One Room Challenge Week Six: Lighting and Pattern

Victoria Ford

3 years ago

Hi hi! Welcome back to another week of the One Room Challenge with me. If you’re new here, welcome and let’s catch you up. One Room Challenge happens twice a year and was created to give designers and guest a place to design and cheer each other on. One Room Challenge is just that; a challenge to complete a space in six weeks (eight this year). We’re working on both a guest room and it’s adjoining bathroom. This week, we’re talking Lighting and fabric choices! Need more of a catch up?

Check out other weeks of this One Room Challenge

Week 1 / Week 2 / Week 3 / Week 4 / Week 5 / Week 6 / Week 7 / Week 8: Guest Room Reveal / Week 8: Bathroom Reveal

Sweating the Delays

What’s that you say? Still delays? Yes! If you read last weeks posts then you know the one item I need to start my bathroom renovation was delayed. I spent the better part of the last four days freaking out because it was originally scheduled for May 17th and expected for June 18th. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. The tub made it to the distribution center today. My precious and much beloved husband picked it up and we are now the proud owners of a new tub. Just a mere two weeks before the end of One Room Challenge, we can officially start our room.

Lighting

Now that I am no longer sweating profusely, let’s talk about the accents in the space. First, lighting! Lighting is my favorite and usually the first element I pick in the space besides the one that sparks joy. It makes a world of difference and is so pivotal to setting the tone in a room. With the exceptions of kitchens and bathrooms where task lighting is so key, I usually follow the simple plan of layered light in each space I design. There are certainly more intricate ways to choose lighting but I find that this works for me.

Tip 1: Layers of Light

Most rooms need a high, middle, and low source of lighting.

High (Ceiling fan or chandelier)
Middle (Floor lamp or wall sconce)
Low (Table lamps)

In our home we are unfortunately ceiling fan folks. I don’t love the look of them but when you live in the south, you often find yourself choosing function over form and circulation over pretties. It doesn’t mean that a fashionable ceiling fan is not an option. They’ve come a really long way since the 90s.

There are two options for ceiling fans; one that blends into the ceiling and one that stands out because it goes perfectly with your decor. I went for the latter when I selected the Arvada Ceiling fan in Anvil Iron for our guest room. We’ve owned Kichler fans before and they are balanced, quiet and effective. Doesn’t hurt that this one is quite cute. It looks great in the space without distracting from the rooms other elements.

For the rest of the guest room lighting, I kept it classic. I selected all aged brass pieces from Hudson Valley including the Girard Floor Lamp, Vernon Picture Light, and the Curves No 1 lamp. Each piece is classic but unique with it’s own touch of whimsy. Like the Curves No. 1 which I chose for the rattan wrap around the body. Any chance to add additional warmth and texture to the space is always a good choice for me. And by choosing the lamps in all the same finishes, they will call back to one another and relax the eye in spite of all of the moving parts. Which is good because I have quite a bit of pattern jumping off in this small space.

Pattern Play

I love pattern even more than I love color. I may have gone a little teeny bit over board in the guest room space here but I’ll tell you what I’m doing to keep it controlled and (hopefully) in order.

Tip 2: How to control pattern

Stay in the Same Color Family

I’ve stuck with my blue theme here and chose multiple blue fabrics from Fabricut’s Trend line. Staying in the same color family allows the space to be cohesive without feeling boring.

Use the same fabric multiple times

The Cadet rose to the top as my favorite. It’s the perfect combination of rustic and summery campy that I was looking for and makes for the perfect print to use in multiple ways. I’m using it in the guest room to create pillows and a seat cover. Using the same fabric in multiple ways will minimize chaos but create maximum effect.

Break up pattern with solids

I’m breaking up each pattern in the room by introducing solids and what I like to call, solid adjacent. All with the idea of giving the eye somewhere to rest between very busy patterns. For solids, I’ve introduced my favorite white desk and am keeping most of the bedding very clean and simple with a white comforter and sheet set. I’m also introducing a looks-like-a-solid with these diy curtains from Fabricut chambray fabric. While it’s not an overt pattern, the texture of the fabric adds another visual layer of interest.

Play with scale

I’m always up for varying the scale of the pattern. Some are teeny toiles and others are giant stripes. I also like to vary the scale of the objects themselves. For example, the wallpaper is this big swath of pattern. I’ll tie that it by matching it with the Jill Rosenwald Bee Bowl in Pripet print. This print is almost the exact same color as the wallpaper but the scale is smaller and no less eye catching. I have loved Jill’s pieces forever. they themselves are a lesson in pattern play and I am so excited to introduce them into this space. I plan to use the bee bowl as a vase. It’s going to look so lovely filled to the brim with flowers. Also, have you ever seen a piece that is more me?

Okay that’s all I’ve got for now. Hopefully this time next week, I have fully installed fixtures and some tile work done. Pray for me yall. In the mean time, go see what the other featured designers are up to!