Moodboard Monday: Baby Nursery Time!

Edward's Easter Outfit

Morning y'all! Did y'all have a nice Easter weekend?  We had a nice relaxing day with family.  Edward had more sugar than I think he's ever had in his life.  He then danced, threw eggs at everyone, had an epic meltdown about a kangaroo, crashed hard for 45 minutes and then woke up hungry.  Sounds like college. 


I spent the weekend dreaming up a nursery situation for Little Robertson.  We basically just moved the nursery from the old house to the new house and while it doesn't need much, it does need some fine-tuning.   Edward's nursery in the old house was bright and fun, but I want this one to be a little quieter.  With our new house, we inherited this gorgeous grey and cream wallpaper that I have no intention of ever removing.  My goal for this room is to have a classic, sanctuary-like feel with a couple of modern touches (like replacing the torn up baskets with clean acrylic and lacquered boxes and such). So here's what I came up with:

Little Robertson Nursery

The color scheme is basically white, black and tan with blue and white accents.  The two bird prints are from GalleryDirect.com.  Have y'all heard of it?   It's a great web site for affordable art.  (Full disclosure:  my sister now works for them, but I haven't been compensated to tell y'all about them) Anyway, they have a huge database of prints and you can choose your size and material on which it is printed i.e. canvas, paper, aluminum, acrylic, mirror, or birchwood.  You can also upload your own print or photo for them to work with.  I'll do a post on some of my favorite selections later this week. 

I ordered the Great Blue Heron print on framed acrylic to give it a more modern look and a really large canvas print of the Cranes to go over the changing table.  I think I spent about $200 on the whole thing, which is great because I'm trying to do this nursery on a budget. 

And just for fun, here's the Girl Nursery I put together when I swore I was having a girl:

Baby Girl Nursery

Basically, flowers and hearts and a pink ceiling.  It would have been so cute, but I'm excited about my tranquil boy nursery now.  I'm debating whether or not to paint the ceiling in the boy nursery.  It depends on how much energy I have.  I also want to focus a little more on Edward's big boy room because it doesn't feel quite right to me yet.  I need to cozy it up a bit.

 I'll keep you updated!

The Urge to Purge

First of all, it is snowing.  Full fledged snowing.  Giant flakes that while beautiful are no longer welcome in this town. 

Second, last night I suggested to Kip that I might sell all of the furniture we don't really like on Craigslist (by we, I mean me), and then use that money to buy one or two really nice pieces.  This furniture would include everything in my family room.  My suggestion was met with a look of fear that could only be matched by a 16-year-old dude finding out his girlfriend might be knocked up.  Real fear (but then maybe a little hope for an MTV reality show?).  Sorry, I don't even know what I'm talking about anymore.  It's the snow and pregnancy hormones.

So here I am trying to appreciate my family room with an orchid and a nice little iPhone filter app. 

I do love my orchid, especially because it's the one plant I can keep alive.  Yeah me!  Anyway, I'm still in my PJs after spending most of the morning dreaming up a new family room.  Lately, I've really been inspired by Erin Gates' new home (of the fab Elements of Style).  She does such a great job of mixing modern and classic elements and bringing in trends but making them look not trendy, if that makes any sense.  The other day we got a peek at her house when she posted pics from her husband's 40th birthday.  Check it out here. 

This is her living room, and I really love what she's done with it. 

via Elements of Style Blog

Now you can see how much it inspired my own family room mood board that I had absolutely no business spending all morning on.

I know it looks like there's a lot going on here, but our family room is really big.  We need all new furniture because our current furniture is just a little small for the space.  We also have two big blank walls on either side of the large window where I'd love to hang some Griffin & Wong chinoiserie panels.  I need the room to be neutral enough that I can bring colors in and out as I please, and I love the modern touch the Barcelona chair adds to the space.  Also, I snuck in the Susie Pryor painting above the mantel.  I will own one someday, mark my words people.  

