Showing posts with label our home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label our home. Show all posts

Monday, September 19, 2016

Thomas' Nursery

I’m a bit in denial that we will be moving at the end of this week.  There are so many things to do before then!  But before everything is packed up, it was important to me to document Thomas’ nursery.  It is such a special room because it is his first.  
I'm so grateful that I had taken the time to photograph James Robert’s room so that even after we moved, I could remember fondly all of the details (more on that here). And I couldn’t not do that for Thomas!

We currently live in a rental, so decorating this nursery had more restrictions in terms of what I could change and do.  Also, because I knew we would be in it for a limited time, I didn’t want to invest heavily or make too many holes in the wall.

Many of the pieces in his room are repurposed from James Robert's nursery or other rooms from our previous house.  The nursery together organically mixing what we had on hand which further supports my theory that if you only buy what you love, it will have longevity and you'll always be able to find a spot for it. 
I got lucky with the natural grass cloth wallpaper in this room.  It adds a lot of texture to the space and allowed me to get away with less on the walls.  I love how cozy it feels!

My original inspiration was here. And the end result is close to what I had in mind.  It is simple, mostly neutral but full of sentiment.  For example, the print is a special prayer from Brim Papery and the cable knit blanket from Boll and Branch is a sweet gift from Thomas' Aunt and Uncle.  

I did get a few new items for Thomas' nursery such as the crib sheet; I'm absolutely smitten with the bunny crib sheet from Pehr Designs. 


And I love using fabric bins to add additional pattern to the room. I was gifted a collection of small gray and white ones which house toys and little baby gear (similar size and pattern here).  I use the larger size for a hamper.  Also, I can't underestimate the power of adding plants to a room.  Not only is it a boost for air quality, but it makes everything else come alive too.
The salt lamp really is one of my favorite things in the whole room.  It has the perfect amount of soft light so that when I turn it on for middle of the night nursing sessions, it doesn't completely wake either of us up.  Plus I love the idea that the negative ions released are able to promote sleep, increase the levels of serotonin in the brain and calm allergy and asthma symptoms.  All great things for a nursery.

I can hardly believe how little Thomas seems in his birth announcement already; I love the way they turned out.  They are from Minted. 

Most importantly, Thomas really started to thrive in this little room and it has been a space of such sweet memories.

I've included as many of the sources as possible below, but as always, please feel free to email me questions or leave a comment below and I'll do my best to answer your questions.

Sources:
Ikea Dresser, salt lamp, Ballard Design Mirror, Crib, Custom bed skirt and bumpers, Pehr Design Bunny Crib Sheet, Pehr Designs ABC fabric bin, Stuffed Bunny, Custom Glider, Ikat Ottoman, Brim Papery Print, Boll & Branch Knitted Throw Blanket 

Friday, March 25, 2016

Nursery Ideas

I can't believe I'm officially in the third trimester of this pregnancy as of tomorrow!  And I think a bit of nesting has kicked-in because this week, I felt compelled to pull together some nursery ideas for baby boy #2.  He won't be in the nursery right away, but it's so fun to start dreaming and collecting ideas for when he is.

I have a lot of items that I'm going to reuse from James Robert's nursery (see it here).  The glider, crib and custom seersucker bedding are all things that were excellent investments the first time around that I'll happily be using again.  

We are in a new house and the room that is available to make into the nursery luckily has really pretty grasscloth wallpaper on the walls that are neutral and give a lot of texture.  I'm not going for a theme, but I am obsessed with Lullie Wallace and when I saw on her Instagram that she is doing a series of alphabet animals, my wheels immediately started turning.  

I love the soothing colors and movement in her prints and so that was a jumping-off point to add a few other things to the mix.  Here's what I've come up with so far!

 custom glider, ottoman, mirror, dresser, knobs for dresser, crib, crib sheets, art prints, salt lamp 

P.S.  I had to include the salt lamp in my planning; after reading Robin's review, I've been so excited to try one in the nursery, especially since they have a dimmer.  They are pretty and have such a nice function. Have you used one?  


Thursday, June 27, 2013

Sunroom Before and After

The  radio scilence over here is attributed to figuring out this working mom thing. Hope you'll hang in there with  me!  Suffice to say, it's a work in progress... much like our sunroom.  Our sunroom sat neglected for a few years.  But this spring, we decided it was time to spruce it up a bit and create a space that would allow us to enjoy the extra square footage in our home.

My idea was to extend the feel of the adjacent interior rooms to this outdoor space while keeping in mind the functionality of dining for us and play for James Robert.  While it's not quite "done" {I use that term loosely now... because, when is it ever, really?!}, we are thrilled with the additional living area we've created.

Let's start from the beginning.  Here is square one.  Wood paneled walls on three sides and red cedar siding on a third.
Not to mention a hideously old ceiling fan and unflattering outdoor sconces. 

Here's what we ended up with.


