20 “One Room Challenge” Makeovers That’ll Inspire You to Roll Up Your Sleeves

Over the past six weeks, a brave group of designers raced against the clock to refresh their least-favorite rooms — or update an entire home. Check out the jaw-dropping results for yourself, and then visit their blogs to see more of each space.

01 of 21

THE BACKSTORY

After last season’s impressive reveals, we’ve teamed up yet again with Linda Weinstein from Calling It Home for the One Room Challenge. This spring, 20 designers rushed to finish their chosen rooms while sharing their progress along the way. Now, they’re ready to show off what they accomplished.

02 of 21

AN OPEN KITCHEN

No, you don’t really need upper cabinets after all. Abby Manchesky never kept many dishes in her tiny kitchen anyway, so she now stashes her pieces right out in the open. The new shelves also set the stage for trendy green cabinets.

See more at Abby Manchesky »

ABBY MANCHESKY
03 of 21

A DREAMLIKE BEDROOM

Kate Riley wanted a “hazy zone” that would shift from night to day. She added lots of blues (including a pair of azure club chairs) and mixed metals to make her escape happen.

See more at Centsational Girl »

CENTSATIONAL GIRL
04 of 21

A SERENE NURSERY

With a baby on the way, Chris and Julia needed a space for their youngest daughter. A textured poof brings the cloud wallpaper into the third dimension — and provides a place for tired parents’ feet.

See more at Chris Loves Julia »

CHRIS LOVES JULIA
05 of 21

A BRIGHT BASEMENT

Christine Covey used three different Farrow and Ball shades — All Black, Wimborne White and Slipper Satin — to create her neutral backdrop.

See more at Christine Dovey »

CHRISTINE DOVEY
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A FRESH START

The nonprofit Dwell With Dignity completely overhauled this family home, bringing in new furniture and art with the help of design duo Gordon Dunning and almost 90 volunteers.

See more at Dwell With Dignity »

DWELL WITH DIGNITY
07 of 21

A CHARMING GUESTHOUSE

Erica Reitman reimagined her backyard guesthouse as a “cozy luxe boutique hotel room” for visiting Airbnb-ers. She kept her storage-savvy banquette (which holds sheets and towels) but added a new wallpaper “mural.”

See more at Erica Reitman »

ERICA REITMAN
08 of 21

A SLEEK KITCHEN

The corner window made hiding ventilation impossible, so Erin Williamson knew she needed a showstopper hood. The custom piece features tiny metal rods welded in a chevron pattern, just like the floor.

See more at Erin Williamson »

ERIN WILLIAMSON
09 of 21

AN AIRY BEDROOM

Caitlin Kruse swapped French door blinds for floor-to-ceiling curtains, but new baseboards and crown molding really gussy up her master suite.

See more at Glitter Guide »

GLITTER GUIDE
10 of 21

AN EMERALD BEDROOM

William and Susan Brinson created this elegant jewel box by going green. Lucky guests now sleep in a regal suite painted Farrow & Ball’s Inchyra Blue. 

See more at House of Brinson »

HOUSE OF BRINSON
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A MARBLED BATHROOM

Brit turned an unused closet into an en suite spa with a double vanity, but the herringbone tiles in the shower stall really steal the show.

See more at House Updated »

HOUSE UPDATED
12 of 21

A COLORFUL LIVING SPACE

Joanna chose this AllModern rug because it married her living and dining areas, but the piece also provided the room’s color palette. With navy as a base color, pinks, oranges and gold all make complementary appearances.

See more at J+J Design Group »

J+J DESIGN GROUP
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A RESTFUL LIVING ROOM

Jacquelyn Clark wanted a “sanctuary” for both entertaining and movie-watching. The fix? An extra-deep sectional from AllModern that’s both elegant and cozy. 

See more at Lark & Linen »

LARK & LINEN
14 of 21

A CHEERY DINING ROOM

A former white box got a brunch-ready makeover thanks to the new chair rail and gold paint. A live edge table adds some heft — and balances out the seriously-gorgeous chandelier.

See more at Old Brand New »

OLD BRAND NEW
 15 of 21

A SATURATED SUITE

For the sitting area outside of their master bedroom, Andy and Candis Meredith went with a rich clay color, but mounted a sculptural light to break out of “granny mode.”

See more at Old Home Love »

OLD HOME LOVE

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A PREPPY LIVING ROOM

Jen loves her traditional-style colonial, but she needed a little more personality in her home. The original mantel stayed, but nautical accents and a vintage shield mirror rev up the living room.

See more at Rambling Renovators »

RAMBLING RENOVATORS

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A WARM LIVING ROOM

Nicole Cohen embraced the midcentury vibes and decked out her living space with burl stools and cozy textiles. She customized the wood coffee table to fit the scale of the room. 

See more at Sketch 42 »

SKETCH 42

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A TWEEN BEDROOM

Erin’s daughter requested a purple bedroom — “the last color I want to design around,” the mom said. She kept lavender as an accent, but made the space more grown-up with cactus wallpaper.

See more at Suburban B’s »

SUBURBAN B’S

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A LUXE BEDROOM

The ceiling! The wallpaper! The carpet! There’s so much to discuss here, but the acrylic bed makes it all work. Holly Hollingsworth Phillips even treated herself to a new mattress too. 

See more at The English Room »

THE ENGLISH ROOM

 

 

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