Living Room, Preparing for Baby

As promised, I’ve taken some better shots of the living room as it looks these days. Here’s a panoramic I put together from three photos:

Living Room Panoramic

The baby stuff is slowly starting to show up in the house now… We have a wicker bassinet in our bedroom (a family heirloom on Brandon’s side), a Jenny Lind cradle in the living room (that my little brother and sister slept in), the new Eames rocker, and a few other big items. I can already tell it’s going to be a challenge to keep my house from being taken over by primary colors and plastic!

Eames Rocker in the Living Room

I was a little worried that the rocker would look funny being in such close proximity to our IKEA Eames/Nelson derivative at Brandon’s desk, but it looks fine.

Living Room & Brandon's Office

And the cradle, as big as it is in our small living room, looks fine too. I actually really like having an item in the room that definitively says “baby” — Brandon and I are so excited to meet her!

Living Room with Rocker and Cradle

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95 Responses to “Living Room, Preparing for Baby”

  1. erica February 2, 2009 at 2:35 pm #

    amazing decor – i love it!!

  2. Emily February 2, 2009 at 2:35 pm #

    It’s so refreshing to see a cradle fit in nicely with the existing living room decor. Fight the primary colored plastic!

  3. Devon February 2, 2009 at 2:36 pm #

    I’ve been following your blog now and, as a mom, I’ve enjoyed seeing your nursery develop. I love your taste and especially love the actual use of the picture rail to hang your prints! Great work and have fun with the new baby! Little ones make life so great, wouldn’t you agree?

  4. jen February 2, 2009 at 2:42 pm #

    Any chance you can share where you got your white coffee table. I have been looking for something exactly like that!

  5. bungalowbliss February 2, 2009 at 2:43 pm #

    You do pink so well. I love how everything just…flows!

  6. luuvely February 2, 2009 at 2:53 pm #

    omg! suuper cute! and yes for a while the baby WILL take over your place…but you will “keep it lovely”

    no worries :)

  7. knwill February 2, 2009 at 3:22 pm #

    I was wondering where you got your tv stand/console, I love it!

  8. Kara February 2, 2009 at 3:22 pm #

    Hi-
    Is the crib over and air-intake vent, or is that a heating vent? wouldn’t want little girl to get too too hot while sleeping.
    the place looks great!

  9. Ashley February 2, 2009 at 3:23 pm #

    Love the pillows! Where are they from?

  10. tracey February 2, 2009 at 3:28 pm #

    it all looks great to me. it’s so fresh and warm. i’m also wondering about your tv stand/console. it’s exactly what i’ve been looking for!

  11. Julia February 2, 2009 at 3:29 pm #

    I have a vintage crib, too. I use it for a few months until my babies start being able to scoot themselves around–I’m just too freaked out by how not up-to-code it is. Anyway…I am a long-time lurker and LOVE your style.

  12. Nancy Kay February 2, 2009 at 3:34 pm #

    Oh Nicole, it looks perfect! I’m so jealous of your amazing home :)

  13. Shane and Casey February 2, 2009 at 3:45 pm #

    Where did you get the cords for your picture rail? All the ones I have seen use two cords and I really like the look of yours! :)

  14. Holly February 2, 2009 at 3:57 pm #

    I feel sooo guilty! I read your blog all the time but this is my first comment. I LOVE your house. If your ever in the Dallas area stop on by I could use some pointers. Congrats on the new baby.

  15. Darian February 2, 2009 at 3:58 pm #

    I was just curious where you got your coffee table at. I love it!

  16. Purple Area February 2, 2009 at 4:30 pm #

    What a beautiful room!

  17. Jennifer February 2, 2009 at 4:41 pm #

    So beautiful and bright!! :)

  18. Lindsay February 2, 2009 at 5:39 pm #

    Where is your sofa from – I love it!!

  19. Paty Fontes February 2, 2009 at 5:56 pm #

    I didnt buy any baby furniture yet! and I m due May 9th! …. i love your living room… really cozy!

  20. Making it Lovely February 2, 2009 at 6:11 pm #

    Sources… The coffee table was by Thomas O’Brien for Target, and the TV console was from west elm. The sofa is from Room and Board (Jasper), the picture rail cord is from Rejuvenation, and the pillows are from Hable Construction and Thomas Paul.

    The cradle is over an air intake, not a heat vent, so no worries!

  21. Natalie February 2, 2009 at 6:14 pm #

    I just love your living room and I think that the wicker cradle looks darling! Where did you find all of the neat, round “flowery things” that fill the vases in your home? There’s a vase I’ve been eyeing at Target and some of those plans/flowers/gorgeous little objects would look PERFECT next to the Entertainment Center in our living room!

  22. Emily S February 2, 2009 at 6:49 pm #

    Awww, your living room is simply lovely! I too, am expecting a baby around the end of July, and i share your desire to keep primary colors and plastic from taking over my apartment!

  23. Vanessa February 2, 2009 at 7:19 pm #

    Lovely job incorporating nice baby stuff. But, once the baby arrives, don’t worry so much about your house getting taken over by plastic and primary colors. My boy is 10 months old now, and we resolved to keep out the plastic stuff. But people will give you tons of it, and, in truth, my boy has LOVED some of his plastic gear. It will be around for a very short time, and you shouldn’t beat yourself up about things that make your kids happy. You can stash the vast majority of it in cool boxes. :)

  24. Erin February 2, 2009 at 7:25 pm #

    I love your style. I have a year and a half year old and she has completely taken over the decorating with all of her stuff! I hope you are able to keep up your style better than I did!

  25. Ami @ Elizabeth Anne Designs February 2, 2009 at 7:25 pm #

    your home is so lovely – but then again, with your style, i wouldn’t have expected anything less!

