A Dining Room/Playroom – the Plan : One Room Challenge Week #1
Hi Cuties! I hope you had a chance to stop by yesterday to ogle all the yumminess at You Link It, We Make It. The pineapple bars I made this week were so good that I may or may not have had to send them out with my husband before I ate the whole batch, and my co-host April made this amazing beer battered fish that I can’t wait to try out myself!
But today is another day. A day that I’m beyond excited about! Today is the first day of the latest round of the One Room Challenge hosted by Calling It Home!

What is the One Room Challenge and why is that so exciting you ask? The One Room Challenge – or ORC as it’s affectionately known – is an online event that brings together 20 bloggers with a love of design, and challenges them to transform a room from start to finish, while documenting the process along the way. All in six weeks. Yes. That’s right. Six. Weeks.
I’m so excited about this because I’m participating for the first time as a linking participant! I’m thinking I’m a little crazy to take this on, and sure I’ve bit off way more than I can nibble on – for example, it took about five times longer for me NOT to complete our master bedroom – but I’m also exhilarated by the thought of all of that crazy! Anyone who knows me knows I thrive on that kind of pressure! If you’re new here, follow along by subscribing! You can also find me on Facebook and Instagram, and Twitter, along with many other social media platforms that I always forget I have.
Although I had a few rooms to choose from, the one that will be getting all of our love is our dining room. Our current dining room, although considered a formal dining room, is not exactly acting as a dining room. It’s acting as a playroom, albeit not a great one. Not to mention, a make-over is seriously in order! Stat!
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What it sometimes looks like |

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What it mostly looks like |
My plan is to design a multi-purpose space that can function as a dining room when needed, but will primarily work as a playroom.
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Dining Room Layout |
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Playroom Layout |
I’ll do this by using versatile furniture, sophisticated enough for a dining room, yet durable and casual enough for a playroom. When the time comes that we no longer need a playroom – although I’ll believe that when it happens! – we can quickly switch to a full-time dining room layout.
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I’ve been very busy gathering inspiration from many sources all around the web and have come up with some great ideas. There are elements in each that I find appealing, and many of those elements will end up in my completed room.
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Thrifty Decor Chick |
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Delightfully Noted |
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Design Manifest |
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Rooms Interior Design |
I hope you’ll stop by next Thursday to cheer me on – or heckle me! That works too. Just be kind. You know, kindly heckle – and I’ll have a full list of all I hope to accomplish in this room, PLUS a progress report! I’m as nervous as I am excited about pulling it off! Eeek!! Here we go!
Have a great Thursday!

I can't wait to see what you do with this space. I love all of your inspiration! Good Luck!
Thanks so much, Roxanne! I'm so excited but I think luck would be a good thing to have with this challenge!
What a fabulous idea!! Can't wait to see!!
Thanks, Lisa-Marie! I hope I can pull it off!
I love your inspiration! I can not wait to see how it turns out!
Thank you, Mary! Its all so exciting!
I'm doing my dining room for the ORC, too! Ours also works double duty as our homeschool room. You've gathered some gorgeous inspiration for the space. I can't wait to follow along! Best of luck!
Thanks, Sarah! I'm excited to have someone else doing a multi-purpose dining room! I considered using our dining room as our homeschool room, and still want to allow for that possibility, but we had a homeschool room in the past that we rarely used – we still ended up at the kitchen table! I loved all of your inspiration!
Love the inspiration and elements you added! Can't wait to see what you do with the space!
Thanks so much, Rachel! I'm excited to be started and hopefully headed in the right direction!
my favorite are the wingback chairs! such a fun cheery print! good luck with everything!
I love those, too. 🙂 I can't wait to see it all together!
Love the idea of a dining room/playroom, can't wait to see your end result.
Thanks, Katy! Such an exciting challenge – I'm just as excited to see everyone's result as I am my own!
It's going to be awesome and truly something so many people need. Our dinging room in Midlo also served as a playroom for years! Great idea, can't wait to see!
Thanks, April! Your playroom was pretty epic. I'm really excited and can't wait to get it finished!
What a great idea, Kim! I love all your plans to turn this into a multi-purpose space that works for your family. Can't wait to see how it all turns out!
Thanks so much, Carrie! My son is already trying to move things in before it's even finished! I think he thinks it's a hit! I'm just excited to get it done!
This is a great idea. I am looking forward to seeing your transformation of this room.
Thanks so much, Bon Bon! I appreciate your stopping by to show me some love!
I love that Design Manifest inspiration photo you have (I pinned it yesterday!) – I'm interested to see how the space can be both a playroom and a dining room, good luck 🙂
It's my favorite, Nicole. I just love what they did with the room, including the stacked stone wall – I especially love the versatility! My plan started out very much looking like that but it's evolving. Funny how that happens once you get started! Thanks for the wishes for luck!
I can't wait to see how this turns out. Looks like a great idea!
Thanks Jenny! I'm super excited!
Good luck over the next 6 weeks! This is my first time doing ORC too, and I'm ALSO doing a playroom/homework room, so I'll be excited to check out your progress! Loving the inspirational photos! Kristin @ Postbox Designs
Oh fun, Kristin! I'll be following along with yours as well! I can't figure out if I'm nervous, excited, or just too busy working on it to be either! ha!
I think it is smart to use a room in the way that fits your family. I have loved that thrifty Décor Chic library since she did it a few years ago. Good luck!
Thanks Michele! I loved it too! I don't think mine will turn out exactly like hers, but that's what it's all about right? Making it your own! Thanks so much for the wishes of luck! Being that it's my first ORC, I think I might need it!
We have so many toys in our dining room which drives me crazy…I can't wait to see how you combine the two spaces!
We are in the same boat, Amanda! I'm also struggling with serving ware – we host some fairly large parties and I'm constantly accumulating serving ware. And candles. We'll be all good in a zombie apocalypse. I'm starting to feel like a hoarder! Storage to the rescue! Thanks so much for stopping by!
My dining room looks just like the before pictures you shared. I'm working on fixing the problem too, but it's going to have to wait a bit longer with the ORC taking up some of my time. Your idea board is wonderful,btw! I can't wait to see everything come together!
Thank you, Iris! I'm just excited all of those toys are contained in one room! It's a never ending battle! Thanks so much! Loving your ideas on your room, too!
I love your plans to make it a dual functioning space. I can't wait to see how it turns out!!
Thanks, Jenny!
I love all your ideas for this space! Can't wait to follow along!
Thank you Erin! Same in return!
Kim, I love a good multi-purpose room. I love that built in bookshelf you shared. I know it will amazing!! Good luck and can't wait to see the progress!
Can't wait to follow along with your dining room Kim! I love your plan, especially the built ins on your inspiration pic!