Making it Lovely » August’s Room

Diaper Storage in the Nursery

Making it Lovely — Wed, 08 May 2013 18:04:01 +0000

We’re starting to talk up the whole “big boy” thing with August, about how he’s going to start sleeping in a bed, and that soon he won’t need diapers. He was pretty adamant for a long time about his morning bottle of milk too until we somehow lost his favorite bottle, and that was the end of that. He’s in that transitional stage between toddler and little kid, but for a while longer, he’s still sleeping in a crib and wearing diapers.

I showed his room not too long ago, when I took the doors off of one of the storage units in the space to convert it to a bookshelf. Here it is again, with even more books on the shelves. (Like toys, they seem to multiply.)

We don’t need as much storage for baby gear now that August is older, but the remaining side with doors still holds essentials, like face and body lotion and healing balm. All of the diapers and wipes are in there too, along with refills for our diaper pail, tissues, and stacks of no-longer-needed burp cloths.

I like to use Honest diapers because they’re plant-based and free of chemicals, but they still perform just as well as any other diaper out there. Plus they come in a skull and crossbones pattern! (OK, and cute little strawberries, anchors, and what-have-you. But the skulls are my favorite.) Their wipes are great too — nice and thick, and effective but still gentle. As with other Honest products, you can order diapers and wipes individually, or bundle them and save.

I’ll be a little sad when it’s time to change the nursery. It has been a good setup that has seen us through four years of active duty (starting with Eleanor, when it was hers), but eventually the changing pad will go, and the diapers and lotions will probably be replaced with toys. And that will be good too.

If you’re curious about Honest, check out their free trial. Also, Making it Lovely readers can enjoy $10 off a minimum purchase of $40 using the code Lovely$10off$40. Limited to first-time buyers (one per customer) and expires May 22, 2013.

The New Coffee/Play Table

Making it Lovely — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:55:52 +0000

We’ll have space for a play table in August’s room once he transitions from a crib to a bed and we’re able to take the glider and ottoman out. I was thinking about using our old coffee table, but Brandon pointed out that the whole reason we replaced it was because we were worried about its stability. Putting it in his room started to seem like a pretty bad idea, even though it would have looked cute.

I spotted a wood and sandstone coffee table that I liked at the Crate & Barrel outlet when I was there with my friend Kathryn (we met when I redesigned her bedroom), so I bought it. It’s similar to my old table, but slightly larger and a whole lot sturdier.

You like how I ‘styled’ it? It’s officially a play table now. (Funny thing about that Playmobile castle — I saw it last year at Berwyn’s Toys & Trains, and I joked to the kids that “daddy would really like that toy.” Guess who bought it?)

Actually, keeping the table in the library may turn out to be a better plan than moving it to August’s room. It fits the space well and looks fine, but has the added bonus of being neutral territory. If the castle was in either kid’s room, there would be more fighting over it because it’s seen as theirs, but out in the library they share it pretty well. I had to take the nesting side tables away that were next to the chair though, which I’d painted specifically for that space and liked. Too many tables, you know? Now I’m not sure if they’re coming back.

Organizing August’s Books

Making it Lovely — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:32:19 +0000

August is really into books lately. We used to keep all of his baby board books in a box on the floor, between the glider and the wall. As his interest (and collection) has grown, the books have been overspilling and taking over that whole area. Books were scattered everywhere, and we needed to get organized.

The storage in August’s room mainly consists of two Effektiv units from IKEA (now discontinued), side-by-side. Here’s a shot of them from when I first shared his nursery.

The unit on the right suffered a little at the hands of one very active little boy, and so the doors didn’t stay aligned anymore when shut. I removed the doors and hinges, emptied everything out (there wasn’t much in there anymore), and adjusted the shelves to work for our books. That side of the room looked cluttered though, with the open bookshelves right next to the shallow built-in shelves with toys.

I wanted the changing pad to stay on the left side, but it was attached by its safety straps. I reattached them to the other unit, then swapped their order. Now I can still store extra diapers, wipes, and assorted other supplies behind doors, and we have a place for August’s growing library too.

