Elle's Nursery Completed
I walk into her room and feel an instant peace. It’s so light, open and bright. I love it!
We decided to not find out what we were having. At the time of this decision we were living in a one bedroom NYC apartment and had no plans to move. I had no nursery to decorate which made this choice much easier. Once we decided to move back to Dallas I had the dilemma of decorating a gender neutral nursery.
The walls are Restoration Hardware Silver Sage. I fell in love with this color and also used it in our dinning room. In different lights this color changes so dramatically -- a sage green to blue green to blue grey. I cannot take all the credit for the mural, but I will take some : ) My aunt had her muralist draw the images on the wall and together we painted it. This turned out so beautiful, and even though it seems bold I don’t even notice it most days.
Her rug is from West Elm. I really love this rug, except for the fact that it sheds on dark clothes. I searched from something soft and light colored. And what I really wanted was a white rug, but could never pull the trigger! This weave and color actually hides quite a bit and is a perfect thickness to play on.
The dresser is piece my little brother acquired from an old apartment that I painted white. I love this piece! It is so functional. Elle will have this forever. I don’t know why people buy changing tables? They are so small and don’t always have great storage. I can store diapers, wipes, clothes, diaper pail refill bags, sheets and blankets in all the drawers.
I know, I know. Blah Blah mobiles are not cheap, but they are some of the cutest mobiles on the market! Put it on your registry and I’m sure there will be somebody who can’t pass it up! I purchased the bird for over her changing table and it was an instant hit. Seriously it was! From a very young age, Elle loved watching her birds. And since I’m such a sucker I went back for the lamby one to put over her crib.
Once Elle began sleeping in her crib, I needed a night light in her room. This maybe one of my fav things in Elle’s room. I love giving them as gifts too. It’s one of those things you forgot about when you’re preparing a nursery (or at least I forgot about it!). They also come in many different colors, animals, scenes -- great for a gift when you don’t know the sex of the baby too!
Coyuchi
As you know, I had such a hard time finding crib bedding. No hot pink and zebra stripes in this house!! So naturally when I found a tasteful line, I wanted to share (I think on Gilt), Coyuchi. It's such a beautifully sweet designed collection.
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Check out their other bedding and bath products for yourself!
Baby Clothes
Not sure about you, but I have the hardest time finding cute baby clothes. I guess my style isn't what is necessarily popular for babies. No frills, fuss, or HUGE bows!!! No stupid sayings, I love my mommy or My daddy blah blah blah! Sorry for the short rant : ) If I had a fashion background I would seriously consider starting a baby clothing line. It seems so easy! Beautiful patterns, colors, simplicity. . .
I usually have the best luck at Old Navy and the Gap. The Old Navy near my house can be sort of hit or miss and the Gap seems a little over prices sometimes. And of course I LOVE anything from Tea Collection, but I have to catch them on sale. Thanks to my new addiction, Pinterest : ) I have found a few other lines I really like. Please Please Please pass on any good websites/stores you love.
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Not the cheapest, but not ridiculous either. Cute boy things as well. And a bonus they have adult clothes too!
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Lots of different brands. Range of prices.
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If you're going to accessorize with headbands, I think these are precious. Small, sweet, beautiful. I really don't think that Elle would let me put these on her head anyways. This etsy store has great headbands and knit hats.
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Great basics, solids and sweet patterns. Not the cheapest, but I do catch these on Guilt every once and a while.
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I've also seen this brand on Guilt. Haven't ordered anything from them yet, but love all the footed onesies for the fall.
Recently I popped into our new H&M and was really pleased with their selection, great prices and clothes! Also Zara was definite hit!
Toy Boxes
I recently added shelves to Elle's room. They're not the fanciest or prettiest, plane old cube shelves from Target. The cubes that fit the shelves are not cute either. Bad colors and bad fabric/material. I took this opportunity to add some pink into her still very gender neutral nursery.
This is so easy to do -- a very quick 30 min or less project. This is key since Elle only takes 30 min naps! I'm almost done, 2 more to go...in other words 2 more naps and I'll be done!
Steps:
1. Place box in middle of fabric. Making sure that there is enough fabric to pull over each side and glue inside the box.
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2. Bring fabric over edge and glue. Make sure with each glue, you're pulling fabric evenly.
3. Repeat with opposite side.
4. Cut out excess fabric on adjacent side (I cut out a square) leaving enough to fold over the top of box.
5. Glue flaps down, making sure fabric is smooth on other sides.
6. Fold fabric in to make a straight edge. Glue onto side of box. Pull fabric up and over box and glue inside. Repeat on other side.