So basically, now that my morning sickness is over (finally!), I've replaced it with a new urge to purge.  I did this when I was pregnant with Edward as well, but the force is stronger with this one.  I feel a little bit maniacal about it.

Ok, now I have to go be productive and maybe throw some things away (but also go to Costco and stock up on more things).  Have a lovely day y'all!

Moodboard Monday: Fresh Library

Morning y'all! So about this time of year I start craving a clean minimal space.  Yesterday we headed out to find a hutch for our kitchen.  We needed a little bit of extra storage and this one wall next to our stairs needed a piece of furniture in front of it.  We ended up going with this one from Crate and Barrel.  I wanted something sort of rustic with clean lines to contrast with the toile party happening on our walls.  We get it in a couple of weeks so I'll definitely share pictures when it arrives.

While we were at Crate and Barrel, I came across this really pretty Ainsworth Walnut Desk. 

Ok, it kind of looks fug in the picture, but it's really, really pretty in person.  The wood is gorgeous and much warmer and richer in real life.  It's also a  really solid piece, and feels very high quality, which is what I'm looking for in furniture right now. 

So of course I started imagining it in the office/library we're eventually going to build in the formal living room, a smallish room off of the entry.  For the moment, I want something crisp and clean and sort of modern with classic elements. 

Here's what I came up with. 

Ok, not totally minimal.  I can't help but layer. I feel like there's a lot of different things going on here, but it would be cozy and still fresh. 

Of course, this probably won't happen until 2015 since we have a few other big things we're doing in 2013.  But I'm actively campaigning for the desk because I can't stop thinking about it.  I'll let you know how it turns out ;)

P.S. Is it not so weird to write 2013??

P.P.S.  Downton last night almost made me rethink my desire for more contemporary clean lines in my house. 

* Sources for the mood board here

Moodboard Monday: Edward's Big Boy Room

Morning y'all!  Edward has been taking quite an interest in his future big boy room lately.  I think it's because all of his books are in there, but he spends a lot of time in it even though there are no toys.  So Kip and I are talking about maybe getting it ready for him to move in after Christmas.  There's no hurry, but maybe if it's his idea the transition will be smoother (clearly the tactic of making men think it's their idea starts very early on).  I loved the big boy/playroom I did for him in the old house (above).  I'd like to do something similar minus the toys. 

Here is some of my inspiration:

 

I've loved this layered dorm room since it first debuted in NY Magazine in 2009.  I love the layers, the unabashed prep, and the amazing use of small space.  I'm sort of going for a preppy dorm room vibe for Edward. 

via Cote de Texas

Antelope carpet.  I'm campaigning for it big time.  Kip thinks it's ugly.  I have no idea why.  I think he is just leery of animal print in general, but I love how it makes this room. 

Love the clean crisp feeling of this room from one of my favorite houses by Cathy Kincaid. (see the entire house here).  The goal for Edward's room is to eventually have twin beds although we just have one for right now.  I love the leather chair and the white walls. 

Other elements Kip and I want for Edward's room: Robertson tartan (to remind him of his roots, plus it's awesome), a desk for all of his scholarly endeavors, and I'd like to switch out the canned light in the middle of the room for a flush mount light (no chandeliers for this little monkey, way too tempting for him).

So here's sort of a quick roundup of ideas. 

My in-laws have the Professor's Leather Chair from Restoration Hardware that you see above.   It is really tiny and perfect for a small space, but then you sit in it and it is soo comfortable.  It's the kind of chair he could have forever so I'll probably be campaigning for that as well. 

We probably won't start on that until after Christmas.  Until then I'll be gathering more inspiration on Pinterest and in Ralph Lauren ads.  Have a lovely day!

Sissy's (Kinda) Big Girl Room

Morning y'all! How's your morning going? I've already been yelled at for not getting the pancakes made and on the table quick enough.  So sorry King Edward.  Soo sorry.