I think I’m going to find a new spot for that black and white rug (it’s just not soft enough for a little kid’s room), so I’ll probably bring back the off-white rug that was in the space before. Eventually the glider won’t be needed anymore, and we’ll have space for a play table or just more space for playing. I’ve been having a lot of fun with the planning stage, but we don’t want to rush August out of his crib before he’s ready.

A Striped Rug for August’s Room

Making it Lovely — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 06:51:48 +0000

So, I bought this striped rug for August’s room. It was on sale, 50% off (still is), and I was blinded by a sense of urgency. Must buy now, before it sells out! (It’s still available.)

It arrived, and I like the scale of the stripes. I like the color (the darker stripes are more charcoal than black). Here’s what I’m not liking so much: it’s not very soft. I knew it wouldn’t be plush — it’s a dhurrie — but it’s a smidge scratchy. And when I vacuum it, it gets all caught up and bunches like crazy. Annoying.

Also, how did I forget that I bought a twin-sized blanket with brown and white stripes for his room? August and I have snuggled under it in the rocking chair together as we read bedtime stories for the past six months! Brown can often be paired with black, but not in this case.

So I’m not sure I’m feeling the striped rug in there. I put it down without a rug pad, but I’ve since purchased one, so I’ll see if that helps with the vacuum slippage issue. The rug isn’t terribly rough underfoot and August isn’t a newborn so it’s less of a problem now, but I wish it were a little softer. And then there’s the clashing! Rug vs. Blanket! Stripes vs. Stripes! Who will win?

p.s. Prepare thyselves for striped rug overload right this way! I’m considering this runner for the kitchen (such a good price).

A Floor Plan for August’s Room

Making it Lovely — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 18:58:40 +0000

We’re still keeping August in his crib for a while longer, but I think we’re going to try the Lubi daybed for him when he’s ready to start sleeping in a bed. We already have it because I bought it specifically for that space back when it was just a guest room, and I think it’s going to work well for us. It’s the same length as a twin-sized bed, but nearly as narrow as a toddler bed. With the addition of a guard rail and a DIY headboard (tufted?), it should be great.

It’s funny, so many people left comments about how we should put the bed in the sunken alcove because “he’ll have so much room to play!” Now, I agree, a fort-style bed is pretty cool for a kid. A play area that gets used everyday by Eleanor and August is equally cool though, and it’s not like we’d be gaining or losing space — just shuffling it around. Maybe we’ll revisit the idea in a few years when he’s old enough to help change the sheets himself, and when I don’t anticipate having to crawl down there to comfort him in the middle of the night so much. For now though, I like the idea of a bed. Bonus: it’s a much nicer sight to look in from the hallway and see a bed vs. a jumble of toys. We have some pretty toys — handmade, wooden, and subtle — but we have our fair share of garish plastic too.

I’ve been gathering more ideas for August’s room on this Pinterest board. There are a few different plans milling about there, all jumbled together, but the design will likely come out of those items in some form.

A Bed for August?

Making it Lovely — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:04:30 +0000

August will turn two this week, on Friday (already!), and I’ve been thinking about his ‘big boy’ room. Brandon and I had already moved Eleanor to her new room (and into a twin bed) when she was around the same age. A big difference between them though is that Eleanor waits for us to come get her in the morning. Still does. August, on the other hand, will bolt the second he’s given a chance. Thus it behooves us to keep him in his crib a little longer, until he figures out how to scale it. (We’re surprised he hasn’t yet.)

I’d like to have a room plan in place though, and that hinges on the bed. I had a hard time choosing a bed for Eleanor, too. I thought about a curlicue wicker headboard (too fragile), or IKEA’s adjustable Minnen bed (not bad), but in the end decided to buy a Jenny Lind bed. This time around, all of those options are out the window.

August’s room is great for a nursery, but it’s oddly shaped. It’s only 7′ across, from the door to the window. At 14-1/2 feet, it’s the widest room in our house, but the ceiling slopes downward on each side. Only the middle 6 feet of the room has a full height (86″) ceiling.

I pulled his crib out from the wall to see how a twin-sized bed would feel in the room. Not good. There’s barely enough room to walk by the dresser, and the bed would of course be much longer too. A 42″ wide bed just doesn’t work that well in an 84″ wide room.

