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November 7, 2018

The Moody Home Library Reveal

Decorate· One Room Challenge

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It’s ORC week 6 and all is revealed! The One Room Challenge is a wrap and I finally get to show you all this phenomenal moody library. Pour yourself a scotch, neat, and read on…

OK, so this room is 95% done and 100% epic. I love it so much! And my 7-year-old declared it beautiful (unprompted) so I declare this a win.

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Planning to design a cozy home library? Need ideas? Check out this small home library for decor and design ideas. Most of the library was DIY (aside from the blue bookcase). You have to see the wallpaper in the built-in dog crate...

This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy. Thanks for supporting Bloom in the Black!

Initially, I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to get enough shots of this fairly standard-sized, box-shaped room but, you guys, this room has so many moments. So much going on. So much to look at. My problem was narrowing down all the beautiful things to show you. Don’t worry, I’ll probably blow up Pinterest with the rest 😉

So without further adieu:

Library reveal -- ORC fall 2018

Ain’t she a beaut? Let’s go back to the beginning, shall we?

 

The Before and the Built-In

Ew… no. Changed my mind. I kid, I kid. There was already a lot going for this room. For starters, the gorgeous built-in had been completed a few months ago and, let’s be honest, was stunning. NS Woodworking created this masterpiece and I highly recommend him to anyone in MA or southern NH. All custom, all amazeballs.

Built-In Sconces  //  Art  //  Chandelier, similar for less  //  Leather Chairs

Is it just me, or does a moody library require leather? These leather chairs from Restoration Hardware are showstoppers. They’ve moved from room to room over the past year, just looking for their forever home. But this room was doing neither of these stunners any justice.

 

The Sofa and the Art

Do I start with the sofa or the art? Both are spectacular. Painting the walls black was the best choice I have ever made in my life. The sofa was fine against the whitish walls but is positively sumptuous with the black. And those beautiful ladies against that velvety dark wall? Stop. Just stop.

Coffee Table  //  Sofa  //  Art above the sofa, Woman With Book // Art above the sofa, Woman in Bath  //  Industrial task lamp  // Green Chenille Pillow // Frames

The Lamp and the Layout

I mentioned in week 3 that I was having issues with symmetry and furniture arrangement and figured out that adding some height and angles to balance the gap to the side would solve a lot of problems. I found this super cool lamp on Joss & Main — perfect height, perfect vibe, perfect angles.

Sofa  //  Art above the sofa, Woman With Book // Art above the sofa, Woman in Bath  //  Industrial task lamp  // Green Chenille Pillow // Frames

In that same week, I was all angsty about the coffee table and finding the right one. I have a secret… this isn’t the real coffee table. I stole it from another room in our house because the real one hasn’t arrived yet. Honestly, I haven’t even received an update. I’d be nervous, but it’s a pretty reputable company so I have high hopes that it will get here sometime in the next month or so. Frustrating? Yes. Tragic? Hardly. I doubt anyone would realize this wasn’t “the one” unless I mentioned it to them.

And the layout! I initially had something completely different in mind but the coffee table conundrum (and the ever-present deadline) made me think way outside the box, throw out ideas I was initially attached to, and come up with something completely different and so much better. This bar cart is the perfect accent for a moody library:

Bar cart (backordered), similar  //  Art above the bar, Woman on Lily Pad // Frame  //  Vintage style rug

Please pause for a moment to take in this rug….

Coffee Table  //  Sofa  //  Art above the sofa, Woman With Book  // Art above the sofa, Woman in Bath  //  Industrial task lamp  //  Green Chenille Pillow  // Frames  // Chandelier, similar for less  //  Leather Chairs  //  Vintage style rug

It’s so so pretty. Every person who has visited my house since we got it has asked about it. The rug is super soft and the wear looks very realistic (faux vintage).

The Vignettes and the Wallpaper

The great thing about my first ORC challenge has been that a big part of the room was already done (the built-in), but I did take the liberty of making updates to some of the shelves…

If you need help in that department, I have a whole post dedicated to how to style bookcase shelves.

And how about that wallpaper?? It came out just how I’d hoped. I wanted to get a shot of it with the dogs lounging in the den but they were being punks and I had to banish them to another room while I took photos. The coffee table was originally styled out with a lovely charcuterie board but Franklin kept (aggressively) stealing the food. So yeah, the wallpaper design is fitting. It was inspired by the dogs tearing apart all the pillows and beds we give them. I call it Puppy Pillow Fight, ha.

Part of the 5% that remains undone is the doors to the den. In week 1 of the challenge, the dogs were playing with Matt and Franklin ran headlong into one of the doors and split the frame in half. SMH. The new doors are almost done but haven’t been installed yet so we remain doorless for now.

The Details

And because the details are everything…

Sofa  //  Industrial task lamp  //  Vintage style rug // Side Table, similar for less

 

Bar cart (backordered), similar  //  Art above the bar, Woman on Lily Pad // Frame  //  Vintage style rug

This challenge far exceeded my expectations. I’ve designed rooms on a tight deadline before and it’s always a great kick in the pants to get ‘er done already. But all the love, support, and accountability makes this event truly something special. I met some cool people on the interwebs and got some awesome ideas from my new tribe. I will definitely be back for Spring 2019!

Source List

Wall color: French Beret by Benjamin Moore

The Conclusion

This was a fabulous experience and now I get my dream moody library to enjoy with my family over the holidays. Alrighty, time to settle in and check out the rest of the participants. There are some amazing rooms to behold…

 

About Brianna

Brianna Thomas is the founder of Bloom in the Black, a home decor and DIY blog showing people how to personalize their home through simple projects, smart shopping, and good design. She encourages her readers to stop striving for their house to be “done,” and instead, make small, impactful changes one step at a time. Brianna’s work has been featured in publications such as House Beautiful, Apartment Therapy, and Today.com.

Where to next?

The Top 11 Posts in 2020 According To You
A Graphic Designer's Home Office Redesign
Before & After: A Sloppy Guest Room Turned Graphic Home Office
The Secret Garden at Night Bedroom: One Room Challenge Week 1
Previous Post: « ORC Week 5: The Sturm Und Drang (of Painting the Walls)
Next Post: The Weird Room at the Top of the Stairs »

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About Brianna

Hey, I’m Brianna! First, you should know I’m a homebody to the core. I love surrounding myself with pretty things, yummy food, and settling in for movie marathons with my family. Most of all, I love sharing what I know about making home beautiful…

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Blue built-in bookcase with bar cart in a moody library

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