Anyway, a couple of months ago my middle sissy, Elizabeth, asked me to help her with her big girl bedroom (you can see the original post here).  She's not totally a big girl because she's only 22 and to me that's basically still a baby.  I knew she wanted a happy but relaxing room to rest her tired dogs after a day of hustlin' in the popsicle industry (she works for a delicious popsicle company called GoodPops). So here's the moodboard from the original post:

Well, she sent me some pics of her room, and while it still needs a headboard and maybe some window treatments, I think it looks pretty great! 

 She used some sort of panorama app to take these pics.  She's a tech nerd and knows all the cool stuff the young kids are using these days.

It's kind of fun to see it all come together.  I love that it's so light and girly.  She has a few pieces that are really nice and will move on with her (like that snakeskin bar cart/side table), but there are also some budget pieces that will allow for her changing tastes as she becomes a grown-up. Thanks Elizabeth for sharing these! Have a lovely day y'all! 

Come On Over ...

... to Belle on Heels where I'm having a little blue and white bedroom party!

What are you still doing here? Go! 

Big Girl Place on a Budget

I'm helping my sissy with her big girl apartment that she's sharing with some friends.  That's such an awkward time for decorating because not only are you on a budget, but you're sharing furniture and combining accessories.  You're also sort of a half grown up so wine and liquor bottles are no longer acceptable decor pieces, but you still drink enough of each to know that "investment pieces" aren't really a great idea ifyouknowwhatimean.  It's expensive to furnish a place, but I think I've found some pieces that aren't too pricey for a young lady starting out.

First, the Ektorp loveseat and chaise lounge from ikea.  Joni endorses it (she used it in her daughter's first apartment here) and she's the boss of slipcovered furniture*.

*I like slipcovers, especially for messy 20 year-olds who eat shells and cheese and drink red wine on the sofa while watching Bachelor Pad.  There are way to many opportunities for one's jaw to drop and little shells to fall out of your mouth onto the sofa and leave a nice little cheese stain.  If you watch Bachelor Pad, you know what I'm talking about (every time Chris from Emily's season talks, the twins, Ed, too many mental giants in one house, the fact that Kalan's kind of the normal one, it's a lot to take in)



Also from Ikea, the Agen chair.  $30. Stackable if you need room for a dance party.

And this Peekaboo clear coffee table from SB2.  To keep it young and fresh.  

The Suze would also require you to have some sort of large tree.  She sent me one when I moved into my first Kansas City apartment.  The front desk people were like, "um yeah, you have a tree in the front office?" I loved it!  Parents, it's a good gift to send your new grown-up kids.  I like a palm or a fiddle leaf fig. 

With those basics you can pretty much accessorize however you'd like.  This is what I did: 

Nothing fancy.  Pretty neutral.  I'm having a yellow moment so I added a pop of yellow.  That's a Slim Aarons print.  There's a way to get those on the cheap, but I'm not going to tell you because I semi-respect copyright laws*.  I love the Pottery Barn jute braided pillow cover.  I have them in my living room in french blue, but I'm wanting some white ones for the next house.  The grey la fiorentina pillows are from Arianna Belle and the metal accordion side table is from Urban Outfitters.  Finally, the rug is from Overstock.  I would not spend a lot on a rug, especially if you anticipate dance parties.  

Hope my young readers found something useful here! 

* Ironically, I focused heavily on copyrights & trademarks in law school.  I say ironically because design bloggers technically violate copyright law all day everyday.  The magazines have figured out how to work with it, rather than taking the music industry route and suing everyone.  I'm of the opinion the laws need to be changed, but that's boring stuff for copyright nerds like me so I'll leave it at that.  

