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A New Year and a New $100 Room Challenge

Modified: May 8, 2025 · This post may contain affiliate links · 40 Comments

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I love January. Not the weather, you understand. I love the feeling of a whole new year stretching out in front of me. Just think of all the projects I can accomplish! Or at least start and never finish. All the organizing. All the planning. All the good intentions. It's a time full of hope, and for a procrastinator like me, it's a time of new resolve to finish what I start. Or just start. Baby steps.

The other reason I love January is it's $100 Room Challenge month. Basically, it's my best shot at actually getting my projects done.The $100 Room Challenge. One room. One month. $100.

The $100 Room Challenge

If you're just joining me, or you've been living under a rock, the $100 Room Challenge is the brain child of Erin over at Lemons, Lavender, and Laundry, and has grown to include several amazing bloggers that I've gratefully come to call my friends. We each take one room, a hundred bucks, and one month, and makeover our space. That's do-able, right? Even for the most cash-strapped, least follow-through-equipped, we can handle that.

In previous challenges, I've done a modern girl's bedroom, a farmhouse kitchen dining space, and a guest bathroom. This time, I'm picking a just a corner of my den. It doesn't sound like much, but there's enough work there to make up for a whole room!

The den was the first room we settled into when we moved into this house. I think it's important, when you're living through renovations, to have a space in the house that you can retreat to when everything else is a chaotic mess. The TV room has been our retreat. But this wall has always bugged me.Outdated den wall before the $100 Room Challenge

It's very functional, but it's stuck in the late 70's, and all that dark wood just weighs down the room. The shelves look cluttered, and the hearth has just become a catch-all for stuff that doesn't have a home anywhere else in the house.Cluttered bookshelves will get a makeover during this month's $!00 Room Challenge

So for this $100 room challenge, I plan to:

  • Paint the closet doors
  • Replace/update the doors' hardware
  • Paint out the cabinet/bookshelves
  • Add a fun decorative element to the back of the bookshelves
  • Style the bookshelves
  • Update the tile on the fireplace hearth
  • Add a piece of art above the fireplace

Good thing there are five Wednesdays in January! It's going to take me five weeks to work through that list.It's time for this wall to get a makeover with the $100 Room Challenge

I'm so excited to get started that I can hardly wait to pick up a paintbrush! Be sure to follow along by newsletter so you don't miss a post.

$100 Room Challenge Week 1 (You're here!) ~ Week 2 ~ Week 3 ~ Week 4 ~ Week 5 (Reveal)

Follow the $100 Room Challenge by newsletter to get all the latest updates!
Or follow along on social media: Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter

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Comments

  1. Emy says

    January 03, 2018 at 11:47 am

    Your built-ins are great! By the way, I just saw a really similar fireplace set up on A Beautiful Mess. The recessed built-ins and 70s feel is very similar.
    Can't wait to see what you do in here. 🙂

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:42 am

      Thanks Emy! I will definitely go check out that post on ABM for ideas!

      Reply
  2. Patti Estep says

    January 03, 2018 at 2:25 pm

    Hi Meredith,

    Oooh, Your den looks like it has tons of potential. I can't wait to see what you do!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:42 am

      Thanks Patti! Potential is a good word for it right now!

      Reply
  3. Maria - House by the Preserve says

    January 03, 2018 at 4:57 pm

    Love this space and I can't wait to see what you do in here! Looking forward to following along!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:44 am

      Thanks Maria!

      Reply
  4. Melissa says

    January 03, 2018 at 8:55 pm

    I love those built ins and can't wait to see what you do with them! it's got so much area for showing off pretties and keeping things organized - it's going to be amazing!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:45 am

      Thanks Melissa, it's going to be a battle between storage and pretty display space. I hope I can pull it together!

      Reply
  5. Carole says

    January 04, 2018 at 7:18 am

    You've got some fun ideas for this one - think I would turn those closet doors into sliders (like barn doors) and compliment the book shelf to match. Adding a mantle on the fireplace would be neat and tie it all together. I think I have reclaimed wood on the brain... Can't wait to see what you do.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:47 am

      I love those ideas Carole, especially the reclaimed wood and mantle. Unfortunately, I think the mantle will have to wait, but I would love one. Currently we are hanging our Christmas stockings on a bookshelf!