  26. Amanda February 2, 2009 at 7:48 pm #

    I love everything, especially the pillows!

  27. damselseo February 2, 2009 at 8:29 pm #

    Wow! such amazing and elegant design. I love it.So cool and clean!

  28. gina February 2, 2009 at 8:41 pm #

    So pretty and soft. I love the pink.

  29. pearllinds February 2, 2009 at 9:15 pm #

    I love the ‘Panoramic’ function on my camera…it makes my interior shots look so much more interesting and professional!!

    I never thought of putting a cradle in the living room – I should just put her actual cradle out here because she still never sleeps in it!! ;) Little girls are pretty special, I can’t believe mine will be 6 months this Saturday! Good luck with the last couple months!!

    BTW – do you have a Moby Wrap yet? They’re a life saver!!

  30. Amanda February 2, 2009 at 11:43 pm #

    I was just wondering if you could post some of your links for wallpaper buying? I’ve looked at Velocity and Walnut Wallpaper, but they’re a bit more expensive then I want, for a DIY project of making scented drawer liners. However, I love their style! I’m looking for floral prints. I tried etsy but also didn’t have much luck there either. I appreciate any insight you can give on this topic.

  31. Erin February 3, 2009 at 12:44 am #

    Everything looks so homey! I love it, it’s such a comfortable room. You two must be so excited for the baby to come now so she can be rocked in that great chair.

  32. Cecilia February 3, 2009 at 1:53 am #

    I LOVE your home! It is soooo beautiful!
    Love from sweden

  33. Catherine February 3, 2009 at 2:03 am #

    Looks gorgeous! What sort of plant/flower is that beside your TV? I haven’t really seen anything like that around where I live (Australia).

  34. veda February 3, 2009 at 4:24 am #

    HI just absolutely gorgeous room….best of luck !!!

  35. Mim February 3, 2009 at 5:56 am #

    This is lovely! I like how you have incorporated family memories. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and the delivery.

  36. señora capone February 3, 2009 at 6:59 am #

    I will be interested to see your wonderful abode in a years time. When the baby is mobile. All my lovely things, have been banished to the closet for the next 3 years I think.

  37. Mandy Ford February 3, 2009 at 7:49 am #

    Simply gorgeous :)

    I have twins that are 8 months and I can completely relate to the primary colored plastic dilemma. In our case, we had to relent because the boys needed things to keep them occupied and some of the best toys are unfortunately plastic and primary colors. LOL :)

  38. xin February 3, 2009 at 9:25 am #

    Love your room! I am 7 weeks pregnant now, and I already want to set up everything. But it’s kind of hard to do anything without knowing the gender. You are so inspiring! Love all the pink!

  39. susan February 3, 2009 at 10:02 am #

    oh how your world will change! when our daughter was born (almost 21 years ago) it was like we went from seeing the world in black and white to seeing it in technicolor. she’s the best thing that ever happened to us.

    i’m so excited for you!

  40. BigSister February 3, 2009 at 10:22 am #

    Don’t worry, you will love that baby so much, even more than you love your beautiful house, that you will get used to the plastic, primary colors that will take over.

  41. Gràcia February 3, 2009 at 10:35 am #

    Seeing posts like this one makes me dream of babies… :)

  42. Marybeth at www.babygoodbuys.com February 3, 2009 at 10:59 am #

    Beautiful! Just remember that primary colors are not the prettiest in your living room, but they are the best for your baby’s brain :)

  43. beth February 3, 2009 at 11:58 am #

    SUCH a cute room! so warm and welcoming.

  44. Anna February 3, 2009 at 12:08 pm #

    one more source question … i absolutely love your rug – where is it from? thanks for sharing all these lovely pictures – you have great style – it must be so fun to live in such a beautiful home! :)

  45. sunny February 3, 2009 at 12:13 pm #

    It all looks so beautiful.

    So very excited for you about this little baby!!!

  46. Maggie February 3, 2009 at 1:33 pm #

    You’re house blog is my favorite because you are pro-wood trim! I haven’t painted the wood trim in my home either, I actually like it and think it makes the place feel homey! Thanks and keep not painting the trim ;)

  47. Abby-Sue February 3, 2009 at 2:07 pm #

    Your home is the perfect blend of comfort and beauty, something which is hard to come by! I love your style, and the way that you can blend such a rich palette so well; grays, pinks, browns and oranges all come together so sweetly and in a manner which is obviously universally appealing, since I am one of your many, many admirers.

  48. Kelly February 3, 2009 at 2:39 pm #

    It’s so lovely to look at your pictures. And I’m happy to see you incorporating baby things into your home.

    I’m a mom of two young ones, and here’s a little advice: don’t buy it until you need it. No slings, wraps, boppys, activity mats, etc. etc. etc. I wish I had all that money back! Just wait and see what you & your baby need. You live in Chicago, there’s NOTHING that you can’t get the same day you need it. I moved from Lincoln Park last year and MISS my city so bad.

    You know what you need first day home? FOOD for the adults; someone to hold the baby when you shower; thank you notes; and someone to start doing laundry. Every thing else can wait. Good luck and please keep posting your DIY series, I’m loving it.

  49. Making it Lovely February 3, 2009 at 5:20 pm #

    The green things in the vase are supposed to be chestnut branches (I just like the round spikiness of them!).

    Amanda, unfortunately wallpaper is often expensive. Walnut wallpaper is my favorite place to look, and you already know about them and Velocity. You might have some luck at Target – they’ve been carrying some wallpapers lately for around $40 a roll.

    Anna, the rug is by Madeline Weinrib, and I bought it at ABC Carpet and Home in NYC.

  50. kittycatalina February 3, 2009 at 8:20 pm #

    Is that an Imperial Walker I spy?
    Good luck keeping the tacky plastics at bay…it can be done!

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