top of page
  • Writer's pictureJacqueline Loiacono

Aurora By Jacqueline Design: ORC Week One and 7 Months Post Partum


Oh my god were back again...


...this time 7 months post partum for the spring one room challenge. I add in the post partum because for the past two challenges, I was either pregnant or just gave birth and it’s only fitting to add in the months now to see how I’ve grown and changed since. Not only has my body, mind and soul changed, so has my taste in design. Our old apartment is in the past and I left the aesthetic with it. (Literally..,the new renter wanted to keep everything I did to it)

For this new rental home, we actually have a house we’re renting. Our old apartment living room and kitchen were open so now they there separate, I’m able to carry different different patterns and colors through the house that all flow together. My mood board is very plain for me. It came with a lot of thought. I usually like bold patterns and colors, but since this house has so much light that I’m not used to, I decided to use muted, lighter tones to give me a calm and peace that I needed after the struggle of these past seven months.


Living in this new environment as a new person is the fresh start I knew I needed. Although we didn’t buy our home yet, we can make it our own. When I won the best renter friendly diyer award in January I felt like I was hitting a roadblock on the design of this challenge. I said to myself “How did I win if I have no ideas?” "I don't know what I'm doing”


Because im not working, I don’t feel as inspired. But then I just look at Vienna and realize my biggest inspiration is right here. It’s an inner peace I was searching for and my new style reflects that. The kitchen we are stuck with has old honey oak pre fab cabinets with a dull chrome hardware and a light white and wood ceiling fan. Subway tile on the backsplash and dark  lvp floors.


I struggled with the cabinets until I found a product that waxes the existing finish to a darker brown. I didn’t want to spend the money on that so I tried using my furniture wax I already used for client projects. It worked nicely on a test drawer and I plan on updating the hardware to bring these cabinets into this decade.


The hardware I’m using is a matte black handle and I already sprayed the existing knobs to save money. I also plan to spray the ceiling fan blades in order to update it without Buying a new one.

The kitchen is not very wide and from the front door you walk directly into the eat in area. I plan on building a thin vintage bench to sit behind the door to separate the two spaces as a designated entry to the left and our table to the right. I added trim and will make a gallery wall around the mirror and add hooks to give it more depth.

I had already put wallpaper on the table wall and added green paint to the lower half but wound up hating it. This shows that your original plans don’t always work and that’s ok. The more you follow through, the more inspired you get and move on from there to a more concrete design plan.

Since I put up the trim. I’m going to continue painting the room a Beige/Taupe called Dove by Behr until I figure out what to do with the bottom half. I was inspired by scallop walls on Pinterest and am thinking to try that. It’s fun and easy and only costs me another can of paint instead of spending so much on wallpaper.

Now that seven months has gone by, and baby expenses get more and more; our savings become less and less. So this project is all about budget and diying whatever I can with whatever I have and still making it beautiful. That goes without saying for myself too I guess. Using what I have to feel beautiful again after I gave my all to vienna for those 9 months.

I plan on making over my farmhouse hutch as well. Giving that piece a beautiful new lease on life. Sanding and restaining the wood and painting it black. I will add copper and gold accents as well as building in a vintage radio we found at the flea market.


I could go in and on about my plans, but I will just show you instead. Follow along with the one room challenge designers and guest participants like me for some amazing designs. I can’t wait to see what they have planned. The support and enthusiasm of this community always leaves me in awe. As does all your support and love. Thanks for following me in my journey. This new me is developing at a snail pace, but with some faith trust and pixie dust, I know I will get better day by day.

Love, Jackie

34 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page