I would like to give a big “thank you” to all my friends on Facebook. A couple of days a go I posted a Facebook status asking if any of my friends had experience putting multiple small kids in one bedroom. I got such positive responses! As a result, I got inspired to get in that nursery and start arranging. I realize I need to downsize a little to make it work, but it’s the best excuse ever to shop and re-paint things (and what could be more fun than that)? Before I get started opening paint cans, I thought I should post a tour of the nursery as it is now. It took me over a year to get this room the way I wanted it! I started out with everything being white, tan, and brown, but it was so boring. After looking around on Project Nursery, I got educated on what modern nurseries are looking like these days and decided to add a serious dose of fun and color! If only I had known about Pinterest at that time! (Wait, that might have been a bad thing.) My inspiration came from two sources: 1.) The Little Golden books my mom got Michaiah for Christmas (and some thrifted).
2.) This Ikea Fabler Ruta comforter. I liked the assortment of colors and textures and the whimsical animals. I also like that I can take the look girly or more boyish. The pennant banners throughout the room are inspired by the different patterns and colors in the Fabler comforter. Note, my definition of gender neutral: anything not pink, purple or heavily floral! (Sadly, when I perused the Ikea Children’s section on the website, I did not see my comforter or curtains! It looks like they are discontinued, but I saw lots of them on Ebay and Amazon.) This chair is a chocolate brown Newco Serenity glider from Babies R Us. This the over-priced, high-dollar item I insisted on having in my nursery! (And now look, it’s on sale!) My grandma and my parents chipped in to help me get it. I have fallen comfortably asleep in this many-a-time over the past two years. I sat in this while pregnant, and in labor too! It takes up a lot of space, but was is just a non-negotiable.
Right now, the ottoman is stored in the closet. The pillow was found on Target clearance, and the blanket is from Ikea. The blanket over the arm of the chair is Michaiah’s “night night blanket” that my mom sewed for her while I was in labor. The front-facing bookshelves are Ikea Bekvam Spice racks that have been spray painted white. They were $3.99 each! The side table is an Ikea Hemnes nightstand (same as the black-brown ones in our bedroom). I could not have lived without this in Michaiah’s newborn days. It held my nursing supplies, snacks, and water. The piggy bank was a shower gift (full of change) from my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. The white honey-comb fruit basket was a Target clearance find. My sister-in-law scored this changing table for free off of Freecycle! It used to be an oak finish with hunter green accents. It is white now, but am planning to paint it yellow with Annie Sloan chalk paint. It has loads of storage and plenty of surface space for diaper changes.
My favorite feature is that it has room for a little lamp. I bought it from Home Goods with a gift card I got at one my showers (thank you, Crista!). So this is off subject, but I think cash and gift cards are the best baby gifts ever! If your friends are giving you as shower, ask for a gift card one! Above I hung two 45″ Ikea Ribba picture ledges decorated with Little Golden Books, framed pictures, and a pennant banner. This is my Target Munchkin wipe warmer, where we keep our Charlie Banana, Grovia, and homemade cloth wipes. Michaiah’s headbands are stored in Ikea Burken jars found in the kitchen section. This may be my favorite piece of all. We had a used crib for a while that was given to us. It was too big and traditional for me, so I looked around for a modern alternative. I got this Ikea Gulliver crib for $100! The size visually opened the room and gave it that mod feel I really wanted We use a standard crib mattress which was not purchased at Ikea.
The bed base can be placed at two different heights, and one side can be removed to create a toddler bed. The green rug is a Target Circo find. Above the crib I used the fabric scraps from my pennant banners and framed them in Ikea Ribba frames, which I’d been collecting for a while. Yes, I did allow a dab of pink (it’s in the Fabler blanket). Don’t look too close at the arrangement; I tried to hang them in a grid. And without a level, of course. Under the window is a Closetmaid 9 Cube organizer from Target with four fabric baskets. The unit was only $50! It holds toys and Michaiah’s toys, dolls, and animals. (She likes to choose one of these in addition to her lovey to sleep with at night.) Two of them were my dolls. This pink lovey aka “night night baby” was given to K.K. from my sister. She sleeps with it every night. I practically have to pry it from her hands every morning so she can eat breakfast. I was also really inspired by Ikea Mula classic, wooden toys.
It’s missing a piece…I think it’s under the crib. I found this colonial style chair at the thrift store for $7.00 and painted it with Rustoleum Painter’s Touch spray paint in Aqua. It holds one of my Target clearance pillows and more “night-night babies.” These wooden blocks are from Target. Every kid that comes over loves to play with these! The window treatments are…you guessed it, Ikea Fabler! I was at the JBF (Just Between Friends) consignment sale in my town a few months ago, and I found these Ikea Fabler Bard curtains brand new in the package for $15.00. Inspired by the Young House Love nursery closet, I removed the sliding doors on the closet and added a simple tension rod with some inexpensive Target panels. Of course, the closet had to have a pennant banner! I installed some cheap wire shelving and used these green Target baskets to organize nursery linens, shoes, and miscellaneous baby items. By the way, if you like this, you will not want to miss this post about how I organize the baby clothes and nursery closet!