One Room Challenge Recap - The Good, Bad & Ugly ⋆ Little Miss Martha

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It’s a beautiful summer day here and I keep thinking about how much I’m going to love sitting out on my patio this season. I thought it might be fun to do a quick recap on what went well, what didn’t go well, and what didn’t get done regarding the whole One Room Challenge which ended a few weeks ago now. There was a lot of stuff packed into those 8 weeks and I still plan to share more details on some of the DIYs but I think it’ll be fun to share how the process went from day one! I did also recently realize how much work will go into closing the patio down for the season, but that’s another story for another day!

First, I’m so happy with the final product! I mean so happy! I am actually quite proud of ourselves (because it really was a team effort) that we were able to stay on task and knock almost all of the planned items off the list. Looking back, I really wanted a fully complete space where I’d have nothing more to do on it besides landscaping, but I know myself and I’m sure I’d change my mind on a lot of things so it’s good to look at this space as one that will mature and change over the years and seasons.

THINGS I LOVE

I love a lot about this space. I LOVE the new Adirondacks. I love my beast of a table. I love my “lounge” as my mom calls it. I love it all really… I mean, don’t you?! Just kidding. But seriously, I wanted a space that cohesively fit with my interiors and also blended well with natural elements. Keeping the space in neutrals really helps make it feel calm and comfortable without feeling like it doesn’t fit in with my yard.

PATIO MOOD BOARD

So far we’ve been able to enjoy ALL areas too! The sun shifts around here around 630/7pm so evenings are somewhat shady back there and enjoyable even on a hot day! Every morning I get up and water the garden and then go check it all out before I head to bed at night. Lou & I are the real keepers of the patio although, he’s always pooping where I’d like him not to! hahah. Darn dog!

THINGS THAT DIDN’T GO WELL

Well, basically there were two things that didn’t go very well. One, the table. I don’t want to say I don’t like it, but we aren’t truly happy with how it’s weathering so far. Listen, it was our first big build and wood outside on top of that is a big one to tackle. We used pine due to a limited availability of wood at the stores, wood putty which doesn’t seem to like the movement of the wood in an outdoor space, and we learned we should paint prior to assembly. Outside of that, the table will be great for this season and we’ll probably look to replace it later on. It was fun to build though and I know the hubs loved using all of the tools too!

Also, shade. Figuring out shade for this space was not a top priority, but I was hoping to have an umbrella that helped with midday sun and I mentioned earlier how it starts to get shady back there early in the evening. I ended up purchasing a canteliever umbrella, but I hated it. I hated how big the base was and also how it hung. Not a fan. So now, we mostly wait for 7pm shade from the house and we plan and prep a pergola sooner, rather than later!

THINGS WE DIDN’T FINISH

One thing I was REALLY hoping to finish was the firepit. We had grand plans for it. I found a tutorial we were going to follow and we even bought most of the supplies but in the end we just ran out of time. We still plan to do this DIY and I will share when we do, but until then, we have our solo stove hanging out in that spot and it works just fine.

via Hamilton Park Home

We also weren’t able to finish the grill area. This wasn’t really planned in the projects we wanted to tackle this year, but it’s space on the patio just felt so empty that we decided we’d try to add a small bit. That included a concrete countertop and a location for Mike’s pizza oven. He was able to make the countertop for that but the project in total still remains unfinished. I think we still plan to finish the pizza oven counter/cabinet, but the remainder of the outdoor kitchen/grill station will probably wait until next year.

THINGS I ALREADY WANT TO CHANGE

This is going to sound crazy, but yes, there are some things I’d like to change! First, I’d like to change my covers for the lounge seating. Cream is beautiful, but dangerous, especially with children. Children ruin everything so we do already have a few “stains” that I’m scared to try to remove. I had wanted black covers from the beginning, but decided it wasn’t worth the purchase price this year. So… I still want black cushion covers. I might try to dye them or will order the black when I feel like I can spend that money.

I also want to build out the garden beds a little bit more too. They seem a little small and while I do like their size, I’d like to make them just a little bit wider I think. I also want to change out a few plants that I will probably do next year. I’d like to add a couple hydrangeas as originally planned and I’d like to move a few things as well. Some plants and bushes are growing in a bit larger or smaller than I’d anticipated and I jus think there’ll be changes. I’m also ready to contact an actual landscaper to get an idea on trees for linings of the property.

I’m also ready for the pergola! hahah. I knew this would come about later in the season or possibly even next year, but I am ready for it. I’d love to create a more built in look with actual privacy. But time will tell how that’ll come along.

via forbes

So there we have it. A recap in a nutshell.

Keep an eye out for the DIYS I haven’t shared yet like the DIY Leaner Porch Sign, the garden beds, and once we do them, the firepit and grilling area!