The Baby Diaries Part 2: Barron + Serena's Nursery

 Happy Labor Day Weekend!!!  I hope you are enjoying the time off and soaking up the end of the Summer sun!  I've managed to spend most of my weekend in doors, enjoying the AC and laying around relaxing.  Just when I think I have the energy to do something, all I want to do is lay down again.  I'm a complete bum with a huge belly and officially over being pregnant!  I'm still working and plan on doing so till I give birth, which is probably stupid because I get even more exhausted but it keeps me busy and I like the company of my co-workers all day.  I have managed to get a few things done, like decorate the nursery Barron will be sharing with his Sissy (I have packed my hospital bag in case I do go into labor sooner than I expect!)  

 I wanted their room to be very calming and relaxing when we're in there.  I chose Behr's Dolphin Fin as the wall color.  It's seriously a gorgeous color and if I knew how to properly work my Canon EOS camera you could get a better idea of it, but I don't, so take my word, this color is gorgeous!  It's definitely on the lighter side, which I wanted.  Since Barron hasn't transitioned out of his crib yet, I haven't put the bumper pads or dust ruffle on yet, so it's lacking a bit of color there, but you get the idea.

I still have 2 silver picture frames to hang over the crib, one is Barron's birth announcement and once this little girl gets here, hers is going up on the wall too!  

 I made the changing table area for little Sissy.  All her clothes (and I mean all the drawers are packed with her clothes!) are stored here as well as diapers and supplies you need when changing diapers.  I gave in and ordered on Amazon some stupidly expensive diaper pail system since I will now be changing 2 kids' diapers and figured the plastic ghetto grocery bag method I've been using wasn't going to cut it anymore.

 Here's my solution to a glider or rocker...Ikea's Poang Chair in Black/Brown with a Granan White cushion.  First, the thing is cost effective at about $150 all in, second it bounces, and third it's really comfy!  I just couldn't justify spending $600 on a glider that I wasn't going to use that long.  I found this ottoman at a local thrift shop and the thing was totally beat down.  It was $20 out the door and I had my mom give it some tender loving care to bring it back to life!  I found this flamingo fabric at F&S and knew I wanted to use it somewhere in the nursery.  It brought in some coral pink without making the room too girly, so it works for both kids.  The gray leopard pillow I found online at C. Wonder  for about $30 for 2!   

I sadly had to move my white Expedit from my office and switched it with the 4x4 black/brown model that was in here before for more space.  It creates so much storage and the framed art is Barron's first piece that I bid on at his little art auction at daycare!  Kids art is my favorite thing and framed with a nice white matte makes it look even more special.    

 I created a little nook for Sissy's little shoes and growing hair bow collection!

 After countless hours on Pinterest, I was inspired to create a book wall for Barron.  I found these picture ledges at Ikea that were super easy to hang.  I love all the colors the books bring into the room and he can grab a book and we can hang out and read.  

 The chevron pillow was a Home Goods purchase...

I bought the blanket on the bed at Pottery Barn and had Barron's name monogrammed on it, and they don't carry it anymore, which I am super bummed about because I wanted to get a matching one for Sissy, but now I'm looking elsewhere.  The toddler bed was purchased online from Amazon, it's the Davinci Modena model.  It was a pain to put together but it uses a crib mattress and sheets, so it's a nice transition for now.

There are a few more things I want to add like a rug and some colorful pillows, but for now, we are good to go and I'm just glad that I was able to get it done!!!  Now I can relax....

See more inspiring nurseries here!

Laura & Diego Garcia's Apartment

I've seen these pictures circulating around the blogosphere and I couldn't resist posting them! I'm totally enamored with Laura and Diego Garcia's New York apartment. The talented photographer, Claiborne Swanson Frank, captured the couple's home beautifully. I always love seeing how other people live and again this one is going into my "when I design my chic city apartment/condo" folder. More and more I'm thinking a small space may be the answer to our "family" home. A smaller space means less junk to store, I mean really, who needs more stuff???   

So here's what I spy that's been on my eye:  purple amethyst geode in the top pic, Tom Ford book, black painted dining room walls, casual guitar again out in the open, chrome and glass table, white walls, and lots of family pics.

Have I told you I have white furniture on the brain, especially a plush white leather couch?? Well, I do and I think this would make one of the best pieces to have with kids...no stains!!! Plus, white is so easy to change up with lots of different throw pillows. Seriously coveting that piece of art - I want it!

I'll sit at this computer any day! This glass or lucite desk is perfect to float in the room. Often times with apartments rooms have to function in a couple of ways. I love the living/family room/office combo. Who needs a million rooms in the house??? Keeps everyone together and able to hang out in one space which is more fun!

I was stopped dead in my tracks when I saw baby Georgiana's room! The giant neon pink picture of Liz Taylor is genius! And set against gray walls with lots of white accents is it for me! I'm swooning!

