Nursery Sneak Peek

I'm not quite ready to reveal the nursery, but I thought I'd share a few spoiler pics. 

Can't wait to show you all the real thing!

Happy Fourth of July!

With one week to go until our little girl is due, I'm signing off for a much needed three day weekend with my hubby. Hope you all have a great 4th! :) I'll be back on Tuesday.

Brainstorming

Being a first-time mom I know it's pretty ambitious (and maybe a little foolish of me) to think that I could tackle a home renovation project on my maternity leave. But one room that definitely needs some TLC is our guest bedroom. While it has been successfully used as a guest room on several occasions, it also has become the room that we shove random lamps, blankets, luggage, and other items that have no other home. 

When I say project, I don't have any plans for any major renovations. I've already accepted the fact that I painted the walls green two years ago and they're just going to have to stay that way for a while longer. I don't have the time nor the energy to take on painting an entire room right now. 

Since my last guest bedroom post, I've actually added two white ULSBERG Nightstands from IKEA on either side of the bed. I've also added some lamps on each of those tables although they are temporary until I find taller, prettier ones. Because the night stands are so low the lamps are each on a stack of books to heighten the light. 

There are a few things that the room needs:

1. Better Lighting - With one window on the back wall, not only does the guest bedroom get minimal sunlight, but what sunlight is available gets blocked during the spring and summer months when the trees in our backyard are in bloom. My solution? Installing the light fixture we took out of the nursery and replaced with the ceiling fan.

2. Add a Bench - I'm hoping to find a great bench at a thrift store or yard sale that I can clean up and slap on a coat of paint to keep at the foot of the bed. This will serve as both seating as well as a place for our guests to keep their bags when they stay over. I currently have a wicker chair in the room that is way too big and has no real place or function.

3. Lighter, Whiter and Brighter - I chose white sheers for the window treatments and the bed frame itselt is white along with the nightstands. Because of the dark walls and lack of natural light, I need to keep the rest of the decor pretty light (and white) to keep the room from looking to dark and heavy.


4. Mirrors - the guest bed is probably a bit too big for the room. There really was only one place for us to put the bed and it's under the window. The room itself is pretty small and the large bed doesn't help. I think that by adding some large mirrors on the walls on either side of the bed the room will look wider. And hopefully the mirrors will catch some sunlight and help brighten the room, too. 

Here are a few inspiration rooms I'd like to work from:

source: realsimple

source: theLENNOXX

source: Interior Ideas

I currently have a the Woodland Organic Duvet Set from Pottery Barn. 

It's a bright bedding that I think looks great with the white frame and matches the green walls. I actually was inspired by this photo from Pottery Barn when I painted the green:

But I'm willing to swap out the bright colors for a light, fresh bedding if I decide necessary to keep the room looking bigger and brighter.


I know I won't be able to even think about starting this room until the little one is born, but it's good to start brainstorming.

Must Have: Boyfriend Watch

For several months now (more like a year actually) I've been on the hunt for the perfect 'boyfriend watch' - the big, oversized watch that looks like one you snagged from your hubby's valet.  I've never really been a watch person, but this trend has got me reconsidering. I love the idea of a layering a big chunky gold watch with tons of thin bracelets, or even just wearing it alone as a statement piece.


Here are a few that have caught my eye:

Michael Kors MK5437 - Macys, $275.00

Coach Boyfriend Bracelet Watch - Macys, $348.00

Feminine Contemporary Watch - Guess, $135.00

Fossil Boyfriend Watch - Piperlime, $125.00


These watches can get pretty pricey, but there are a few wallet-friendly versions available.

Gold Boyfriend Watch - Shock Boutique, $30.00

For a more feminine take on the boyfriend watch, many also come in this pretty rose-gold finish.

Crawford Boyfriend Watch - Amazon, $16.00

Fossil Riley Watch - Amazon, $109.95

Other options include black or brown bands in place of the gold metal, like this one from Urban Outfitters.

Classic Menswear Watch, Urban Outfitters, $25.00


Now to just decide on one...

How To: Reupholster a Chair

Tools needed:

- dining room chair

- fabric

- flat head screwdriver

- pliers

- scissors

- iron

- staple gun

Time for this project: 

about one hour

First you need to remove the cushion from the chair. My cushion was simply 'popped' into place in the chair, but some cushions may be screwed into the frame.

Since this was my first attempt at reupholstering a chair, I was careful to take note of how the old fabric was stapled onto the cushion so I could mimic it.

Using a flat-head screwdriver, carefully pry the old staples out of the chair cushion.

For stubborn staples, use a pair of pliers to help pull them out.

I was careful to keep my staples together to keep bare feet safe and curious animals from stepping on them.

If your fabric is wrinkled, you want to iron it before you put it on the chair.

After I quartered my piece of fabric, each piece was still slightly longer than necessary. 

I lined up the new and old fabrics and trimmed the new fabric to size.

Now comes the wrapping and stapling.

First I folded the corners in, then folded the excess fabric on each side to create a smooth edge that would be easy to staple. I used the iron to make a smooth crease along the edge.

Starting with the corner, you want to pull the fabric pretty tight and do your first staple. 

Again, keeping the fabric as tight as possible, wrap the rest of the fabric around the corner, smoothing it out the best you can and secure with staples. 

Once the corners are secure, fold the sides up and staple along the edge, spacing each staple an inch or two apart. Again, you want to make sure that you hold the fabric tight so keep the seat cushion smooth. If necessary you can flip the cushion over to check your progress and make sure you've pulled the fabric tight enough.

Once you have stapled all around the cushion, it will look like this:

The last step is to pop or screw the seat cushions back into place, and enjoy your 'new' chairs. 

Now it's your turn to give it a try.

Good luck!