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Making it Lovely

House Tours

• Tour our current home, an 1891 Victorian in Oak Park, IL.
House Tour: Making it Lovely's Oak Park Victorian Home
 

 
• Tour our first home, a 1910 bungalow in Oak Park, IL.
House Tour: Making it Lovely's Oak Park Bungalow

Hello! I’m Nicole Balch.

Hello! I’m Nicole Balch.

Designer with a handyman background, renovating our Victorian home in historic Oak Park, IL (just outside of Chicago). Mom of three, fan of pink, keeping busy all around.

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100-year-old cabinets and a new fancy-pants range. 100-year-old cabinets and a new fancy-pants range. A tin ceiling that’s not original, but could trick you into thinking it might be. A fresh coat of paint after stripping the old wallpaper and I’m in love.
Chicago was beautiful yesterday and the @thedrewba Chicago was beautiful yesterday and the @thedrewbarrymoreshow was in front of The Bean taping a Drew’s News segment. So glad to have been invited to meet @drewbarrymore! It’s a genuine joy to watch someone do the thing they’re good at, and clearly Drew was meant to have this show. 🤍 🏙 The Chicago episode airs November 18!
I’m still loving my chair with its new look cour I’m still loving my chair with its new look courtesy of @calicocorners! Do you want to see some of the other fabrics I was considering during the reupholstery process? There was the floral that was very “floral 2.0” - an elevated version of the chair’s original fabric. It was close, but the one I went with reminded me of granny squares, and something about that really charmed me. Calico made the intimidating task of reupholstering so easy and the final look is just perfect! #custombycalico #calico #reupholstery #interiordesign #calicodesign #calicocorners #sponsored
We’ve got a zombie 🧟 a dog 🐶 and The Med We’ve got a zombie 🧟 a dog 🐶 and The Medic from Team Fortress 2 (and his friend, The Engineer) 💥
The tiniest fluffball of a puppy ran off from its The tiniest fluffball of a puppy ran off from its family and up to us as we were leaving the park, and I did NOT gently scoop it up to take it home with us even though I really very easily could have. I let its owners catch up and retrieve it but I stress to you: VERY CUTE. My self-restraint is enormous. And here is a picture of my family because I did not photograph the tiny pup. 💁🏻‍♀️
This chair was a floor model and had a rip in the This chair was a floor model and had a rip in the fabric when I bought it a decade ago. I patched it up and loved it, but the fabric finally gave out across the seat and it was time to reupholster. I went to @calicocorners in Hinsdale and explored different fabric options with Linda from their design team. (You were great Linda, thank you!) Thanks to Calico, my chair is back and ready for the next decade in a new pattern that I love! #custombycalico #calico #reupholstery #interiordesign #calicodesign #calicocorners #sponsored
I tried to wear the eyeball perfume the other day I tried to wear the eyeball perfume the other day and realized, nope. Not for me anymore. But I still like the bottle. 👁
It’s a whole thing: accounts that chronicle goin It’s a whole thing: accounts that chronicle going gray. I guess I could have (should have) hopped on that train but here we are and my hair is fully grown out. I stopped dying it in December 2019 and I cut off the old ends a few months ago. I don’t feel conflicted. I don’t feel insecure. I kind of have highlights now!? I love it.
Snoozing in a sunbeam. 😴 #thelovelyvictorian Snoozing in a sunbeam. 😴 #thelovelyvictorian #makingitlovely
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Design Services

Nicole Balch Design

Our 1891 Victorian

Take the Tour

Sources & Paint Colors

Sims 4 CC and Stardew Mods

Lulu Lovely on Patreon

Latest Posts

Nicole Balch Likes Ochre.

Accessories for Aging Former Goth/Witchy Types

November 1, 2021
Reupholstered Armchair from Calico Corners | Making it Lovely

Reupholstering My Floral Chair with Calico

October 12, 2021
I Want to Smell Like a Marshmallow.

I Want to Smell Like a Marshmallow

September 21, 2021
Warm Caramels and Blush | Making it Lovely

Warm Caramels with a Hint of Blush

September 2, 2021
The Lovely Garden, June 2021 | Making it Lovely

Gardening Through Grief

June 7, 2021
Making it Lovely
100-year-old cabinets and a new fancy-pants range. 100-year-old cabinets and a new fancy-pants range. A tin ceiling that’s not original, but could trick you into thinking it might be. A fresh coat of paint after stripping the old wallpaper and I’m in love.
Chicago was beautiful yesterday and the @thedrewba Chicago was beautiful yesterday and the @thedrewbarrymoreshow was in front of The Bean taping a Drew’s News segment. So glad to have been invited to meet @drewbarrymore! It’s a genuine joy to watch someone do the thing they’re good at, and clearly Drew was meant to have this show. 🤍 🏙 The Chicago episode airs November 18!
I’m still loving my chair with its new look cour I’m still loving my chair with its new look courtesy of @calicocorners! Do you want to see some of the other fabrics I was considering during the reupholstery process? There was the floral that was very “floral 2.0” - an elevated version of the chair’s original fabric. It was close, but the one I went with reminded me of granny squares, and something about that really charmed me. Calico made the intimidating task of reupholstering so easy and the final look is just perfect! #custombycalico #calico #reupholstery #interiordesign #calicodesign #calicocorners #sponsored
We’ve got a zombie 🧟 a dog 🐶 and The Med We’ve got a zombie 🧟 a dog 🐶 and The Medic from Team Fortress 2 (and his friend, The Engineer) 💥
The tiniest fluffball of a puppy ran off from its The tiniest fluffball of a puppy ran off from its family and up to us as we were leaving the park, and I did NOT gently scoop it up to take it home with us even though I really very easily could have. I let its owners catch up and retrieve it but I stress to you: VERY CUTE. My self-restraint is enormous. And here is a picture of my family because I did not photograph the tiny pup. 💁🏻‍♀️
This chair was a floor model and had a rip in the This chair was a floor model and had a rip in the fabric when I bought it a decade ago. I patched it up and loved it, but the fabric finally gave out across the seat and it was time to reupholster. I went to @calicocorners in Hinsdale and explored different fabric options with Linda from their design team. (You were great Linda, thank you!) Thanks to Calico, my chair is back and ready for the next decade in a new pattern that I love! #custombycalico #calico #reupholstery #interiordesign #calicodesign #calicocorners #sponsored
I tried to wear the eyeball perfume the other day I tried to wear the eyeball perfume the other day and realized, nope. Not for me anymore. But I still like the bottle. 👁
It’s a whole thing: accounts that chronicle goin It’s a whole thing: accounts that chronicle going gray. I guess I could have (should have) hopped on that train but here we are and my hair is fully grown out. I stopped dying it in December 2019 and I cut off the old ends a few months ago. I don’t feel conflicted. I don’t feel insecure. I kind of have highlights now!? I love it.
Snoozing in a sunbeam. 😴 #thelovelyvictorian Snoozing in a sunbeam. 😴 #thelovelyvictorian #makingitlovely
Nicole Balch Design | Making it Lovely
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