Friday, March 22, 2013

James Robert's Nursery

My initial inspiration for the nursery, which I shared here, evolved into a calming, meaningful space that has quickly become one of my favorite rooms in our home.  For fun, I shared James Robert's nursery over on Project Nursery and I'd love for you to head over and vote for us if you're so inclined!
Sources are listed on project nursery, but please feel free to leave a comment with any questions that I may not have covered. 

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Fill in the blanks update

Last month, you guys really helped me out with suggestions on how to fill in the blanks on my living room wall.  Thank you!  Today, this is what is looks like.

Slightly reminiscent of this.  
{image}

Way better than this. 

I know I owe you some more before and afters...to be continued!

P.S. The MKaltenbach giveaway winner is announced over on Pink to Green's FB page today!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Tree Stump Planter

Hoping to disguise the tree stump next to our patio, we created a planter for some annuals. I can't wait to see how this guy fills in. April showers bring May flowers, right?!
 What do you have going on in your garden?

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Artist Molly Wright

Tickled doesn't begin to describe how excited I was to receive a print from one of my favorite artists, Molly Wright.

I've featured her work before, but it was the addition of her new pieces featuring sheep that captured my heart.  The colors are beautiful and the subject matter reminds me of New Zealand.

I'm so happy to have her work in my home. Thank you to Molly!  Please check out her work here and keep your eye out for her art shows; I'll keep you posted if she is coming back to Charlotte. 

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Little Victories

Building a home, I've discovered, is as much about the little victories as it is the big.  The newly mounted staghorn fern that resides in our sunroom testifies that trophies comes in all shapes and sizes.
  DIY enthusiasts, I got my mounting board here! More staghorn inspiration here.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Fill in the blanks

With all the great advice I've received from readers over the years, I like to consider you part of my design team! Your expertise is appreciated on my latest design dilemma...

Remember the living room before?

Here  it is today.
I love the progress we've made so far.  But when we added the architectural print to the wall above the couch, I felt like something was missing. It's the design equivalent of fill in the blanks.... ideas? 

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Home Sweet Home: Living Room Updates

We've made a lot of progress in our living room. And while it isn't quite ready for an official before and after, I wanted to share some sneak peaks.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Garden Tour

Greeted by extra hours of daylight, I took a tour of my backyard garden after work yesterday.  It was the perfect way to wind down the day. 



Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Christmas in March

Today's feels like Christmas.  This fine lady is being delivered and I couldn't be more excited.

This morning I'm whipping up some easy-peazy green floor cleaner to make sure the room is ready for new furniture.  We ran out of Bona cleaner, so I'm going to refill with a mix of vinegar, water and essential oil.

Accessorizing the new sofa is the next step. And since shopping for throw pillows has become somewhat of a hobby, here's a collection of what I've been eyeing:


{1/2/3/4/5/6}
Can't wait to get this room together!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Home Sweet Home: Living Room

The last, but not least, room in our house to get some TLC is the living room. It has been sitting in despair for too long.  Not to mention, it is a large space that could be better utilized than to just store the piano.  I can't tell you how excited I am to create a space that we can entertain, relax and enjoy.

Here are some ideas of where I want to go.

Here's the state of things right now; painting in progress.
Some lights are being put in soon and then furniture.... I'll keep you posted!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

A chair makeover

Giving my great-grandmother's chair a new life is one of my favorite house projects yet. 

What I hoped for was a modern update without sacrificing the femininity of her chair and I think we were able to achieve just that.  
Right now, she is nestled on the far wall of our bedroom, but chances are musical chairs will ensue.  

P.S.  Franz Klein served as the inspiration for the new art in our room; it was my first attempt at painting an abstract. I'm so happy to have something up on the wall!  

For more on our bedroom progress, click here.
For my other chair makeovers, click here and here.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Moving in the right direction

I inherited a cedar chest from my grandmother and wanted to incorporate it into our master bedroom for much needed storage and seating.  And while I appreciate pieces with history, the fabric just didn't fit our aesthetic.  So this weekend, after a trip to Mary Jo's, I used a yard of fabric to upcycle my family heirloom.
{I also got this great floral fabric which I hope to also incorporate}
And because it is fun to look back and see where we came from to appreciate the progress made, this is a picture from shortly after we moved in.
And this is a similar shot of the room now.
I breath a sigh of relief looking at that second picture.  It makes me feel a sense of calm, the precise emotion I hoped to invoke.  Some of my favorite details are the pillows made with love by my mother in law, bits of vintage milk glass and favorite jewelry on a bedside table...
And a display of loved ones with my DIY lavender hurricanes.

The bench pulls it all together, don't you think? {p.s. taking pictures of the room was a bit tricky}
I still think there is a way to go in this space. I'd like to add some trim to the curtains, perhaps swap out the lampshades, add a floral pillow, reupholster the vintage chair in the corner and paint an abstract for the far wall.  Stay tuned!


{Lampshade , Painting inspiration from theobjectathandTrim, fabric from Mary Jo's}