7. And there you have it.
Sorry if the directions aren't the most clear. I'm a visual learner so I took pics of each step. If you're like me, just follow the pictures : )
Elle's Nursery
3 months later I'm finally getting around to posting pictures of our nursery. After all the inspiration pictures, this is what I came up with . . .
Disclaimer: This is still a major work-in-progres!!!
The floor lamp was a gift from my aunt, as well as a few other pieces in the room including the mural. This glider was worth every penny. I really didn't start using it until Elle began sleeping in her room. Now it's where you can find me at 5 am.
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During all the house construction I had my painter spray this sideboard. My little brother acquired this from an old apartment (the older woman didn't want it anymore). Free piece of furniture, Yes Please! I had the hardest time finding a plain white - and I mean white, not cream! - changing mattress cover. Of course Serena & Lily came through for me. Elle's BlahBlah bird mobile was an instant favorite. I couldn't believe how much she loved this mobile given that it doesn't sing, dance, move, etc. I really only bought it because it was pretty.
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Our giant bear was a gift from Grandma : ) I'm sure it will be a favorite for reading in the corner. The giraffes are in the opposite corner, I had to add a pic of them.
I had the hardest time finding bedding!!!!!! Not finding out the sex of Elle didn't make it any easier. I was about to go with all white then add color later, when I stumbled on Rickshaw Design. Instantly, I fell in love. The only downfall is that you cannot mix and match colors. Her things are absolutely beautiful though! I chose the orange thinking it was gender neutral enough. The hubby informed me that if we would of had a boy, this bedding would have been shipped back -- not neutral enough I guess : ) And because the bird mobile was such a hit, I picked up the lamb one this weekend.
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More pics to come as the room progresses . . .
Cute Cute Cute Mobiles
I assumed when looking for a mobile for the nursery I would have to settle for a Fisher Price mobile. As I was registering for gifts I started to see how far mobiles have come! Mobiles serve an important role in your child's development -- stimulating their minds through motion, color differentiation. And lucky for the designer mom, they are visually pleasing to us as well.
I can't believe how cute they are (and unfortunately a little expensive). Maybe if I put it on my registry, a rich aunt will buy it for me : ) I also found a beautiful one that a woman made. Very cute and inexpensive! Check out some of my favs....
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I can't believe how well this handmade one turned out! It gives me a little confidence that I may be able to do this too.
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found here
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no longer available : (
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A Neutral Nursery IS Possible
I have always said that I wouldn't find out the sex of my children while we were pennant. It's definitely easier said then done especially when your husband wants to find out. I had my days when I told myself, forget this I'm finding out! But when it came to the day of the doctors appointment Chase was on board with keeping it a secret, giving me the extra push to stay true and do the same.
Of course in the back of my head was the nursery : ) I came across a posting on House of Turquoise with such beautiful nurseries for everyBaby. My search began for more inspiration and this is where my mind going...
The room is cute, but the letters wrapping around the room is a must!
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This was my original inspiration. The aquas and corals drew me.
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This sagey color is number one of my list for wall colors currently. Maybe with a little more gray in it.
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Love Love Love this crib!
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2011 A Year of Change
My husband really likes making New Year's Resolutions -- Me, I'm not big on them at all! Way too much commitment : ) This year's resolution was more of motto, 2011 Our Year of Change. It's not that 2010 was a bad year by any means, but there were some things we wanted to try to change this year. Number one on the list was to move back to Texas. Well be careful what you wish for! In February we found out that Baby White will be joining our little family in October. Shortly after that we got the go ahead for the move back to Texas for August 1st.
A move means finding a new home! I think we deserve having as much space and closets as we can afford after living in a 720 sq ft apartment for the last 3 1/2 years. The home we found is really great as is, minus the room colors. But having a builder for a dad makes a few renovations possible.
We're not quite a White House in Texas yet, but very soon. The most fun thing about the move (in my opinion) is getting to decorate a whole house! Since I moved out of my parents house for college in 2001 I have always lived in apartments -- minus one little house in Ft. Worth.
Baby White's Nursery is the first on the agenda! He/She will be arriving on or around October 8 and we're not finding out the sex. I thought this would make decorating the room a challenge but so far I haven't had too much trouble. I'm envisioning a mostly white room with grays and yellows. Then once the baby comes I'll add corals or turquoises. I know I know white with a baby I'm crazy! Let me be the mom that at least wants the first baby's room pretty : ) This is what I have so far...
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target.com
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This is just the start. It maybe a slightly more challenging attempting the gender neutral room, but I'm so glad it's not an all pink or blue room.
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