So I switched things up a bit, skipped mood board monday (was still on beach vacation mode), decided to combine my Monday post with my Friday journey of a nursery post and give it to you on a Wednesday. Well, here it is…
As I mentioned before the “theme” for our nursery is vintage nautical.
Remember how my initial inspiration was the vintage ship artwork?. Well, the jumping off point for the rest of the room started with the colorful Anthropologie pillow and fantastic vintage linen Matteo baby bedding. The bedding was the hardest thing for me to find, there’s some really cheesy stuff out there. I contemplated making it, but really who has time for that. The goal for the room was to incorporate texture in as many places as possible. It’s hard to tell from the picture, but the decorative pillow for the crib has rope and twine woven throughout the front of it, and the colorful embroidered coral brings in another layer of texture. The crocheted storage baskets from ikea are perfect for the open shelving unit in the room. With such a neutral palette I wanted to bring in some pops of color. A bright green color will be brought in with the green bird cage I already have on hand. I also picked up a vintage tin trash can in the same color green that I plan on using as a laundry basket. With the Bunny Gray walls and and white crib, I decided to pepper in some antique oak pieces like the letters and mirror to keep it from being too light. Plus it brings in nice nautical touch.
*crib pillow*block letter*curtains*throw*crib bedding*storage*bird cage*mobile*pillow*personal artwork*antique oval mirror*vintage life preserver* blocks*artwork*rug*knobs*
So there you have it, my nautical theme (but not to themed) nursery mood board.
Now that I have a plan set in place, I can allow myself to dream and search for inspiration. It’s always harder designing for yourself. There are just too many things that I like but I needed a place to start. So, I decided I to collect photos of rooms that I love. Seriously you can feel like you are drowning in the endless amounts of inspiration there is to find out there. Where to start?
1. Make a list of the things that you know you like and dislike.
As far as like goes…I knew that I wanted the walls in some version of gray (I really can’t get enough of the color). Well that, and it’s the perfect neutral backdrop for a baby’s room without being pastel. Pastel colors are on the dislike list. They’re just not us.
2. Begin searching for pictures, objects, anything that inspires you.
I began pulling images from the internet. Things I liked whether it was fabric, a chair, a room, anything really. After a while I began to see a consistent color palette that I was drawn to. Can you see it from these photos? Yup. Blue/gray, orange, navy, and some neutrals mixed in.
3. Find an inspiration piece.
Typically when I am designing a room I work off of an inspiration piece. My living room for example, is designed off of my favorite Anthropologie pillow and my love for gray. Well, a while ago I picked up a 1960’s needlepoint of a ship from a thrift store in PA. After bringing it from the living room into the baby’s room I realized this is it, this is my inspiration piece. It has all of the same colors incorporated into it that the photos I pulled from the internet do. Plus it brings in some amazing textures.
From here a theme (and I hesitate to use the term) was born, “vintage nautical”. Themes are great but in places like say, a babies room for instance they can get way out if hand.
Stay tuned next week to see how I carefully carried the theme into a moodboard for baby Smyth.
This weeks mood board is all about texture. Really, what would a room be without it? Texture brings variation to an all neutral room, adds interest to already colorful room and is just plain ol’ visually appealing when thoughtfully layered throughout a space. Without further adieu I bring you texture…
wall paper*rug*lamp*bedding*art
Today’s mood board is all about using accessories to create a “quick fix” for a dull room. If you are like me, there are times when you’re just sick of your room and need to make some changes. The best way to start is by adding in some accent pieces. Accessories are the easiest and most budget friendly way to initiate change. Try swapping out your pillows for fresh new ones. Something as simple as rotating and updating the books on your coffee table or bookcase can make a big change. Plus you get to rotate and reuse the ones you already have. Bud vases are one of my favorite accessories to have on hand. I love to get fresh flowers from the farmers market and spread them out throughout the house in colorful bug vases and vintage glasses. It’s a great inexpensive way to bring color throughout the house. Now that I’m accumulating a hefty collection of both vintage and new blankets and throws, I love to swap them in and out of my living room for a different look.
throw* lamp shade*mirror*book*clock*rectangular pillow*pillow*bud vase*rug*
See how these inspirational photos come alive with addition of accessories…
When we found out we were having a baby of course the first thought was excitement, but that was soon followed by “oh my gosh where are we going to put everything!”. I guess this is where being an interior designer really comes in handy. I love a good challenge and believe me a one bedroom apartment for three is a big challenge!
The first dilemma is where to put the baby. Our bedroom is quite large, but so is our clothing collection and the bedroom also functions as part of my office (as you’ve seen here and here). That leaves no place for a crib. I thought about our dining room turned art studio. But then where would my husband work? The next logical idea was our huge walkin closet. It’s 4′7″”x 5′9″ with a 9′ ceiling. There are built in shelves to right when you walk in, shelves that line the top, and lighting. Really what more could I ask for. It was perfect. The next hurdle was convincing my husband that I could find space for everything that is was currently filling our closet. Perhaps “filling” is the wrong word (seriously it was jam packed).
The solution was simple (to me at least). Take everything from our bedroom closet and move to front hall closet. Lucky for us we have another walking closet downstairs by our front door. After some investigating I found out our building offers additional storage in the basement for free (score!).
So…
Place to put the baby? check
Place to put our clothes? check
Place to put our junk? check
Convinced husband of the switch? kinda, but enough to move forward.
Now I can focus more on the fun stuff. Nursery inspiration!
I‘ve always loved baby stuff…decor, clothing, bottles, bedding, you name it I love it. But now that the concept is hitting a lot closer to home, I’m just downright ecstatic about it. Oh in case you missed it (and you probably have, it’s been a while since I’ve written) we are expecting our first baby in October!
Greening your home and baby go hand in hand. It’s not just about choosing chemical free options for your home and baby (although that plays a big part), it’s also about cutting down on all of the excess stuff. A new baby brings about a lot of new things to buy. There’s the obvious items like furniture, diapers, stroller, etc, but also the not so obvious things that seem to accumulate over time. We don’t have a lot of extra room in our home to have baby items take over. The key here is the not be sucked into an unnecessary buying frenzy (not always easy). In truth a baby has very minimal needs. While a lot of that baby stuff is just to make our lives a bit easier, it’s not always a greener choice. Just keep in mind you learn as you go along…not all babies love the giant plastic bouncer seat. Register or buy only those essentials, you can fill in the necessities as you go along.
Here are a few green baby items I’m loving right now.
swaddle blankets* organic towels*elephant toy*sock monkey onesie*babyfood maker*growth chart*calendula cream*sleepy wrap*glass bottles*pacifier*baby soy hats*infant gowns*
So with babies on the brain you will have to excuse the all the baby posts that are soon to follow. Don’t worry I promise not to overwhelm you with them.