Moodboard Monday: Sissy's (Kinda) Big Girl Room

Morning y'all! Last night my Sissy, whom we affectionately call Wizzie, texted me to see if I could put together a little moodboard for her new bedroom.  She just graduated from University of Texas and works for a popsicle company called GoodPops - they are superdelicious guilt-free popsicles that you need to try if they are in your neighborhood grocery stores (check their website for locations).  Anyway, Wizzie is my silly sister, super-girly like me, and loves happiness, glitter and Buddy the Elf.  So here's what I came up with this morning:

She has the budget of a 22 year-old without a trust-fund so I tried to keep it to things that weren't to 'spensive.  Here are some linkies: 

• Monogrammed Hemstitch Euro Sham $46 from TinyTulip.com (great site for monogrammed stuff - I bought some towels for Edward's Bathroom, which you can see on the website, so yeah, we're famous) 
• Pink Giraffe Pillow Cover $34 from Etsy: Festive Home Decor
• Blue Velvet Pillow $75 from Arianna Belle
• Parsons Desk $116 (on sale) from Home Decorators Collection 
• Tufted Arch Headboard $399 from Home Decorators Collection 
• Anthropologie Pipeline Handle $12 for the dresser 
• Brass Etagerie Ikea Hack DIY on Little Green Notebook (the Ikea Vittsjo Units are $70 and spray paint is only about $5) 

The garden stool, art, poodle book ends and ghost chair are already in my sissy's possession so I tried to work with that color scheme while still keeping it fresh and relaxing.  I love an all-white bed.  I would say it's my signature, if I were to have one.  Maybe it's because when we were little our mom (The Suze) would call bedtime Lily White's Birthday Party, thus brainwashing me into believing sheets must be white.  And, y'all, I believe that whole-heartedly.  Lily White Sheets = Bedtime Imperative.  I truly believe there's nothing better than crawling into a crisp white bed after a long day! Have a lovely Monday!

P.S. Bachelor Pad tonight!

Moodboard Monday: New Master Bedroom

Morning y'all! Over the weekend I found two pillows in this gorgeous blue and white Sanderson Pagoda River Fabric.  When I laid my eyeballs on this beautiful chinoiserie, I knew it was the perfect starting point for the new master bedroom.  I imagine it was like when Tom Cruise first met Katie Holmes and said to himself, "she's the one, for the next five years." Praise Xenu.  Finally.  A direction.  Most of you know I've been struggling with what to do for awhile.  

So I fashioned a nice little inspiration board to help me come up with a scheme.

We are basically starting from scratch in this room.  The sellers are giving us the headboard that you can't really see in the image (I know, they're super awesome).  It's really pretty carved wood. They are also leaving the cornices which I may recover with white linen and line with pretty blue trim.  As you can see above we have a sitting room as well (pinch me!) The walls are covered in a navy blue wallpaper that isn't bad but I'd love to paint it all minty blue.

Like this library belonging to Ali Wentworth & George Stephanopoulos:

So that's where I am in my head.

Have a lovely Monday!

P.S. We need a new washing machine.  Any recs? I know nothing about washers and I can guarantee you anything will be better than what we have at the moment.  Thanks!!

Moodboard Monday: Family Room & Art I Need

Susie Pryor - Beach Stroll

Morning y'all! I hope you had a lovely Father's Day weekend! Kip installed a fan and we ate our weight in fried chicken so I would say, overall, it was a successful weekend.  I've written about my favorite artist Susie Pryor in the past (see here).  I love her work, especially when her subjects are little ones.  I saw the above painting the other day, and I decided that I need it.  It reminds me so much of Edward, probably because he's pantsless and in what looks like an oversize t-shirt.  That's Edward's standard uniform at home when I'm too lazy to deal with his wiggles - who needs pants anyway? Also, because Edward is a wanderer, a trait he inherits from his Grandpa as well as his Dad.  He loves to take a stroll by himself (within reason, obviously, since he's one and a half).  Ms. Pryor managed to capture a memory of Edward that I will always have without even knowing him so I'm pretty sure it's meant to be mine.  I don't often want something that badly, so, ahem Kip, save yer pennies please because I want it realbad. 


