The Spring 2023 ORC is well underway and I can’t believe week 2 is already coming to a close. If you didn’t catch last weeks post, I gave a “before” tour of my bland dining room space. I’ve been so inspired by bistro style lately, that I’m really excited to infuse the look into my own home – and on a serious budget.

Week 2 Progress

So this week was mainly all about gathering materials. A lot of the items have started arriving and I am so excited to finally get to see them in person. I was also about to get the flooring ordered and french door installation scheduled. Overall, I have been so thrilled with the quality and look of everything. This week the bamboo blinds, bistro chairs, citrus art work and paint all arrived. Earlier in the week I shared a reel on insta with the bistro chairs I found at Target. These are patio chairs, but they are so good they definitely deserve a spot inside. They are way more comfortable than I was expecting. For me I’m always looking for a dining that is super durable and easy to clean. With small kids and dirty hands, this is a constant issue for us. These really are the perfect combo of comfort, style and durability – and at about $85.00 per chair, that was the most affordable french bistro style chair I could find.

No-Drill Bamboo Blinds

Next to arrive were the bamboo blinds that I ordered. I spotted these on instagram and couldn’t get them ordered quick enough! They are no-drill privacy bamboo blinds and I am IN LOVE. I ended up ordering them for every window in my house because they are really that good. These are the perfect renter solution as well, because they go off and on your window so easily. I loved the variety of colors and sizes that LazBlinds offered. I ended up opting for the lighter wood shade because the privacy aspect was really important to me. I was skeptical when taking them out of the box, if they were really able to block all view. But I am happy to report that after seeing them up at night – you really cannot see into the window. Just a word of caution – make sure you are VERY precise when measuring your windows.

These are exact so you want to make sure you go with the correct option. I was in a bit of a hurry when I ordered mine and should have gone with the size 1 inch longer. Another issue that I ran into was with the depth of the window trim. Mine is pretty shallow, which you cannot tell when they are installed. Just to make sure they were completely secure, I did add a screw to each side for extra support. However, with a standard window frame, that would not be necessary. In the end, I am beyond happy with how they turned out. More before and after shots to come soon!

More to Come

While there wasn’t a ton of obvious transformation taking place this week, there has been a lot going on behind the scenes. Being able to see the items in person has really helped solidify that the design plan is headed in the right direction. They plan for next week is to dive into painting. I am still a bit undecided on the bright guava accent wall. Now that I have the paint here, I’m excited to get some swatches up on the walls to test in out. Who knows, maybe I will end up going a different direction with that idea. Check back next week to see what is decided!

P.S. Want to see a round-up of all of the other amazing guest participants for this round of ORC? Click here to find a complete listing of all of the designs!