We could make a twin-sized bed work if we move the dresser to where the glider and ottoman are, and then leave the dresser wall blank.

I worry that the bed will feel too big for the room though, even if it does fit. Alternatively, I’ve been considering IKEA’s Sundvik toddler bed. That’s a stopgap measure though. What will that buy us? Three years? Another option is to use our Lubi Daybed. It’s what we had in the room before we turned it into a nursery, back when it was a guest bedroom. It’s as long as a twin bed, but only 32.5″ wide. Ours is orange, and currently sitting in our basement, not being used.

Then the dresser could stay where it is, and we could replace the glider and ottoman with a play table and chairs. Or a tent, or teepee, or some other such thing.

I don’t like that there isn’t a real headboard for the daybed, because I am inordinately annoyed by the idea of pillows slipping down between the bed and the wall. With a couple of bed rails though, it may be the best choice.

There is one other option too. When we bought the house, the people that lived here told us that they use to put a mattress down in the opening that we’re currently using as a play area. Hello, giant fort! I don’t know how easy it would be to change the bedding though, because the mattress would slide under that opening a little. And for some reason I think it would be a spider haven (even though we don’t have a bug problem and I have no reason to think that).

What would you do? I guess I’m leaning toward the daybed, but I’m really not sure.

*Update*
Here’s the layout of that weird little play area nook. It’s actually open, under the floor, for nearly two feet. We currently utilize that space by sliding plastic bins under for toys.

Christmas Decorations (Part 1: Upstairs)

Making it Lovely — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 22:40:44 +0000

I know — it’s a little late in the game to finally be sharing our Christmas decorations! The house was photographed this year for the Christmas issue of a magazine (to come out next year, obviously), so I was focused on getting the little details right. Today I’ll share the upstairs decorations, and tomorrow the living and dining rooms.

First, here’s Eleanor’s room.

She picked out her little white tree last year, and she was happy to see its return. She decorated it herself (she really likes those spiky glitter ornaments), and was adamant about there being a star on top. We didn’t have one, so I bought a glittery star-shaped ornament to use and all was well. I probably wouldn’t have draped her bed with garland, but we had the magazine shoot and I was feeling a little extra pressure to really Christmas it up. E likes it, because “now her bed looks like a sleigh.”

(And I stand by my love for all the weird deer in my house.)

August’s room was decorated too. The little Christmas tree is usually on top of his dresser, but his room is so small and hard to photograph that I moved it over to the table (temporarily) to fit it all in one shot with the wreath and reindeer in the window. It looks really nice there — it just wouldn’t survive very long!

The library has had the silver tree for the last few years — mostly because we already own it and I figure we might as well use it. We already had the birds, and the red yarn balls are new (from IKEA). I was slightly freaking out (oh, just slightly) about there needing to be something else up there, so I invited Kathryn over for a second opinion. She suggested the white feather wreaths from west elm, and I like how they tie in to the white feather birds on the tree.

The other side of the library has had those brass deer up all year. I guess that’s strange? I added some garland and ornaments, white Christmas lights, and my giant sequin disco ball ornament things.

I think of these as the ancillary decorations. The pink tree is the real star of the house, and no doubt why we were chosen for the magazine. I’ll share the downstairs photos tomorrow!

New for August’s Room

Making it Lovely — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:29:36 +0000

August will be in his crib for a little while still, but he’ll be transitioning to a bed soon enough. I’ve picked up just a couple of new additions for his room in anticipation.

This blanket is so soft and warm, but I love that it has stripes on the outside. And hello, little foxy lamp! You are adorable.

I haven’t decided on a direction for the rest of the room yet, but I do like this camp look a lot.

But then I also like these Curious George or Where the Wild Things Are sheets. Before I had kids, I never thought I’d go for bedding with characters on it. I know how happy the horse bedding made Eleanor though, and I’m sure August would love something similar.

I think we’ll be changing things up in a few months or so. E was always content to stay in her bed until we came to get her (she still is), but August is off and running every chance he gets. We’re kind of surprised he hasn’t learned to scale the crib yet, and we’ll probably keep him in there until he does.