The Great Nursery Build

Here is our amazingly productive weekend through a series of photos.

The official Best Seat in the House!

The official Best Seat in the House!

But before all of this loveliness came together, there was a lot of work!

On Friday night, we went to visit my mom and have dinner with the whole fam. Even my brother was in town. When we got back, we decided to get the room all prepped and ready to put the last coat of paint on the walls. That meant a lot of taping... and of course, a quick Lion King reenactment.

On Friday night, we went to visit my mom and have dinner with the whole fam. Even my brother was in town. When we got back, we decided to get the room all prepped and ready to put the last coat of paint on the walls. That meant a lot of taping… and of course, a quick Lion King reenactment.

On Saturday morning, we woke up early and got to work. Even Toby was hard at work, following me around the room as I cut in on the bottom and Marky cut in on the top.

On Saturday morning, we woke up early and got to work. Even Toby was hard at work, following me around the room as I cut in on the bottom and Marky cut in on the top.

It's hard work being a dog.

It’s hard work being a dog.

The kitty decided to help, too.

The kitty decided to help, too.

Toby got back to his post.

Toby got back to his post.

Finally, the room was painted and it was time to move onto the chandelier. I assembled the glitzy number and Marky installed the beast. It was a proud moment... electrical work!

Finally, the room was painted and it was time to move onto the chandelier. I assembled the glitzy number and Marky installed the beast. It was a proud moment… electrical work!

Of course, no nursery is set without a dimmer... so Marky swapped out the old switch for this new fancy dimmer.

Of course, no nursery is set without a dimmer… so Marky swapped out the old switch for this new fancy dimmer.

Then, it was dresser time. This was by far the worst part of the weekend and the biggest pain in the ass to assemble. 6 drawers = so many damn pieces. Also, one piece came broken, a couple things were missing, and Mark and I each broke a piece. Luckily, the company had NO issues sending us all 7 replacement parts we needed.

Then, it was dresser time. This was by far the worst part of the weekend and the biggest pain in the ass to assemble. 6 drawers = so many damn pieces. Also, one piece came broken, a couple things were missing, and Mark and I each broke a piece. Thankfully, the company had NO issues sending us all 7 replacement parts we needed.

In the end, the incomplete dresser looks like this. I bought a bunch of different knobs and didn't like the look, so now I will be ordering some more. This piece remains a work in progress.

We had a much needed break from the dresser mid-way through! My sweet friend Marci, her lovely husband and their adorable dog came for dinner. Then, it was back to the evil dresser. In the end, the incomplete dresser looks like this. I bought a bunch of different knobs and didn’t like the look, so now I will be ordering some more. This piece remains a work in progress.

After the dresser, it was definitely time to call it a night. We would start again the next day.

The first task on Sunday was putting together the changing table topper. You can't really see it, but here's the best picture I have.

The first task on Sunday was putting together the changing table topper. You can’t really see it, but here’s the best picture I have. My sweet husband built this while I was off lunching with my girlfriends.

After the changing table topper, we tackled the bookshelf! It actually came together very easily and quickly. Looks good, huh?

After the changing table topper, we tackled the bookshelf! It actually came together very easily and quickly. Looks good, huh?

Then, it was crib time! Mark's sweet dad came to join the fun and help our furniture building process along.

Then, it was crib time! Mark’s sweet dad came to join the fun and help our furniture building process along.

The crib was another quick and easy job (and of course, Toby helped).

The crib was another quick and easy job (and of course, Toby helped).

More crib building.

More crib building.

After the crib, Mark was feeling ambitious and decided to install the wall shelves. These were an added bonus... not on my original agenda for the weekend.

After the crib, Mark was feeling ambitious and decided to install the wall shelves. These were an added bonus… not on my original agenda for the weekend.

So Mark, his dad, and Toby put the shelves together and devised a plan for hanging them.

So Mark, his dad, and Toby put the shelves together and devised a plan for hanging them.

But in order to figure out placement of the wall shelves, I needed to see where the curtains would fall. Mark hopped on his stool and put the curtains back up.

But in order to figure out placement of the wall shelves, I needed to see where the curtains would fall. Mark hopped on his stool and put the curtains back up.

Then it was drill time.

Then it was drill time.

And voila! The official Best Seat in the House!

And voila! The official Best Seat in the House!

The lighting and size of the room do not mesh well with my camera settings, but here's the room!

The lighting and size of the room do not mesh well with my camera settings, but here’s the room!

The closet, sans doors.

The closet, sans doors.

After a nice dinner with Mark's dad and step mom on Sunday, I came home and relaxed in the nursery with my animal babies.

After a nice dinner with Mark’s dad and step mom on Sunday, I came home and relaxed in the nursery with my animal babies.

Ollie joined the fun, too.

Ollie joined the fun, too.

All in all, it was a GREAT weekend and I’m obsessed with where the room is at. It looks amazing and just makes me so happy. My husband really is perfect.

Symptoms

Baby’s getting bigger and kicking harder! I was super excited because this weekend my mom, dad, and sister-like friend, Marci, got to feel the baby kick. Big kicks, too. She’s such a little champ. Also, I’m starting to get super excited for my shower. It’s coming up in just three little weeks! I can’t even believe it. AND, even more exciting is that my aunt, uncle, and cousin from Cali are coming in for it and are staying with us. This just makes me way too excited. Last night I was googling DIY onesie ideas for my cousin, aunt and I to do together. Maybe a little onesie bedazzling… who knows? The options are endless!

