ORC Fast Facts

1. In its 19th season, the biannual One Room Challenge blogging event invites 20 designers to transform one room in eight weeks.

2. Every Wednesday, participants post that week’s progress update along with inspiration and design sight

3. Despite its name, the One Room Challenge is less design competition and more a friendly celebration of creativity.

2021: A Living Space Odyssey

As designers and design enthusiasts, we can’t gush enough about the One Room Challenge. What’s not to love about going down a design inspo rabbit hole only to emerge with a new eye for DIY?

The ORC allows us to revel in the design genius of participants and guests who WOW us weekly. But what really gives us goosebumps (the good kind, not the kind you get from that one true crime podcast you keep putting off getting into) is seeing our rugs live their best lives! 

We wanted to spotlight 5 ORC Guest Participants who featured Well Woven rugs during the Spring 2021 challenge as a huge “thank you” to them (and hundreds of others) for inspiring us in a big way. Through different tastes, styles and techniques, these amazing creators all prove, at the end of the day, you don’t need beaucoup bucks or tons of time to make your dream room(s) a reality. These room transformations were done in just eight weeks! Sometimes, all you need to take your space to the next level is some DIYS, a can-do ‘tude, and, of course, an affordable rug!

FENA MURPHY of @ourhighlandshome

The Before | The Plan

The first of many successful ORC Guest Participants we want to talk about is Fena. This round of the ORC, Fena decided to finally get her dream project done - no more excuses! 

She decided to give her empty bedroom a complete redo. The mood board was full of classic pieces that won’t age out with every new décor trend. It includes the Julita rug to really tie the moving pieces together - and there was a lot! She had an ambitious 9+ DIY projects to pull off. 

The After

A speedy delivery in supplies (and free rug shipping) were essential to making this refined bedroom look with our Julita rug come alive.

Well Woven spoke with Fena who pretty much summed up why the ORC is such an awesome endeavor for creators in the first place:

“The best part of the project was getting to share our vision with everyone, to see our mood board come to life and getting encouragement from other ORC members along the 8 weeks.”

Fena also covered the benefits of having a clear plan as your project’s beacon.

“We learned that having a clear plan like a mood board and timeline of when we would work on DIYs, kept us on track and helped with keeping us on the same page of where we wanted our design to go.“

The most rewarding part of ORC for a busy mom of 3?

“The space has changed completely! We were living in an unfinished space for two years— there was nothing relaxing about the space; a space which is meant to be a place you relax in. Having a finished, adult space to escape to at night, especially as parents of three little ones, has been such a blessing!”

It was well worth the (w)ORC, if you ask us!

The Julita rug isn't the only Well Woven rug in Fena's home. See how she styled two other popular styles in her kids' spaces: the indoor-outdoor Metier rug and the stain-resistant Gota rug.

NINA ANGUIANO of @casa_anguiano

The Before | The After

Talk about a transformation! We can’t help but blush at seeing our Arbor Blush rug in Nina’s completed dry bar space.

What do we love? Nina proves less is more! Nina’s beautifully minimal space focuses on natural lines and textures. White, airy curtains contrast the bold, natural lines of the closet, shelves, and bar and invite sunshine or moonlight, depending on the occasion.

Let’s talk rug inspo: this is one of the best examples of discovering a rug’s true potential. 

With a wide variety of Well Woven rugs to choose from, Nina ultimately settled on the round Arbor rug to anchor her angular space. It’s a nice contrast to the harsh lines of the closet and rectangular prism-shape of the bar. While the warm blush of the Arbor gives the bar’s elegant whites and crystals a subtle kiss of rose (same goes for the actual roses — another nice touch).

Our takeaways? Not every design decision has to be a strikingly colorful one. Sometimes the absence of color is just as powerful when it comes to creating a vibe. 

A smartly placed rug creates a stage for the bartender, making the bar itself the life of the party.

LAUREL HARRY of @thehousethatdiybuilt

The Before | The After

A dream come true! Our Maura rug was the springboard for Laurel’s bedroom’s makeover!

What works? Laurel’s boldness. There are no subtle choices here. Solid walls, geometric wallpaper, and a Nordic-style, built-in headboard all converge to create a unique vibe that’s equal parts hygge and bohemian.

Our takeaway: Don’t fear paint! So you’re not Bob Ross. You can still paint! Part of the genius of Laurel’s redesign is the simple use of bold colors. A coat of paint transforms the headboard and the bedside dresser drawers. 

Vintage is always classic: A bold room calls for a bold rug! And the Maura rug delivers. Its busy bohemian vibe works in concert with the bold colors of the room, making it the perfect fit.

LIBBIE BURLING of @alifeunfolding

ORC Guest Participant veteran Libbie has worked on a short-term rental living space, her daughter’s home office AND a basement ruckus room with Well Woven rugs.

Past ORC Projects

This Spring 2021, Libbie set her sights outside, proving that the outdoors can be just as great as indoors! Libbie transformed her deck into an inviting terrace with good vibes galore.

The Plan

Plants, wood paneling and an earthy color palette give Libbie’s outdoor space a life of its own. Pillows, rugs, etc. can create pops of color. Here, the Nord Green rug functions as a low-maintenance grass substitute. 

The After

All decked out for good vibes with the Nord Green rug!

One of our takeaways from Libbie’s design? If you really want to give your space a personality, try signs! Inspirational quotes, motivational mantras, or even inside family jokes can transform dull walls into conversation pieces.

DIVYA KANDALA of @desi_diy_divyakandala

The Before

The After

Divya adds our Grace Grey rug to her living room space for a sleek modern look. Talk about style AND grace!

Divya embraces a modern feel and lets her space guide the redesign. The room had built-in shelving units, but the added storage above them made for a perfect transformaton. With art on display, the backdrop remains unobtrusive and functional.

Our takeaway: Read the room! What works so well about Divya’s redesign is that it fits her room. The fireplace, art, and even natural lighting take center stage against a subtle backdrop. The Grace Grey rug’s muted hues make the room while it’s bursts of blue complement the sofa.

Like what you see? Visit us today to shop similar vintage rugs, best sellers, outdoor rugs, round rugs, grey rugs and more! Don’t forget to stay tuned for the Fall 2021 One Room Challenge!