ORC Spring 2024 Week 1!

One Room Challenge Springs 2024 | Week 1

It’s week 1 of the #ORC and we’re deep into it even though we’ve been a bit quiet on socials. We originally thought we were going to tackle the living room with this challenge, but things changed. As summer is approaching and Lucas will be home now with Jaxson, we realized we need a better plan for the boys. 

Our toy storage is not great and it’s a constant mess that gets cleaned up when Lucas is at school, but now that he’ll be staying home for the summer and then doing home schooling with us for the next year we need a more organized and intentional solution. 

Enter the loft. 

It’s a beautiful space that gets a lot of natural light. It was intended as another gathering or TV spot, but it feels right to turn it into a craft and play space. Especially since we can see directly into our neighbor’s house, so I’d rather not have it as a dedicated TV space. After doing some research on play room organization and drooling over the spaces created by GrOH playrooms, I fell in love with the idea of creating a light and bright space for the boys that can focus on their art, crafts, and skill learning, while keeping the gross motor play downstairs in the basement. Plus, we can build it so it can grow as they do…and maybe even mom can use it for her crafting area too. 

So, that means it needs to be pretty AND functional. The hallway to all of our rooms is connected to this space, so the loft also needs to flow with the hallway without the whole space becoming all kid all of the time. IYKYK. So here is the plan. The hallway will get a millwork treatment with picture frame molding boxes and chair rail. New lights will be added to the hallway. A ceiling millwork design on the loft area and new casing and trim on the windows. The main focal will have custom built cabinets and bookshelves for a mix of open and closed storage for the collection of Love Every toys, craft supplies, and books. Instead of a TV, we will mount a custom fabric covered bulletin board to display their artwork. On the window wall will have floating bookshelves and custom draperies. Add in some brightly colored furniture, awesome organizational tools, a new kids play table, and a sunshine rug to call our playroom loft area complete!

Image Credit: Left-The Simple Cozy Haven; Center-Pottery Barn; Right-Keri Rosenthal

I’m excited about this project because we’ll be taking our skills to the next level learning how to build cabinets and custom bookshelves. I also love millwork and any opportunity to add layers to the walls with pattern and design with woodwork. I’m also eager to get some family photos on the walls of the hallway to make this space more personal. 

Now of course, this is all subject to how things go, because life with two toddlers can be unpredictable and sometimes you just want to play instead of getting things done. 

Follow along on instagram @lueckyhome as we share the day-to-day of creating this loft play area!