Wildflower Home Blog | Sunshine Suite Bedroom – ORC Week 1

I’m finally doing it! I’m participating as a guest in the 2020 Better Homes and Gardens – One Room Challenge, and I’m actually going to do it this time! Noelle’s Sunshine Suite Bedroom is the space I’m making over. I’ve wanted to do this for so many years, and I signed up twice, but it has never worked out for me to complete the challenge…or even get started…until now. 

When I registered for the ORC a few months ago, I stated that I was going to be doing both Hannah’s and Noelle’s bedrooms during the original six-week challenge. Now that I’m wrapping up Hannah’s bedroom, I’m cracking up that I ever thought that was humanly possible. I’m so excited that the timing still worked out for me to do both rooms and enter the One Room Challenge without feeling completely overwhelmed. 

Sunshine Suite Bedroom Design Plan

Noelle is my sunshine girl, bursting with color and life, and I’m happy to say her room will definitely reflect that. She has requested lemon wallpaper, lots of color, a cozy reading nook, and possibly a canopy over her bed. I have a few surprises up my sleeve for Noelle, and I can’t wait to see her reaction to her room reveal. 

The Sunshine Suite Plan Includes:

• Lemon wallpaper
• Lots of blue
• A killer built-In
• Reupholstering her bed
• Lots of fun art
• Skimcoating
• Beadboard
• Reading nook
• New fan
• Repainting her dresser
• New mirror
• Fun rug
• Custom artwork
• Possibly a new window and/or a bed canopy
• Lots of magical touches

Inspiration

In order to keep costs within budget, I decided not to wallpaper Noelle’s entire room. Instead, I’ll install beadboard wainscoating three quarters of the way up each wall and add wallpaper above that. I’m using the same shade of blue seen in this incredible design by Sabbe Interiors, including the crown molding. 

Noelle’s room only has one window, and natural light is, in my opinion, the most important thing in any room design. So, we have been looking at adding a window over her bed. However, Noelle has begged for a bed canopy for years because she loves the look and she says it will help her sleep better. This unbelievable canopy is making her case pretty strong, so we’ll see what happens. 

This bedroom designed by Ginny MacDonald was the picture that started Noelle’s obsession with lemon wallpaper. Lulu and Georgia’s founder designed this wallpaper for her lemon-loving daughter, and we scooped it up on sale as fast as we could. I cannot wait to paper Noelle’s room with this happy wallpaper! 

Where We Started

When we bought this house, I knew I would do something special with the window niches that were in both girls’ rooms. I’ve already addressed Hannah’s niche and turned it into the perfect spot for a desk. I knew Noelle needed a cozy reading nook though. She loves small spaces and will probably end up sleeping in the nook as often as she can. 

The only improvement we made to this room upon moving in were painting the walls a light blush pink…and we didn’t even finish the whole room. 

But when my uncle came to stay with us for Thanksgiving, he was itching for a project, so I let him loose on Noelle’s built-ins. He had them up in three days, but was unable to finish the project during his visit. Even in November, I knew the One Room Challenge would be the perfect opportunity to complete what he started and breathe life into this space. 

Where We Are Now 

I was preparing for the ORC pre-Covid, so I’m feeling pretty ready for this. I already have artwork in hand, paint colors and fabrics selected, and lighting installed; basically a good head start on what is now an eight-week design challenge due to the quarantine. 

Still, there is a ton of work to be done. Jeff and I are tackling skim coating for wallpaper and a smooth ceiling first. I did this in Hannah’s room and a few other rooms, and it’s the worst DIY job ever. We are getting it out of the way so we can move on to the fun stuff!

This will be a fun journey, and I hope it inspires you. Be sure to check in on Instagram because that’s where I’ll be sharing the daily ins and outs of our ORC experience. And if you want to receive weekly updates on Noelle’s Sunshine Suite Bedroom, feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss a thing. 

It’s pretty cool to be a part of the ORC during such a historic time, and I hope watching us work on Noelle’s Sunshine Suite Bedroom brings some happiness into your life. 

As always…so glad you’re here!