One Room Challenge – Week 3 Spring 2020: Let's shop!
In Week 2, I revealed our design plan for the space, and now we’re ready to get this transformation started. That brings us to Step 3 of our design process – Procurement - and that means shopping!! Who doesn’t love the idea of shopping in Paris? Even though I didn’t exactly do that, here’s how I am bringing Paris into my home with furniture.
Unprecedented Times - Shopping in COVID-19:
As you’re all aware, we are living in unprecedented times with the outbreak of COVID-19. As a result of this pandemic, many industries and each of our lives have been changed. We’ve had to adjust to a new “norm”. Of course, the design industry has not been an exception. Everything has moved primarily to online i.e. shopping, meetings etc. and we aren’t able to go into stores or showrooms to see or feel merchandise.
From back-ordered stock and delayed deliveries to postponed consultations and installations, the trajectory of interior design has been temporarily shifted. This has been true for my One Room Challenge project as well. We’ve had a few items on back-order which has caused me to have to get a little creative with how I would approach sourcing furniture.
So, how did all of this play out…
The Sourcing Process
I definitely had to think out of the box to create my space. As mentioned in Week 2, I looked at my existing furniture to see what I could reuse. What pieces do I love that would work well in the style of the new transformed room. I love our existing wing back chairs and they have the elegance we’re looking for. Also, our beige sofa is the perfect foundation for the space. And there are a few other items like, some existing drapery and accessories.
I also decided that since we can’t go into stores and some items are on back-order I should explore sourcing locally. I started by perusing online second hand sites like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Yes, Craigslist. I know it’s a bit old-fashioned but there are still great deals on quality furniture pieces that can be customized to your own liking. After searching high and low online I discovered the Tahoe dining table by Four Hands, a manufacturer that I admire because of their commitment to quality materials. The shape, clean lines was contemporary but the rustic wood adds the perfect natural element to my dining room. It’s a gorgeous timeless piece discontinued by the manufacturer. And I found it! So undoubtedly, I bought it and at a fraction of the price.
Look at how beautiful it is!
Additionally, I have connected with a few sponsors for the One Room Challenge. Last week, I announced my partnerships with Sherwin Williams and Kichler Lighting and this week I am excited to announce a partnership with Surya (https://surya.com/ ). With over 60,000 Rugs and products Surya provides fresh, colorful, and on-trend options for every lifestyle and budget. I wanted an area rug that would ground the entire living room area and enhance the cozy feeling created by the fireplace. So I decided on the Surya Klein Rug in a size 9 x 13 (Surya Klein Rug)! I can’t wait to sit on this beautiful hand loomed rug in front of the fireplace!
Overall, this process has been a surprisingly reflective experience so far, as I am serving as both the designer and the client. It is helpful in reinforcing our design process as we go on. I am excited! As more and more packages arrive, the space is becoming more real!
I’ve also started painting and will share all the fun details of that process in next week’s post. See you there!
Don’t forget to check out the ORC blog page for other designers’ progress and more design inspiration!
http://www.oneroomchallenge.com/orc-blog
XoXo,
Rasheeda Gray