      Reply
  6. Jeri Walker (@JeriWB) says

    January 04, 2018 at 11:42 am

    I'm looking forward to this makeover challenge as always. It's amazing what can be done with pain. Over New Year's weekend, I helped my love paint his kitchen. I keep talking up the two posts you did on cabinets as well. So last night he sends me a proud picture of all the laminate stuff he peeled off the cabinets that the former owner refaced four years ago before he bought the house. I guess we'll also be painting cabinets over the next couple of weekends too.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:48 am

      Yep, that sounds like a typical DIY project snowball effect. I know it'll be worth it in the end though, and you know I'm here if you have questions along the way!

      Reply
  7. leighsn says

    January 04, 2018 at 11:46 am

    Oh, this is going to be a good makoever! Can't wait to see what you do with this space!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:51 am

      Thanks, I just hope you're right!

      Reply
  8. Erin @ Lemons, Lavender, & Laundry says

    January 04, 2018 at 12:07 pm

    Woohoo! Round 4! I'm just like you, I need these challenges to keep me on track or I never finish anything 🙂 Good luck! Can't wait to see how this space turns out!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:50 am

      Glad to know it's not just me, Erin! And so happy to be a part of this again with you!!!

      Reply
  9. sweetparrishplace1970 says

    January 04, 2018 at 12:12 pm

    Those built ins are going to look AWESOME painted, can't wait to find out what you have in store!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:51 am

      Thanks, I hope so! At least I'm pretty sure they'll be better than they are now. 😉

      Reply
  10. Ashley@Biggerthanthethreeofus says

    January 04, 2018 at 12:24 pm

    I think painting is going to work wonders in your space!!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:52 am

      It's amazing what paint can do, right?!

      Reply
  11. fourseasonliz says

    January 04, 2018 at 3:59 pm

    I can't wait to see what you do in here! It's going to look great!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:52 am

      Thanks so much Liz!

      Reply
  12. meghemm says

    January 04, 2018 at 7:06 pm

    Ooh this room has so much potential! Those built-ins are just awesome for storage, can't wait to see the room all finished!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:53 am

      Thanks! Right now they're just storing a lot of junk, but hopefully they'll be pretty soon!

      Reply
  13. Roxanne says

    January 04, 2018 at 7:42 pm

    The potential here is awesome, I would love to make over this room! I can't wait to see what you do here!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:54 am

      Thank you Roxanne, I've been wanting to do this one for a while!

      Reply
  14. Jessica says

    January 04, 2018 at 7:46 pm

    I am so excited for this one. That fireplace is going to look amazing!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:55 am

      Thanks Jessica, I just want it to look as nice as it feels!

      Reply
  15. Beth says

    January 05, 2018 at 3:52 am

    This is going to look great! I love bookcase makeovers because the possibilities are endless with paint, decor, and all the possibilities with the back of the bookcase! Can't wait to see the end result!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:55 am

      Thanks Beth! That's what I love about them too!

      Reply
  16. Kim Carter-Young says

    January 06, 2018 at 10:58 am

    Oooo.. this is going to be a good one! I can't wait to see what you come up with! There really is so much functionality in that small corner. Can't wait to follow along!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:56 am

      Thanks Kim! It's functionality that definitely has not yet lived up to its potential!

      Reply
  17. Jenny says

    January 06, 2018 at 8:32 pm

    I can't wait to see how those built-ins turn out! Paint is so magical!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:56 am

      Thanks Jenny, I totally agree about paint!

      Reply
  18. Shelley says

    January 07, 2018 at 10:21 am

    What a great fireplace and hearth! I'm envious of those built-ins too. Looking forward to following along!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:58 am

      Thanks Shelley! I've always wanted a fireplace and hearth like this, so it's nice to be able to make it pretty as well as functional.

      Reply
  19. Wendy says

    January 08, 2018 at 11:27 am

    Wow! I have a feeling this is going to be an amazing transformation. I can't wait to see what you put on the back of the shelves!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      January 11, 2018 at 11:59 am

      Thanks Wendy. I've got high hopes for these shelves, I just hope I can pull it all together!

      Reply
  20. Thehomeicreate says

    January 17, 2018 at 12:12 pm

    The potential in this room is amazing, love the fireplace! I can't wait to see how it turns out.

    Reply
  21. Meredith says

    January 22, 2018 at 11:52 am

    Thank you! I hope it will be a complete transformation!

    Reply

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Welcome!

I'm Meredith, the designer, crafter, and DIY-er behind The Palette Muse. I love all things colorful and creative, and I love sharing them with you. Thanks for visiting today!

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