Design Ideas for Baby Boy D

Where to begin?  Starting the nursery design is often the hardest part.  There are so many choices out there, which is great, but it can get a little overwhelming.  Luckily, Baby D's mom already has a great starting point - this assortment of bold, graphic fabrics, with a cute giraffe print thrown in.

Since the fabrics are so nice and almost look like art, it would be cute to cover canvas with them and glue letters over the top to spell a name or monogram like this:

image and letters from this etsy.com seller

All of these supplies can be purchased inexpensively at Hobby Lobby and are super easy for even the most novice DIYer. All you need is a staple gun to wrap the canvas, a little craft paint on the wooden letters and some strong glue.

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Don't want to do letters?  I am envisioning a set of 3 square pictures, each a solid color pulled from the fabric, with a white giraffe silhouette in the center.  This would also be an easy DIY project.  Just use a photocopy machine to enlarge the giraffe design and cut out one giraffe.  Trace onto the center of the canvas and paint the background a solid color using simple craft paint from Hobby Lobby.  It will probably take 2-3 coats of paint but the end result will be fun and graphic!

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Or how about this adorable wall decal, available in a variety of colors, with an almost matching giraffe:

at just $44, this decal from Single Stone Studios won't break the bank

If you are not crafty yourself, I suggest recruiting a crafty family member or friend to help you with some projects.  Tell them their assistance can be their gift to you instead of a shower gift.  Or turn to etsy.com.  You can truly find ANYTHING you could possibly want to decorate a nursery there.

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Since Mom is a teacher, I am guess books are important to her (not that they aren't always important!).  Forward facing bookshelves placed near the nursery chair create a perfect story-time nook and add color and interest.  Try organizing books by color for extra impact.

Catalina Magazine Rack from Pottery Barn Kids

Want to make your own?  My dad is kind enough to be building these for my nursery

DIY instructions found on Centsational Girl blog

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Finally, a few giraffe touches wouldn't hurt to play up the cute factor.  I like this small rug on clearance at JCPenney for in front of the crib, plus its on clearance for $29.99!

Hope that helps you get started on your modern, slightly safari room!

Serena and Lily Maggie Ideas

I had a request this week for some art to coordinate with the Serena and Lily Maggie set. The baby is due in 2 weeks, so I wasn't able to complete her request in time but I offered to put together some ideas. The bedding set looks like this:

and the walls are pale yellow. There is also some bright pink accents in the room. Of course I turned to etsy for some creative, inexpensive wall decor ideas. Here are some of my favorites:

This 13x19 print could be framed with a white mat and frame and is a perfect mix of all the colors. Just $22 from etsy seller TheWheatField

The decal on the left measures 28" square and has all the colors in the room, and coordinates with the graphic print on the bumper. Just $25 from this etsy seller

Or, if there is a ton of wall space to take up, this tree is 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide and includes the custom name letters for just $85! Available from this etsy seller.

Finally, this banner of flags would look great hung across a window, or above a changing table. Just $20 for 7 feet of flags, from this etsy seller

Inspiring Mood Boards

If you haven't visited Young House Love, you must check it out. These DIYers have turned their blog into a full time business and they post home improvement projects, inspiring mood boards and most recently they have added baby related posts. They have done some amazing project for their nursery, which looks like this:

They recently added a page with all of their mood boards, which you can now browse by color or room. Most are living and bedroom posts (with a few nurseries) and it is a great way to get started and see different variations of the colors you have in mind. Plus, unlike some web designers, they actually tell you where to buy all the stuff in the board!

Stop by and check them out!

Design Dilemma: Natural and Neutral

Planning a cute nursery for a surprise-sex baby can be a little challenging. Green, yellow and orange are the obvious color choices but just because you don't know the sex yet doesn't mean you can't have a fun theme.

A reader emailed me last week needing some design advice for just this situation. She is thinking about doing green, black and white and adding touches of pink or blue when the baby arrives but she also really liked this set from Banana Fish:

Migi Little Tree design from Banana Fish

I featured this set last week as a top pick for little boys rooms but I think with a few tweaks it can definitely go either way. I love the combination of modern design with a nature element. Here are some suggestion to pair with it:

Kalani Crib by Da Vinci - This crib is high quality at a good price and the line offers several different changers and dressers so you can really pick the pieces that are best for your room

If its a little girl, you can add pieces with pink for a feminine touch. Other accessories could include a shabby-chic wire bird cage or fun polka dots to pull out the bedding pattern on the branches.

