In Partnership WithSpoonflower

3 Designers Show Us How to Concept, Plan, and Actually Start On a Room Renovation

Written by

Courtney BalestierSenior Writer, Creative Studio
Courtney BalestierSenior Writer, Creative Studio
Courtney Balestier is the Apartment Therapy Creative Studio Senior Writer. She holds a master's degree in magazine journalism from NYU and lives in Pittsburgh, where you'll find her doing DIY projects in her new house with her dog and cat (who are not being very helpful).
updated Dec 1, 2022
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Credit: Courtesy of Xin Lu

There’s nothing like getting that big idea for a room makeover or DIY. Your mind is swimming with inspiration, ideas, and daydreams about your brand-new space. You think, “So many possibilities!” And then you think, “So. Many. Possibilities.”

Don’t panic: When you’re dreaming big, the first step is always the hardest. That’s the spirit behind the One Room Challenge®, a biannual design event that encourages people to transform one room in their home with the help of friendly camaraderie, community support, and collective momentum. For participating designers Amber Guyton, Xin Lu, and Tiffany Hahn, the One Room Challenge® is the perfect opportunity to transform a space that isn’t living up to its full potential. With Spoonflower — a creative community of independent artists whose designs are printed on wallpaper, home decor, and fabric — they can choose from more than 1 million designs to help bring their visions to life. And because of Spoonflower’s print-on-demand technology, no time or materials are wasted.

Shop some of our favorite Spoonflower prints below!

We asked these three designers how they’re setting their projects up for success (and we’re going to check in with them along the way). Break out your notebooks: It’s planning time!

Credit: Courtesy of Amber Guyton
Amber Guyton will transform this unused loft into an inspiring space for her nieces and nephews over the course of the One Room Challenge®.

Amber Guyton’s Loft Transformation

Amber’s Atlanta bungalow is lush and luxe, with bold prints, rich colors, and sumptuous textiles. There’s just one exception: her top-floor loft, currently an uninspired storage area. She wants to turn it into a fun, cheerful space for her niece and nephews.

To get started, Amber considered how she hoped the new room would feel for the kids. “I want to create a beautiful, comfy, gender-neutral retreat that they’ll look forward to hanging out and sleeping over in,” she says. “I also want it to inspire them to dream big and use their imaginations.”

Credit: Courtesy of Amber Guyton

A dynamic, colorful wallpaper will capture just the spirit she’s going for. Amber began by browsing Spoonflower, and after looking at hundreds of designs by artists around the world, she narrowed it down to three finalists: Becca – soothing greens, pinks, peaches wallpaper by scarlette_soleil, Olive Green Mudcloth Weaving Lines – jumbo Wallpaper by misentangledvision, and Blushing Boho Botanicals Wallpaper by nanshizzle. We can’t wait to see what she chooses!

Credit: Courtesy of Xin Lu
Xin Liu's mudroom is an important utilitarian area in her home; over the next eight weeks, she will make it a beautiful space, too.

Xin Liu’s Mudroom Update

Xin has an elegant, earthy style: Her suburban Atlanta home feels like a cozy cottage in the woods, from its subdued blues and greens to its myriad houseplants. The only spot Xin isn’t happy with? The mudroom, a busy pass-through space that quickly fills with her family’s jackets, shoes, and bags. “I want it to be functional and beautiful,” Xin says. “And I want a space for everything, so it’s easier to clean up.”

Credit: Courtesy of Xin Lu

If you’re not sure where to dive into a room redo, considering the space’s functionality is a tactile place to start. Xin wants an improved storage system, with bins for each family member and hooks low enough for her kids to reach. As for beauty? She wants to have fun with this small space by introducing patterned wallpaper. Xin browsed Spoonflower and found three subtle yet eye-catching design options, all by holli_zollinger: Junglia Poppy Grey Wallpaper, Junglia Weave Wallpaper, and Playa Wildflower Wallpaper. (Psst: With several removable options, you can experiment with your Spoonflower samples before you commit.)

Credit: Courtesy of Tiffany Hahn
Tiffany Hahn has been itching to give her living room a new look. The One Room Challenge® has lit her fire to get it done!

Tiffany Hahn’s Living Room Makeover

With exuberant colors and whimsical touches, Tiffany Hahn’s Austin home is instantly inviting. But as her style has evolved, her living room hasn’t really kept up — plus, it could do with comfier seating and less clutter. “My hope is that this space would be a place of incredible peace and comfort,” Tiffany says. “A space where you can set down your coffee mug, grab the coziest blanket, and feel stress melt away like the wax from the lighted candles.”

Credit: Courtesy of Tiffany Hahn

To find a wallpaper that suited this restful mood, Tiffany used one of her favorite project-planning tricks: creating computer mock-ups. Besides being fun, this lets you experiment with endless patterns and colors in just a few clicks. Tiffany played around to see how different Spoonflower wallpaper photos looked with her furniture and color palette. This helped her narrow her options down to three prints: the whimsical A Rest in Nature Wallpaper by dasbrooklyn, the peaceful Black Swallowtail Habitat Large Scale Wallpaper by ramarama, and the slightly psychedelic Wonderland Flowers Wallpaper by ceciliamok.

Follow Amber, Xin, and Tiffany’s progress in the One Room Challenge® on Instagram! When you’re ready to start your own project, Spoonflower has the wallpaper, fabric, and home decor that’ll inspire your next room redo.