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ttodd_gw

Progress of Nursery/ Big Girl Rm. See Your Action at Work!

15 years ago

I really want to thank you all for your help and suggestions - you really motivated me and I'm putting your thoughts to good use!

This afternoon I started painting and moving a few things into her room. I choose Meadowbrook by Ace for the walls and immediately fell in love. So much so that I called DH at work to tell him. I snapped a few pics for you to see even though the walls were still wet in some places. While painting I decided that the accent color would definitely be soft pinks and red raspberry shades.

Meadowbrook wall paint. I think that the wall color looks wonderful w/ the maple wood furniture and love how it plays w/ the crisp white trim. Meadowbrook is 2 shades darker than Woodlawn (which is my MBR wall color) and is the closest match (w/o colormatching) to F&B's Pale Powder.

I am definitley going to do the white IKEA curtains doubled up as someone suggested in their post! I'm going to try matchstick blinds layered underneath to pick up the wood tones in the furniture. Like I said - this room gets blinding light.

Do you think that pink and berry accents will work w/ this wall color? After reading some of the thoughts about kids possibly being creeped out by staring owl eyes I went back and looked at the James Brown art and came up w/ some of these prints. Any catch your fancy for the room?:











Here is a close up of the bedskirt and the pillows have a small ruffle of the same check for a border.:

I found a small old wooden birdcage in the basement that I thought I could spraypaint white or berry and put butterflies and birds in and hang in a corner. Lame?

I still really like the 'foresty' idea and thought I could run w/ it in an 'Enchanted Forest' girlie way (not a Harry Potter way). I can get her a white stuffed owl for her bed!

Crazy thought - tell me if I'm taking it too far - What about painting the bureau a soft pink or raspberry color? Too much?

Oh - and my mom called today to say that she found the sweetest antique childs rocker for $15 that she bought for her!

Comments (31)

  • 15 years ago

    You can't go too far in a child's room. They grow too fast and will want to assert themselves with posters of rock stars and puppies and athletes. Go over the top now, while you can.
    I like all of the fairy pics but not sure if the one with the fireflies and catepillar in the dusk will work. I love fairies!
    I like what you are doing- I didn't help- didnt know what to suggest. I think it will be a wonderful room for a little girl.

  • 15 years ago

    I agree--a child's room is your chance to go all out with what you and she both enjoy. I think a pink or raspberry dresser will be lovely with that wall color and the brown checks.

  • 15 years ago

    I was at a Hallmark store today and they had white stuffed owls.

  • 15 years ago

    OMG....I love those prints...and yes yes yes...go wild. The dresser would look good in raspberry. HOW FUN!!!

    Here is a link that might be useful: fun shabby chic ideas

  • 15 years ago

    Oh, ttodd, as always, I love your style. You're at the point where the room is evolving and making decisions for you. I think the raspberry dresser would be adorable, and I too, can see your vision of the enchanted forest setting. Keep going!

  • 15 years ago

    So fun! Love the wall color
    I like the 2nd print and the lady bug
    Just darling!!

  • 15 years ago

    I love the 2nd print too...this room is going to be just darling!!

  • 15 years ago

    I wanted to jump in and tell you I love what you're doing! I'm also working on my dd's room, but she's 7 and has more input (not that it's bad, but lots of pink) into what is put in her room. I also wanted to tell you of a comment that my dd made last night. She's in the first grade and we were doing her reading assignment. One of the pages in her book was about owls and had a picture of an owl. She commented how mean looking the owl was. After hearing that, I think you are wise to stay way from the owl print. I'd never thought of them that way, but you never know what kids are thinking. I love the fairy forest!! I think this will be a room she can grow with, too (at least until the Barbie's take over, LOL!!).

  • 15 years ago

    It's going to be wonderful!
    I love the first print best - especially with your wall color. Is he an illustrator for Cricket magazine? Seems I have seen his work before...

    If it were me I would leave the bureau white and pick up the raspberry/pinks with accessories...... I like it better both for now, and for the fact that it'll be easier to do mini-redecorating later on if it's white. As the mom of a 13-y-o who's wanted to redo her room several times since she was 5, I can tell you that flexibility in the bigger items is good to have!

    Can't wait to see pics of this project as it progresses :)

  • 15 years ago

    You know best the vision you have, but I think I would leave the dresser as is. It is really pretty like that.... but I am sure whatever you do will look great!

  • 15 years ago

    ttodd - You are on such a roll! I'd read your original post but couldn't catch and sort all the written detail. I absolutely love where this is headed, your fabric choices and colors are wonderful - love the fairies. Can I tell you how jealous I am of girl rooms?! I never had the chance but I tell both my sons they are each REQUIRED to give me a granddaughter someday! Looking forward to the finished magic.

  • 15 years ago

    Love it. All. Those prints are great.

  • 15 years ago

    I love it too. Ttodd, I've always loved every pic I've seen of your rooms! Funny, I had the exact same reaction as cooperbailey -- not so sure about that last print, but I like the others, especially the first two. Another idea which I used in my DD's room -- have you seen the alphabet fairies? DD has a fairy print in her room that has a C on it, for her first name (the C is actually for the name of the flower that the fairy is pictured with). You might see check out the fairy that has your DD's initial and see if it happens to work in her room!