So with that desperate plea, I give you a moodboard I'm working on for my family room (art I need included).  You can even get a glimpse of the family room in my new house in the corner! I would show you more images of the home, but I feel weird putting someone else's home with all of their stuff out there without them knowing (even though I kind of do that every day). It's still a work in progress, but basically a way to get my ideas out in front of me.

I've always loved the Kelly Wearstler for Schumacher Gordian Weave fabric.  I think it would be a great way to tie in (no pun intended) the black and white striped awnings outside the room.  Our sofas will be more spread out than in the current house so I think I want to slipcover the ottoman that currently functions as our coffee table and place it in front of the fireplace for more seating.  Then I can get some proper tables to use in front of our sofas.   The Suze has a pretty piece of thick beveled glass over two blue and white garden stools and it makes for a lovely low table so I may steal that idea.  Ok y'all, that's all for today! Have a good one!

Moodboard Monday: Chaise Love

Morning y'all! It will be a miracle if I make it out of my PJ's today.  The house needs major cleaning (yuck) and it's rainy and I can't go to the grocery store on a whim anymore.  I now have to do my grocery shopping sans Edward - he insists on pushing the cart despite the fact that he's 2 feet tall. He also has to make a lot of noise to let everyone know just how hard he's working.  There's no bargaining with this child so he gets to stay home.  Anyway, there's no reason for me to leave the house today so that essentially means there's no reason for me to put on regular clothes or brush my hair.

But that's not why I'm here today.  I'm here to do something I love to do, which is find expensive items I can't afford and pretend they're mine.  Today's topic: the outdoor chaise.  We purchased our chaises over the weekend (I'm so excited to get them and play with pillows), but that hasn't stopped me from coveting these amazing bamboo sun chaises from Michael Taylor Designs.

I saw them in this month's Veranda feature The World of Outdoor Chaises that I can't afford. I love them sooo much.  Sometimes I ask Edward, "How much does Mommy love you?" and he holds his arms out wide and says "much."  I could amend that question to say, "How much does Mommy love the Michael Taylor outdoor bamboo sun chaise?"  That's how much I love it.  

I love it.  

So I made a moodboard for y'all of my dream backyard, which includes this chaise that I love so much.  

{Sources: awesome tables lit from underneath from this wedding and all over pinterest-duh; overhead twinkly lights via apartment therapy; garden and herringbone patio via Habitually Chic; Bamboo Sun Chaise with Wheels; Grey Santa Barbara Umbrella; blue & white garden stools; boxwood image via Boxwood Terrace}

Moodboard Monday: Midnight in Paris

Morning y'all! Last week I posted about the lavender and white hotel room in Midnight in Paris.  I made a moodboard to go along with the post, but I couldn't get it to download properly.  So here it is appropriately for Moodboard Monday, which I haven't done in awhile.   

Not gonna lie, I could live here.  I probably overuse the Stark antelope carpet in all of my moodboards, but it just seems to work in all of my dream rooms.  I love it so much.

Other elements of my Parisian-inspired bedroom:

• Pillows: Julia B. Pierre Monogrammed Pillows
• Bedding: Plum toile like this Toile Oriental fabric 
• Headboard: Ballard Designs Camden Slipcover Headboard in St. Helena Gray (soft washed cream and gray ticking stripe in a textured chevron weave of cotton and rayon) 
• Side Table: Wisteria Handmade European Chest
• Venetian Mirror from The Well Appointed House
• Blue and white vase like this one from The Enchanted Home Shop
• Painting of an opera lady from 1st Dibs
• Rull Fancy $5 Million Apartment in Paris 

Dare to dream, people.  Dare. To. Dream.

Moodboard Monday: I Coveteth Hard

Forgive me Father for I have sinned.  No, I'm not talking about the overindulgence in bubbly that may or may not have happened at the wedding the other night, and if it did it has nothing to do with the awesome dance routine my friends and I have perfected to Proud Mary (that's not even a sin yo).  No, Father, it's that I coveteth.  I coveteth hard.  First, my friend Tina at The Enchanted Home opened an online store.