Or, if its a boy, a tree decal in blue and green would be really cute. Play up the outdoors theme for little boys with a monogram canvas hanging on a barnwood shelf.

Wall decal from Etsy for only $26!

And for a boy or girl I love this homemade branch mobile. If you want to wait until the baby is born you can use pink or blue to pull in another gender-specific touch.

Lastly, don't forget wall paint. Pale yellow would work well and be a neutral backdrop for pink or blue accents. Or how about 3 solid aqua walls with a feature wall of wide aqua and white horizontal stripes? With so many colors in the Migi set you can really take it in so many different directions. Hope this helps!

A Little Lost with Little Ones

A sorority sister recently contacted me about some ideas for her nursery. She is having her first, a boy, and is a little lost when it comes to planning the decor. She has selected the Lambs & Ivy Little One's set for the bedding. With the trend towards decorating the nursery like a more adult room, I thought it was super sweet when she told me "Our son will only be young once and we liked the small child feel without being too baby."

She has the crib in espresso and a 6 drawer dresser from the Munire Newport collection:

The are currently renting, so a paint design and other permanent wall treatments are a no go. To gather some ideas, I did a google search for "rent decor nursery ideas." After several search combinations I came up with very little, so I can see where my friend is stuck!

After much consideration, here are my suggestions:

Hang the Crib Quilt - Many of the Lambs & Ivy sets have build in rod pockets on the quilt to use it as a wall hanging. The Little One's set has a really detailed quilt with adorable animals so it would be great to add a large pop of color to nuetral walls.

Reusable Wall Decal - Vinyl wall decals are all the rage these days. They come in tons of styles and colors and are an inexpensive way to get the mural look. Problem is, most of them are not reusable. Some decals are available in a reusable version, which is perfect if you are renting and may be moving. This monkey design would work great with the jungle animal theme and is only $24! Available at Solana Graphic Studio on Etsy.com


Art with Initials - The baby's initials are KPD. I think it would be cute to do 3 square canvases, each with one animal silhouette and an initial. They can be hung vertically or horizontally, depending on the space. Use animals from the bedding or ones that begin with each letter like:

K - Koala Bear
P - Parrot or Panther
D - Dog

I know they are a little random - those are some hard letters to use!

Changing Table in Closet - I just did a post about this. Save space in a small room by putting the changing table in the closet.

Hope these suggestions help Kim! If you want me to put together some ideas for paintings, let me know!

Design Dilemma - "Builder Bland" Bathroom Makeover

When the husband and I moved into our house, it was what I like to call "Builder Bland." We chose upgraded tile for the kitchen, bathrooms and floors but aside from that the walls and fixtures were pretty generic. We have been slowly doing some cosmetic upgrades with paint, new lighting fixtures and molding. One of my favorite projects was out guest bathroom.

I have used a very similar color palette throughout the entire house and rusty red is one of our accent colors. I know they say you shouldn't paint a small room a dark color but I did exactly that and I LOVE the way it turned out. Here is a view of the entire bathroom:

It originally had that cheap-o exposed bulb light fixture but I replaced it with a bronze version that was the floor model from a lighting store. I score it for $70 bucks! We also replaced the silver faucet with a bronze one I purchased on EBAY. That saved us another $150!

I wanted to do something with the mirror, but the builder glued the ENTIRE mirror to the wall making it impossible to remove. Instead, my Dad built a frame out of molding and we put that directly on top of the mirror. The result is a custom look for a fraction of the price. I have the same project planned for our master bath, so when I do that one I will put up a step by step tutorial. Another tip - I painted the existing light switch and outlet covers with a bronze paint to turn to make them look more expensive. Just lightly sand them to take the shine off the plastic and you can save a ton by just painting them.

For wall art I purchased these 2 ceiling tiles on EBAY and framed them in a shadow box frame without the glass.

This is a shot of my linen closet, with each shelf labeled (courtesy of the label maker) for the size sheets that go on it. I also keep a basket of sample products in there for guest to use.

Lastly, I just have to share a pic of the soap/lotion combo I have in the guest bath. Everyone that comes over just loves it and I can always tell when they have used it b/c the smell is pretty strong. Its Tranquil Mint from Bath and Body Works. I actually bought it for the kitchen but hated the way it smelled on me. Who knew everyone else would love it so much!

