It’s week 3, and if I stop for even one second to consider this project-in-full, I will implode. There, I got that out, and now I feel better. Truly, my life does not suck. We have a little money to spend on this project, everything is coming along well,  and so far, we have not given ourselves lead poisoning.  That third item on my gratitude list is a real thing. Cheers to us. Safety first!

If you are just joining in today, you might want to catch up on week 1 and week 2.

This past week, I struggled to keep up due to being sick. Andy said that my cold seemed almost as bad as the Man Flu, so I know it was pretty serious. I have no sarcastic retorts, but wearing a lead respirator when you have a stuffy nose is absolutely miserable. I know that for sure. It felt like I was suffocating.

Sticking to our separate tasks, Andy and I made good progress despite the fact that I was not at my best. Andy worked on the first stage of plaster repair, and I made a real dent in the window restoration after I got the top sashes unstuck from 125 year’s worth of old paint and caulk.

And this one just because she’s so cute.

(Don’t worry! She’s safe. The respirator was merely a precaution.)

Another big win this week is that we now have a ceiling!

The ceiling is a project that I hired out because I could not imagine Andy and I doing it without me crying a whole bunch, and I hate crying over stupid stuff. I would rather use my tears on The Best Moments from the 2017 Boston Marathon.  (Buckets of tears! Buckets!) In two hours, two guys accomplished what would have taken us two weeks. They will be back to complete some finish work, but I will be painting by the weekend.

The Design Plan

In other news, during the quiet moments, I ordered almost everything to decorate the library, and today, I can finally share the general plan.

(Sources: Rug :: Lamp :: Grasscloth Wallpaper :: Poäng Chair and Footstool :: Chalkboard Paint :: Bar Stools)

And there will be plants, lots and lots of plants.

The overarching goal is to make this a neat and tidy room that also feels like a happy and inspiring place to work. The library will be kid-friendly and flexible since we will use it for a variety of purposes.

Wallpaper Again?

We are using grasscloth wallpaper on three walls. I was still trying to decide what to do with the walls when we visited the Castle Gallery two weeks ago. The gallery is located in a restored Victorian, and they used grasscloth on the walls. Jody, who owns the gallery and restores old houses, said that since they move the art around all the time, grasscloth is very forgiving. They aren’t stuck patching the walls all the time. I realized that it made sense for our library too. Our kids are prolific artists, and I want the flexibility to change things up as often as we want without the hassle of repairs.

Speaking of art, we are reaching for the chalkboard paint again for the fourth wall. We are still so pleased with the chalkboard wall in the kitchen. We never tire of the possibilities. The library is bathed in natural light almost all day, so a dark wall will be appropriately dramatic vs. gloomy. The kids can draw to their hearts’ content.

Everything Else

I originally bought the lamps for the guest room, but I might steal them for the library. They look a little too tall in the guest room, but they are perfect for the library.

We already own the Poäng chair and footstool from Ikea. However, ours are chocolate brown leather which is no longer available. I put the black version on our mood board, but the brown will coordinate just fine. Eventually, I would love a comfy overstuffed chair for reading, but that is not in the budget this time around. The kids sit in the Poäng chair all the time to read, so I know it is comfortable enough.

The bar stools will tuck under the custom work table that I still have to make. Yikes! I can’t even think about that right now. Somehow, that is going to happen. You’ll have to trust me. (I’ll have to trust me!)

Week 4 Goals

Week 4 is going to take some serious dedication. By our next update, I intend to have the ceiling painted, the floors refinished, and the walls ready for paint and wallpaper. Writing that down makes me want to start day drinking. Fortunately, my health goals will win against that temptation.

It’s your turn to weigh in. Do you have any opinions or feedback on our plan? Keep in mind that my specialty is tearing things apart.  Putting it all back together is a skill that I am still developing.

Please head over to Calling It Home to take a look at all of the One Room Challenge™ rooms from the featured designers and the other guest participants too. I have so many favorite projects that I am following this year. I could easily lose a day or two each week catching up on everyone’s projects. I am pacing myself and reading a few each day. If there is a specific ORC project that is inspiring you during this challenge, feel free to post a link in the comments.

Also, we post real-time updates all week on Instagram. Head on over to stay in the loop between posts.