fit my very specific vision… and nothing.

So I made it. From clay, after watching a few videos about sculpting, while studying pictures of cloud leapords.

Pretty soon I’m going to offer a couple of these sculptures in my store.

He’s the perfect little finish to this bathroom.