Reader Design Dilemma - Centerpiece Concerns

A few weeks ago on of my readers emailed me this picture of her dining room table and asked for suggestions on a centerpiece. As a busy working Mom she did not want anything "with little rocks she has to dust all the time" and I totally understand where she is coming from:

The table is a rich espresso color and is a taller pub height, which makes it interesting. My first suggestion is to add a table runner. The one below is from Pottery Barn and is pretty neutral, but I also think something in a rich color would be great. Table runners can sometimes be hard to find these days, but I usually see a good selection at Marshall's, Ross and Pier 1 Imports. They might be a little old fashioned but I think they can really add a punch of color and make any centerpiece more outstanding.

Now for a centerpiece, there are a few things to consider. First, how often do you use the table? If not very often, you can choose something that is a little more decorative but not as functional. I love large, tall centerpieces, but if you use the table alot this might not be practical and can be hard to see over. You also need to consider all sides of the table when choosing something for the middle. You don't want something that has a font or back or doesn't look pretty all the way around. Here are some of my favorite ideas:

This tray features some rustic wooden candle holders and candles. I like how the candles have 3 colors, much more interesting than a solid. When putting candles on a dinner table you want to make sure they don't really have a smell, as this can mix with the food smells and sometimes not be so appetizing.

I also like this floral arrangement, although I know everyone is not big on fake flowers.

Another concern Miss S had was her light fixture. It was in the house when they moved in and although everyone else loves it, she kinda hates it. She has removed some of the crystals already and right now it looks like this:

Sorry S, but I kinda agree with everyone else, I like it. It was probably a really expensive fixture and it is pretty. I do think it is a little busy though, and the thing that stands out most to me is the finish. If everything else in your house is brown, this silver finish might be too much. My suggestion - remove some more crystals if you want and spray paint it. I know you guys are probably sick of me talking about my love for Rust-Oleum Hammered Finish Spray Paint in Brown but this stuff rocks. I think a brown finish would work much better with the table and the lamp shade covers and the hammered effect looks like metal so you will never know it was spray painted.

Hope some of those suggestion work, let us know how it turns out!

Have a room or area you are not sure what to do with? Send me a few pictures and I might feature your room and some suggestions as a Reader Design Dilemma!

Design Dilemma - My Mantle Makeover

The Husband and I have this thing about random art. We don't like hanging things in the house that don't have any special meaning to us. I am fine with hanging decorative iron pieces or other such things on the wall, but I just can't go to Kirklands and buy a random picture of the countryside and feel good about hanging it up. It has to mean something to me. So, deciding what to hang over the fireplace has been quite a challenge. With the advice of a decorator, we painted the area over the fireplace a rich olive green shade. And then it just sat there. For a year. Blank. After I created my vanity area, I moved my old make up mirror to above the fireplace and it looked like this:

Yes, the mirror reflects a great view of a ceiling vent and the fan. Attractive.

Then, one day while digging through the bargain bin at the Pottery Barn Outlet, I ran across this Williams-Sonoma Home pillow (yes, they are owned by the same people - the have a monopoly on stylish home decor) marked down from $78 to $22. Now, let me explain something. I have been obsessed with using coral shapes in home decor for about 2 years. So I literally DOVE into the huge clearance bin to grab this. I added 3 more pillows that I scored for $2 each at the outlet and wa-la, my couch came alive with the perfect mix of modern and ranch I was going for. Well, as much as ranch and modern can mix.

So, with the coral pillow inspiring me, I set out to paint my own pictures for above the fireplace. Easy enough you say? Not so. I do not really paint stuff for grown ups. Kid's art is so much easier to do and although you might think I have painted stuff for every room in my own house, I haven't. So coming up with a design was quite a challenge.



I knew I wanted a big graphic coral shape. I bought a square canvas (they look so chic) and painted what I thought was a coral shape. To my dismay, it came out looking like a tree. Not that a tree is bad, but it just wasn't what I was going for. So, if you have the need for a 20x20" rust colored graphic tree picture, let me know! I'll sell it to you for $25.




Anyway, I made a second attempt and came up with a much better shape. I stacked the coral picture on top of a larger picture with a big graphic print and added a vase we already had. I am still not 100% happy with it but it is a big improvement. I think I may add some brown molding around the larger print to make it even bigger. I kinda wish it was bigger and I am on a big molding kick!