The Enchanted Home Shop

Obviously, she wants me to be poor because I have to buy everything in it, and being the charitable person I am, I need to buy stuff for friends too.  The prices are actually really great, it's just that there's so much awesomeness that I need to have.

Like ...

Pink Dogs

Blue and White Needlepoint Pillows

Blue and White Porcelain

Peacock Canvas

Topiaries

It's all real good y'all.

I also coveteth Jenny from MFAMB's future pink living room.   I love the color she chose.  Farrow & Ball's Pink Ground.  Brooke Giannetti from Velvet and Linen used it in her bathroom.

If we don't move in the next 5 years, I'm going to take over the Kip's room in the den and paint it this pink and make it a lovely sitting area.  And because it's Monday, I made you and our Heavenly Father a moodboard to justify my covetethness.

{Accessories from The Enchanted Home Shop include peacock stretched canvas art, double lemon leaf topiary in classic brass urn, little girl stretched canvas art, blue willow vase with stand, pink and cream staffordshire dogs, needlepoint pillows, viennese blooms 2 wick large candle in toile container} 


Have a lovely Monday!

Moodboard Monday: Crazy Paint Lady

Okay y'all, I'm insane.  So Saturday night we had dinner at our friend's house.  No, I was on very good behavior.  I'm a great guest because I drink just enough to be entertaining, like in the form of a dance routine or a passionate soliloquy on The Bachelor (both happened).  Anyway, our friends took a gorgeous old home and made it fresh and new and more gorgeous.  Someday soon I'm going to show up on their doorstep with my camera and make them let me take pictures for y'all so I can show you before and afters.  Anyway, they just repainted their family room a beautiful shade of blue that I warned them I may have to copy in our dining room.  I'm of the opinion that copying paint colors is really the only way to go.

Long story short, we decided to repaint our dining room.  It's currently a predictable red, which would be fine for resale, but really doesn't go with the rest of the house.  So I made a mood board to help me visualize what could happen in there.

Left: you have the color of our friend's room, Benjamin Moore Newburyport Blue, a really pretty navy blue.
Right:  Sherwin-Williams Scanda, which is a lighter more purply blue that I was inspired to try after seeing this cute blogger's condo.
Top: my china patterns (I also have a bit of Raynaud Marie-Antoinette, which is white with gold to mix and match)
Bottom: my floors and rug.

I'm considering using the fabric to the left on the dining chairs and the rest is just for funsies. (I really want to add some pink in the room to bring in some whimsy and a citrus tree to bring in some class. Yes, indoor citrus trees = class in my world.) Ultimately, the color we choose will depend on the lighting in the room and how it flows with the rest of the house.  I'll let you know what we decide!

In addition to straight copying paint colors, I often consult this book when I'm trying to decide on a color.

I used it to help me with the color for Edward's bathroom, which is still not finished.  Here's a sneak peak though. 

Oh yes, there is a window in the shower.  I need to figure out what to do about that.  Is wood rot an issue?  That's my husband's area of expertise.  As you can tell, I need to finish the edges. 

And here's a moodboard, since I probably won't have a finished product to show you for a couple of weeks.

And finally, we need to talk about this. 

That chair is so dirty thanks to the dog commandeering it as her own.  I want to recover it in some gray velvet and put it in the living room.  It would be real purdy, but I fear the wrath of my dog.  I already had to kick her off of the bed because I switched to all-white linens and she partially tore her ACL jumping off of it. I know, not good.  Wait, what? Oh yes, Edward.  He's out of control.  He's a climber.  My life consists of that delicate balance between hovering just far enough to let him explore and feel independent and being ready to catch him when he falls.  It's special times.  

Okay, that's enough for today. I feel like I've chatted your ear off.  I'm guessing all of this will be finished by August.  

Disclaimer: Before I get any calls from CPS, I don't allow him to climb the chair on the reg.  Just for picture purposes and I was very, very close by to grab him and punish him with snuggles and kisses.