    Here is a link that might be useful: flower fairies

  • 15 years ago

    Thanks!

    I'm looking at BM Taste of Berry for the dresser. If I have time between work and school pick-up I'm going to swing by SW and have it mixed in a Color To Go sample and paint it this wknd.

    vampiressrn - I could get lost in that site! It's wonderful!

    dekeoboe - well since Easter is right around the corner I think I shall stop at Hallmark and check out that owl too! Probably much less scary when it's soft and huggable and not staring down at you from a wall:) right lafonda_ranch?

    Jan and everybody else - thanks for your kind and lovely comments!

    Oh boy Stacey - I haven't heard about Cricket magazine for ages! Now I have to check it out as I do fondly recall it. I don't think he illustrates for them though.

    Dlm - You know I am so happy to have a girls rm. to do but it's tough when you're picky and tight on budget! I was thinking that I'd never had a hard time doing our boys room. I was already working at Bombay Kids part time to feed my habit and when I saw the vintage transportation stuff I just started buying it here and there over th eyears as money would allow and w/ my discount. It was just right. The girls stuff though - as lovely as much of it was I still had a hard time 'seeing' a girls rm. They often come across so much more 'themey' than a boys room and I don't care to be hit in the face w/ a theme when I walk into a childs room.

    Speaking of granddaughters my MIL desperately wanted a girl and only had boys. Then her boys gave her all grandsons until our last pregnancy (we didn't find out what we were having w/ any of our children) so when they said it was a girl we always joke about a nurse (and this is just a made up story) that comes over to us in the delivery room to tell us that there is a crazy lady at the window jumping up and down waving her arms and hugging everyone yelling "WE DID IT! WE DID IT!".

    Funny thing about the bedding - when I was telling my little sister about how I was going to do the room she jumped in and said "You know - if you want to get rid of the bedding you can always sell it to me!". So I might partially take her up on that and put what little money I'd sell it to her for towards this Simply Shabby Chic bedding from Target', which coincidently is the crib set that I really, really wanted for her crib but refused to buy since it wasn't technically needed.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Cherry Blossom

  • 15 years ago

    I love what you have done and love your ideas for the direction you are going. I would vote with the others to keep the furniture a neutral color. Not that colorful furniture would look wrong, but it will be so much harder to change it in the future if there is a boldly painted dresser.

    Thanks for sharing the progress.

  • 15 years ago

    When I was little my mom made me a "canopy" with a sheet and an embroidery hoop. Seems like something like that with layers and layers of tulle would be perfect for a fairy room.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Embroidery hoop canopy instructions

  • 15 years ago

    ttodd

    You should totally get Cricket for your kids. I'm betting with your design aethetic you will love it. They actually have a whole line of magazines now that span the ages, from Babybug to ladybug to Cricket and on up. My daughter has been getting them all her life and I credit them as having at least something to do with her interest and talents as an artist and writer. She's on Cicada now, for teens. Unfortunately they are kind of pricey, but we found they make excellent Christmas gifts from Great-Grandmothers! The illustrations are so wonderful and varied. My DD actually saved all of her old ones just to go back and reread.

    I love the Target bedding, BTW.

  • 15 years ago

    Thank you very much for the instructions for the canopy - can't wait to read them and start dreaming. I already have ideas creeping into my head about it.

    Stacey - those illustrations conjure up such a magical feeling no matter how old your are.

  • 15 years ago

    Ttodd-

    I suggested the double panels from Ikea, that's what I have in my girls' room. I guess we have the same taste- here is my daughters' room with the exact same shabby chic bedding from target! My mom made the throw blankets at the bottom of the beds, wish she would've told me first so I could coordinate the colors better, but my girls love them, so they are part of the room.
    Sorry the pic is not the greatest, had to use my camera on my phone.

    The heart pillows are also and Ikea special.

    I also came across this bunny lamp and thought of the room you are putting together for your DD.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bunny lamp

  • 15 years ago

    I showed your pics to my 8-year-old DD and she picked the second picture. She also liked the one with the ladybug in it. I agree if you leave the dresser as-is it will be more versatile in future years; but also know you enjoy decorating so as long as you don't mind repainting it in 5-years or so, I think a raspberry color will be lovely. My experience raising two girls has been either little girls love pink or hate it. The 8-year-old had a pink/lime combo in her room for the past 4 years and no longer cares for pink. Another option would be to replace the glass knobs with colored ones in raspberry like these: http://houseofantiquehardware.com/Medium-Hexagonal-Glass-Cabinet-Knob;jsessionid=0a0110501f432073ea76f06a4048911af31c98f8d244.e3eSc3aPaxmLe34Pa38Ta38Mbxr0 Then when you end up updating the color scheme, you can just switch back to the clear knobs or order a different color.

    I hope you don't mind a side question to polly; but I noticed her room has a chandelier in the middle with what look to be 8' ceilings. Polly, could you show another pic of the chandelier and let me know how that works for you? I'm thinking of doing the same for my DD but am concerned it'd be too low.