Nursery Design Complete(ish)

The other night, Mark and I were sitting in the nursery trying to decide if everything was going to fit. Ultimately, he said that we’d make it work once it came. Me being me couldn’t let that be the end. SO, taking my mother’s suggestion, I decided to use graph paper to mock up the room and furniture, to scale, and play around with different layouts.

This is what I’ve ended up with…

The room layout with decor ideas all along the corresponding walls. A gallery wall over the changing table with this cute mirror from Home Depot. The crib netting and mobile from Restoration Hardware. A picture, some wall flowers, and two floating shelves in the corner behind the glider. And then, a homemade growth chart ruler made with some scrap wood we have from our wedding photo booth.

The room layout with decor ideas all along the corresponding walls. A gallery wall over the changing table with this cute mirror from Home Depot. The crib netting and mobile from Restoration Hardware. A picture, some wall flowers, and two floating shelves in the corner behind the glider. And then, a homemade growth chart ruler made with some scrap wood we have from our wedding photo booth.

Before I had selected the layout, here are some of the options I came up with…

My #1 Option. Note: the glider has the wrong dimensions and is actually smaller.

My #1 Option. Note: the glider has the wrong dimensions and is actually smaller.

Another option...

Another option…

And yet another!

And yet another!

Then, after going through a bazillion paint swatches and three sample cans of paint (all of which made it to the wall), I think I’ve finally selected a paint.

The many paint swatches...

The many paint swatches…

The final selection... Sherwin Williams (which I could have sworn was actually SherMAN Williams) Alpaca.

The final selection… Sherwin Williams (which I could have sworn was actually SherMAN Williams) SW 7022 Alpaca.

So obviously, once my colors were selected and the layout was set, I had to put together a little inspiration board, or whatever you’d call it.

The colors are more yellow because of the way the camera took the photo, but here it is. The first ivory color is similar to that of the furniture. Then the next two colors (grey and white) are for the walls and trim. Next are three pink variations for accent colors and finally, the dark grey, which is close to the color of the glider. Voila!

The colors are more yellow because of the way the camera took the photo, but here it is. The first ivory color is similar to that of the furniture. Then the next two colors (grey and white) are for the walls and trim. Next are three pink variations for accent colors and finally, the dark grey, which is close to the color of the glider. Voila!

And as a recap, here’s what we’ve decided in terms of furniture…

The Crib: Sorelle Verona Panel Lifetime Crib from Babies R’ Us

Sorelle Verona Panel Lifetime Crib from Babies R' Us

Sorelle Verona Panel Lifetime Crib from Babies R’ Us

The Dresser: South Shore Hopedale 6-Drawer Dresser from Walmart (they have the cheapest price and free shipping!)

South Shore Hopedale 6-Drawer Dresser from Wayfair

South Shore Hopedale 6-Drawer Dresser from Walmart

The Bookshelf: Sauder Living Room Library Bookcase from WalMart (originally found this on Wayfair, but cheapest price is from WalMart)

Sauder Living Room Library Bookcase from WalMart

Sauder Living Room Library Bookcase from Walmart

The Glider: Kacy Collection Madison Glider & Ottoman in Ash from Babies R’ Us

Kacy Collection Madison Glider from Babies R' Us

Kacy Collection Madison Glider from Babies R’ Us

The Chandelier: Hampton Bay Maria Theresa 6-Light Chrome Chandelier from Home Depot

Hampton Bay Maria Theresa 6-Light Chrome Chandelier from Home Depot

Hampton Bay Maria Theresa 6-Light Chrome Chandelier from Home Depot

As for the pink accents, I’m thinking of doing little things like this…

Grey, Cream, Blush & Gold... a thought!

Gallery Wall Accent Pops

Polka accents in gold/blush.

Polka accents in gold/blush.

I will likely be doing some crafting and/or InDesign(ing) for the gallery wall art. No need to buy that stuff. And then maybe a pink pillow or two, and subtle little decorative pieces… it’s going to be decorated in no time!

Symptoms

We leave for Mexico in less than a week and I’m just so excited! Can we consider this our sweet girl’s first time out of the country? By the time she’s born, she will have been to NYC and Mexico. Quite the little traveler.

As for me, I’m feeling great. Happy and excited to be making progress on the nursery. Excited for the trip. Loving all the kicks, pokes and prods of our little baby. Life is good and really, I’m loving being pregnant.

 

Back in the Market

Well, the beautiful craigslist dresser didn’t end up being a winner. We drove out to New Berlin, about a 40 minute drive from our house, to check out this dresser I found on Craigslist, and unfortunately, it wasn’t a winner.

The shape was nice and it was solid, but the drawers were a total pain in the rear. They weren’t on any kind of glide, so they became misaligned every time you attempted to push the drawer back in. The other issue was that there was no stop on the drawers, meaning that our sweet baby girl could very easily pull the entire drawer out of the dresser and bonk her mini head, etc.

Needless to say, the search continues. Here are a few options that I’ve found…

South Shore Sand Castle 6-Drawer Dresser from Wayfair

South Shore Sand Castle 6-Drawer Dresser from Wayfair

This one is $206.13 from Wayfair

South Shore Hopedale 6-Drawer Dresser from Wayfair

South Shore Hopedale 6-Drawer Dresser from Wayfair

I think I really like this one… only trouble is that it’s only 17″ deep. Not sure that is going to be big enough. Anyway, this one is also from Wayfair and costs $217.

Regardless of which dresser we end up selecting, I’m thinking maybe I can do something fun with the knob pulls. Like, all different style grey or silver knobs. Might make it a look a little more unique and a little less like cheap particle board furniture.

Who knows! Either way, I’m hoping to get some furniture purchasing done this weekend.