The library started taking shape this week thanks to the addition of our green leather chesterfield from Roger & Chris, and our red velvet lounge chair from West Elm.
This week has been all about the finishing touches. As you may have seen on Instagram, I painted the window molding that my dad made. We'll install them tomorrow, as well as hang the curtains, all of the art, fill the bookcases, and start styling the room for the shoot.
Styling can take a while, and I like to take my time doing it. While styling, I keep my camera handy to see how everything looks through the lense.
For those of you who are starting out blogging, or who just want to take great pictures, the best advice I can give you is: get yourself a good tripod. When I first started photographing my projects, I wasn't using a tripod. It was amateur hour, and at the end of the shoot, I'd have a million pictures to sift through. Using a tripod helps you curate each shot, so you don't take nearly as many photos. With a few exceptions, almost every photo I post on IG is taken on my real camera using a tripod.
While I'm giving out photography advice, which I have no business doing, I suggest you take pictures of your space at different times of the day. Since starting the ORC, I've been monitoring the light in the library and taking test photos to understand what time each vignette photographs best.
My last piece of advice about shooting a room is: it's okay to move things! When I first started, I thought everything had to stay in the exact place that it lived in real life. For example, take a coffee table, often you have to shift it forward or backward to make the shot look best. This is not cheating, so don't be afraid to make some tweaks.
I'm so excited to share the final space with you next week! Thank you, everyone, who has encouraged me along the way! Don't forget to check out all of the talented featured and guest bloggers bravely participating in the Fall 2017 One Room Challenge!