  • 15 years ago

    Valinsv-
    I am not certain of the height of our ceilings, they seem higher than 8 feet, but not sure. I'm at work today, so I have no access to photobucket. I will need to take more pictures. That chandy, is actually a ceiling fan with a chandelier attachment for the light. I bought it from lamps plus. Because it is a fan, it is actually lower than the chandelier I had hanging before the fan was installed. The height has never been a problem.

    Ttodd-
    I also came across this adorable chandy on etsy. I am always looking for interesting lighting for my own home, and when I saw this, I thought of you again.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bird chandy

  • 15 years ago

    Love the shade of green in the room. I love the idea of Raspberry with it, but not the pink. I love pink, but not w/ that shade of green. A touch or two would probably be ok. Like the prints w/ the least amount of pink in them. They are the cutest prints!! This room is going to be adorable : )

  • 15 years ago

    Love the direction you're going. And the wall color is perfect, it really is. You are always one step ahead...

    Red

  • 15 years ago

    E gads woman that room is going to be to die for!! When can I move in and pretend to be a little girl again? I found myself mentall changing my nursery into your colors as I was scrolling through the pics LOL especially pic number one which is a killer paint color!

    Paint the dresser raspberry or change out the glass knobs to raspberry glass (but I'd paint it). You can always paint it another color later but it's a kids room and over the top is never over the top in a kids room! Who is it that has that wonderful painted furniture in their 3? daughters rooms? Turquoise, pinks, blues....so beautiful because she went all out with the colors and with that gorgesous wall color the raspberry will balance well.

    I can't wait to see it finished! WOW

  • 15 years ago

    dekeoboe - thanks for the heads up about the owl! I went to Hallmark today and got the last one. Knock on wood - the 'L' word is really on my side so far w/ this room! The owl was 50% off!

    And the paint guy at ACE clearly didn't hear me when I said I wanted it mixed in the Essence paint as it is only $14.99 per gallon. I got 2 gallons for both DD's room and mine. I almost fell over when the cashier said $48! He mixed the wrong brand and it turned out that they were out of Essence so he gave me their top of the line paint for $14.99/ gallon!

    Sue - those alphabet fairies are just perfect!

    Polly - that chandy is so sweet! I wanted to name DD Penelope but DH nixed that. I really like the bunny lamp and I may have to start trolling around e-bay for something similar.

    Hellokitty - I was thinking of one or two small pillows - I really like the heart ones that Polly got at IKEA. I have a sweet little white one that I picked up a few months ago that has the palest of pale pink edging and is embroidered w/ 'P.S. I love you' in the same shade of pink. It's so pale you almost don't even notice it. I thought maybe a great raspberry plaid for the rocker seat. I started painting the dresser about 30 minutes ago in SW Berry Bush. I think that the deeper raspberry tones w/ that wall color are edgey but still sweet.

    Igloo - Maybe we can vacation swap houses like they did in The Holiday! LOL! Yes - I agree - that girls room that is decked out in all those fabulous shades of turqouise, green and white is simply wonderful! That Poster did such an amazing job at pulling that room together so well.

  • 15 years ago

    I'm glad I could help. And how wonderful on the paint. Those are one of the best kind of mistakes.

  • 15 years ago

    oh the room is so so pretty -

    my daughter also had fairies when she was smaller, and one of the things she loved the most was a mason jar filled with (9V battery powered) LED fireflies we used for a nightlight. she'd say say fireflies "ah-fa-fwaa" and butterflies were "bub-bub-fweeeees" ;)

    If you buy fireflies for your own jar, be sure to get the ones that are realistic and twinkle and fade instead of blinking - they are very serene.

  • 15 years ago

    I really like the wall color, especially against the white trim on those great big windows. The second and the last print have my votes.

    Pretty dresser! Didn't you paint this a rasberry color before or am I imagining things?

  • 15 years ago

    I really like the wall color, especially against the white trim on those great big windows. The second and the last print have my votes.

    Pretty dresser! Didn't you paint this a rasberry color before or am I imagining things?

  • 15 years ago

    Ahhhh I've been so sidetracked! Yes I did paint the dresser a raspberry color. But I;m starting to think that I was moving so fast and rushing into things that I may have gone overkill on the raspberry tones and found myself making some (okay many) mistakes that I've made w/ color in the past. I've taken a step back to live w/ it as is before moving on to the next step. Luckily my mudroom has been occupying my time as well as prepping for a yard sale.

    I love, love, love the idea of firefly lights. I can't say that I've ever seen them but they sound wonderful!!!!!!

  • 15 years ago

    this is similar to what her firefly lamp looked like. I remember the wires seeming more delicate, less visible but maybe our jar was larger? at night you don't see the wires at all.

    also, just as an aside, our other favorite fairy thing was the book "A Fairy Went a Marketing."
    it's really lovely and i always liked both the sound and sentiment of the poem ;) as well as the illustrations

    Love your daughter's room -

    Here is a link that might be useful: firefly nightlight