 Hmmm...if I don't one day have a baby girl's nursery to decorate, then I'm just going to put this neon pink pic in an entryway...I really love it that much and when you love art that much, you must surround yourself in it!  

Images via Vogue

The Baby Diaries: L'Alphabet Francais

I stumbled upon this adorable French Alphabet again today over on Etsy and it's just calling my name!!!  I've been looking for the perfect wall art to hang and this one caught my eye with it's effortless style and charm.

The pastel colors of robin's egg, apple green, and pink would add the perfect touch to my nursery...

... and little Barron will be on his way to learning French!  How sweet!

Hawken's Nursery

I came across this adorable nursery while searching for inspiration online and thought I would share it with all of you! Not only do I love the clean and modern white palette, but the mix of different furniture pieces and the gray stripes on the walls have me swooning!

The designer of this little newborn baby boy's nursery is his mommy, Lindsay Anyon Brier, of Anyon Interior Design in San Francisco, CA.

To learn more about the details of the furniture please look here.

The Baby Diaries: Cribs

After shopping the internet at Big Box stores (all to be a little disappointed not able to see or touch any cribs in person), I've decided on these 2 styles that I found at my new favorite baby store deep in the valley of Reseda, CA called Baby Town. Both are the same price and of the same quality, my problem is, I can't decide between the 2 styles. So, I need your opinions dear bloggers!!!

Which one would you choose???

The Munire Bristol Collection, which definitely makes a grand statement. At first, I wanted nothing to do with a 3 sided crib, but when I saw this I was in love. It's definitely large in scale, but the detailing of the spiraling legs had me swooning and I love the curved detailing that will be pushed up against the wall. Minus the pink bedding in this picture, I have received a few opinions that keep saying it looks girly, but I think this can definitely be baby boy with my aquamarine palette.

Or The Young America, which is just that, made in America and owned by the Stanley Furniture Company. I am especially fond that it's Greenguard certified (meaning no stinky strange smell will be emitted into the air once we take it out of the box and assemble it). My original plan was to use a more modern crib and I think this one is a nice compromise. I love the balance of this crib with 2 higher ends that are flat and the open slats on each side. This one definitely seems more practical and can go boy or girl.

Love Candy

I've had the idea of hanging a piece of art in my nursery for years now that simply said the word "love." I was first inspired by a piece I saw by Jonathan Adler (except it was all in rainbows) and I LOVED it! Since I plan on mixing antiques with modern elements these Love Candy prints I found by the super talented Jen over at Made By Girl are just perfect! And to top it off, she just added Blu Raspberry, which is the perfect shade for my aquamarine inspired boy's nursery!!!

...although I really am loving the Bubble Gum pink too, maybe it would be a sweet compliment to all the aqua???

Madly in love with the Blue Steel, neutrals never go out of style for me.

Here are a few of my other favorites! It's so hard to choose just one!

I highly recommend you stop by her online store and shop for yourself...you will love the eye candy!

The Baby Diaries: Aquamarine Inspired Boy's Nursery

It's official, I am having a boy! Now I can set aside the pink palette (which I will share with you because it's too cute not to!) and focus on my aquamarine boy palette. I've always loved the soothing color of aquamarine and when I stumbled upon the paints pictured above in the June 2010 issue of House Beautiful, I was in heaven, and my inspiration was born.

Yesterday while shopping at F & S Fabrics on Pico Blvd. in West L.A., I found the cutest aqua houndstooth that will be my starting point as fabric for crib bumper pads. I also found this great outdoor fabric in blue and white stripe that I'd like to use as a crib skirt, but I am still debating the shade of blue, it may be too nautical looking, so the vote is still out on that one. The peacock inspired top fabric was utterly stunning in person! The scanned image does it no justice but my breath was taken away out how grand it looked, but the price tag was a bit too steep for my budget at $45 yd. I'm thinking of purchasing a half yard and using it for 2 little accent pillows inside the crib.

While reading one of my favorite blogs Urban Grace, I discovered Erika's post about this nursery over at The Estate of Things. I love how they mixed old vintage pieces with new furniture, and white wood with oak. It's not too matchy matchy and it looks like it all came together over time vs. being purchased at one big chain store on the same day - a sign of good design in my book!

The yellow and white striped crib skirt is the perfect statement piece to set the stage and the gray tassle trim is the cutest little accent to really give this nursery some glam!

A vintage oak dresser is the perfect changing table with the addition of a changing pad. How cute are those little woven suitcases placed underneath???!!!

I found the same crib that they used above on Wal-Mart's website. It's the Baby Mod Parklane crib and I think it's perfect because of it's simple clean lines, it's modern look, and the storage it offers underneath. I never thought pulling together a nursery story would be so much fun, stay tuned for more pics to come of the finished product!