Around the House: Progress in the Nursery Pt. 2

I hope everyone had a fabulous 4th of July weekend. I used the extra time off to make some progress in the nursery, so I thought I'd share an update. 

For this project I had a few stipulations. It had to be done cheaply, use stuff I already own, have a classic aestethic, and not be too "baby" looking so there is no need to overhaul the room in a few years. So here's what I came up with......

The walls are painted in Benjamin Moore's Chantilly Lace (sidenote: I actually got the paint from Sherwin Williams, which is a few blocks away. Did you know you can have them reproduce colors from other companies?). I couldn't decide on a color, so I figured I couldn't go wrong with white. It makes the small room feel larger, and is gender neutral. The window curtains are Ikea's RITVA. I have these in every room in our house. They are cheap, wash well, and stand the test of time. I highly recommend them. The candle sconces are vintage and  were purchased years ago on sale at AVENUE ANTIQUES. I've had them hiding in a closet and almost forgot I owned them. Finally, they have a home :-)

Above the crib is an old ship pic. I like to incorporate nautical elements throughout our home because it makes me feel like I'm on vacation at the beach. It's also a nod to the hubs who is a former sailor. The ship photo was picked up in DC at GOOD WOOD years ago.

 For the rocking chair I went back and forth about reupholstering. Unfortunately, reupholstery was just not in the budget, and not a job I thought I could DIY. To change the color, I just plopped a blanket over it. It's not perfect, but definitely gets the job done. 

 The chest as you'll RECALL was something I already owned and painted. The lamp I got a while back for $10 at Target. The shelf above the chest was a vintage find from THE TURNOVER SHOP.

The rug is just a simple classic sisal rug. It adds texture, and pretty much goes with anything in case I want to move it to a new room or change this room's color scheme later. I found it at Homegoods for the great price of $25!

I'm almost done with things. I'd just like to add a small child sized chair and perhaps a crib skirt.

Around the House: Progress in the Nursery

After much distress over what to do in the nursery, I'm finally making some progress. Due to hormonal changes and my crazy obsession with making our home perfect for our little family, it's been a lot of work. My poor husband has been very supportive during my numerous meltdowns where I've begun on a design scheme only to scrap it, screaming out, "This isn't good enough for my baby!" Sad, I know :-( Don't judge me, again it's the hormones (at least that's what I'm telling myself).

My small budget hasn't made things easier either. On many occasions I've thought, "To heck with that budget! I'm gonna spend every last penny to make this baby's room great." Luckily, I came back to my senses and kept the receipts on a few ridiculous purchases. Gotta prioritize....college before cute expensive baby crap. So without further ado here's my progress.

Tada, I painted that ugly red chest I had.

If you'll remember it looked like this before.

I think it looks a lot better in white, and for a little over 10 bucks to paint it and swap out the knobs, I couldn't be happier.

I also picked up a crib, the Davinci Jenny Lind 3 in 1, which converts into a toddler bed later on.

(Sorry for the terrible pic. This room is tiny and difficult to photograph). Next up I'll finish painting the walls, and tackle storage and seating. I hope to have everything finished in the coming weeks and will update you on the final result.

I hope all you mothers had a fabulous Mother's Day!

I Spy: Items That Can Be Used For Our Nursery

As I begin designing our little one's nursery, besides safety, the most important issue I must keep in mind is the budget. I've set aside a total of $350 for decorating, and not a penny over. To keep costs low I have to be resourceful, and use restraint when shopping (this is soooo hard when all first-time parents want to do is buy all kinds of cute stuff for their kid). The first place I'm shopping for items is at home. Most people have tons of stuff around their house that they are not using or could be temporarily repurposed for a nursery. Today, I took inventory off all the stuff I currently have that might work well in the baby's room. Here's what I found.....

A small chest currently being used in my home office. It's tiny, but so are baby clothes, so it might work. I don't have much money to buy a dresser, so I've got to get creative. It's cheap looking and in a hot mess state right now. I'm hoping it's something some paint and new hardware can fix.

A throw I used to cuddle up on the couch with, but since changing the color scheme in the living room I haven't used it much.

 A vintage rocking chair I picked up a few years ago. I have back problems sometimes, so when I spotted this cute rocker for a good price, I quickly scooped it up. The bear was a gift to my nephew that he keeps at our house, hopefully he doesn't mind sharing with his cousin.

A lamp I bought for a few bucks for the hubs' office. He never used it :-( I guess his loss, is the baby's gain.

 An antique ship photograph that hangs in the hubs' office. This room will become the baby's room, so I figure there may be no need to move it.

A pillow from my office. I love the print of the fabric, so this has a good chance of making the cut.

A dream catcher picked up from a vintage store during our latest trip to St. Michaels. (You can read about trip our trip HERE).

An old basket that's currently housing shoes I never wear. I'm thinking it might make good book or toy storage.

I also have multiple plastic drawers that can be used for hidden storage, a silver picture frame, old shirts I use for scrap material (I frequently shrink the hubs' shirts, terrible, I know), and tons of leftover paint from past projects (remember that powder room PAINT FIASCO?).

I think this is a good start.