The Reveal of Creating a Keeping Room

The final reveal of Creating a Keeping Room has been a mad rush for Week 8 of the One Room Challenge. Composing the initial look due to delays in receiving the furniture leads to shopping for the home to make the deadline.

Week 8 has been challenging, but I am excited to say I pulled it off because of the excellent contractors I have and made it happen. From Monday, when the electrician came to install the final sconces and light switch outlets, to today, Thursday, Week 8’s reveal, when my painter and wallpaper installer, John Pearl from D & R Painting, made the effort to get it done.

ORC Progress, Just In the Nick of Time

The week started out with the electrician installing the sconces and the final electrical while I was in California's Mojave Desert. I wasn't sure how it was going until my daughter sent me some photographs. She was staying at the house and overseeing the project, I was relieved that the sconces were up and lit.

If you remember, during Week 7, Thursday and Friday, my contractor came by to install the tracks for the sliding pocket mirrors that would cover the windows at night and hide behind the bookcases during the day. He also installed the bookcases at that time and the crown molding.

Wednesday was a big day. Josh, the tile installer, arrived to install the pebble stone on the fascia of the fireplace and to create and install the side panels of the fireplace bump out. This was a huge accomplishment, and just in time. John Pearl, my painter, and wallpaper hanger, arrived to install the Phillip Jeffries Wabi Sabi wallpaper on the back side of the bookcases and over the fireplace mantle. He finished part one in the afternoon and returned this morning to install the Zoffany by Sanderson Woodland Chorus wallpaper on the back of the pocket mirrors. The idea was that when the mirrors slide across the windows for privacy, from the window view outside, you would be looking at Woodland Chorus that has birds and birds’ nests and trees in the garden and just so beautiful and fitting, as the home’s garden runs in front of these windows.

Delivery Disappointment

My only disappointment was that I was informed that the Four Seasons chairs ordered at the beginning of February would not be coming in now until mid to end of August. Having to be creative, I took the Uttermost chairs that I have in my master bedroom, with a coffee table I purchased in 2000 from the Boston Design Center at a sample sale, from, I believe, Antiques on five at the time. The top coffee table base and trim were too dark for the keeping room. I painted it this afternoon in Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace. Which is a very white color. However, I did not have time to tone down the white. It really did not look so bad with the travertine marble top of the table.

I knew I could make everything look cohesive and work with what I had. I was also keeping my fingers crossed that my photographer could come and photograph the big reveal. However, she was not available at the last minute because I never got definite schedules from the contractors on certain days. Another compromise, I had to photograph the final reveal of the keeping room myself. I will update my reveal post with professional photography once the furniture comes in. I have to say, I love the new keeping room even if my chairs are not included at this time.

I should mention that the 1960’s semi flush light fixture in wrought iron white was from my parents. I’ve taken this and the matching pendant light to incorporate into my own home. The keeping room just wouldn’t be right without incorporating some of our family heirlooms, staying true to my design aesthetic. Jaimie, my fiance, got so excited when it came time to style the shelving of the bookcases. He also brought up from the basement some of his family treasures. Some you’ll notice are the original Gloucester, MA, photos on the shelves. We also plan to place more family photos in smaller frames on the shelves as we’ve never really had a place for them before the keeping room was created.

Another little element that was added to the keeping room was a small 24” TV over the fireplace mantel. Not wanting to see the TV all the time, the perfect piece of artwork was added. A Jean Byrd original oil painting called Serenity - Cuttyhunk Sunset, and another family heirloom, as Jean Byrd is my mother-in-law and a famous painter from the Cape Ann, MA and Camden, ME areas.

Thank you to the design community and brands for your sponsorship

I would like to thank Currey and Company for sponsoring me with their Tavey Silver Wall Sconces, Surya for their generous offering of the area rug and the throw pillows, and Phillip Jeffries, my friends at the Boston Design Center showroom, for their generous offering of the Wabi Sabi wallpaper for the back of the bookcases and over the fireplace mantle. The paper made the project come to life!

I am also very grateful to Good Manors Living for reaching out and offering up one of their blanket throws to use in the keeping room for this One Room Challenge project. Working with Good Manners Living, Currey and Company, my go-to for all things lighting, and Surya for believing in the One Room Challenge was very exciting.

A big thank you to all the contractors that fit me into their already overloaded schedules to make the Week 8 deadline reveal. I am always amazed at their talents and passion for what they do. These contractors always make me and my projects look good. Thank you to all my followers for your comments, support, and encouragement during this nail-biting Week 8. I truly appreciate and love you all for believing in my creative interior design vision.

Thank You One Room Challenge Better Homes and Gardens

Thank you again, Linda Weinstein, the creator of the One Room Challenge, for creating this motivational design event. You can also follow more of my ORC project on Facebook and Instagram. with Better Homes & Gardens as the official media sponsor of the ORC. Don’t forget to check out these 20 talented Featured Designers' Week 8 reveal of their projects for the Spring 2021 ORC.

About Debbe Daley

Debbe Daley is New England’s leading interior design expert in the fields of design, decorating, and styling of interior spaces. She is a professional speaker, educator, influencer, and business coach in interior design. She also teaches creative interior design and change-of-career-minded individuals at her School of Interiors. These courses provide mentoring and hands-on training. Debbe is currently an installed Design Services member for the Boston Design Center. She also is an educator and instructor at Middlesex Community College in the field of interior design.

Contact Debbe at ddaley@daleydesigns.com or (978) 697-0288.