A few purchases to speak of:
1 – Benjamin Moore Dark Pewter Call me crazy. Or insane. Cruel. Strange. Trendy. Whatever. I did it. I painted Mabrey’s room a deep, deep charcoal. It’s definitely not a typical paint color for a girl’s nursery. HH says it’s black. He’s not sure about it but it’s growing on him. I love it. I’ve always wanted to paint a room a dark color but kept tapping out at the last minute because I was scared. Mostly about what other people would think. But this time around, I don’t care. I went for it.
2 – GULLIVER crib The one thing we had leftover from our boys’ baby stages was a crib. I didn’t really want to spend money on a crib because we already had one. But the old crib, with its tall height and curvy legs, was hogging up the entire nursery which is super teeny to begin with {not even 10’x10′}. When I saw IKEA had a simpler design for less than $100, I jumped on it. The white is a crisp contrast to the dark walls.
3 – Tripod floor lamp I’ve been searching for a tripod floor lamp for our family room. I’ve found a million that I love but can’t afford. Think 100’s of dollars. Just the other day I was at Target buying *only* wipes and dishwasher detergent when I came across this version for a mere $50. {Somehow my quest for wipes and dishwasher soap led me to the lighting section???} I snatched up the last one. I’ve yet to put it together. I figure it it’s too flimsy or too wobbly {which I’m guessing it might be because of the inexpensive price}, I can return it. We’ll see. Oh, and the shade is actually white not blue like the image portrays.
4 – Cradle chair Up until now I’ve been using a thrift store wing chair in Mabrey’s room for late night feedings. It’s a comfortable chair for sitting but it doesn’t rock and the curvy, tall design takes up a lot of space literally and visually – much like the old crib did. And since Mabrey shows no signs of sleeping through the night anytime soon {seriously?! What am I doing wrong this time around? Both my boys were sleeping through the night by four months of age.}, I decided I deserved a more baby-friendly chair at midnight…and 3:00 a.m….and 5:00 a.m. Everything I’ve read about cradle chairs indicates that they’re a hit with small children, so this chair will easily carry Mabrey through her preschool years too. I like that it has a small footprint so hopefully it will allow more room for traffic flow and floor play.
5 – Alpaca throw I purchased this throw through Novica for a product review. I’ve never owned anything made from alpaca wool before. It’s much softer than the usual sheep wool. The handmade quality of the blanket is top notch. No unraveling or tears to speak of. And I adore the pattern. The throw is a modest size which makes it great for kids. I keep it folded on the couch. HH doesn’t understand mine and Everett’s love of blankets even in the heat of summer. The throw does shed a bit which is typical of anything constructed from wool.
6 – Vilas nightstand I bought a pair of these nightstands for our master bedroom. I have been looking for years {not just since we moved} for affordable, design-worthy nightstands for our bedroom. HH and I have never had legit nightstands. In the past, we used mismatched end tables that had once resided in our living room. I wanted something with a midcentury modern vibe and an open shelf for books. {We both like to read in bed.} This is a purchase that I’ve just ordered and haven’t received yet. I’ll let you know how they turn out.
7 – Jute chenille herringbone rug This 5’x8′ rug is for the nursery. {Are you noticing a theme here? Yep. I’m working on the nursery this week and next!} With all the deep, dark charcoal going on the walls, I needed something light in color and heavy in texture on the floor to soften things up. Normally, this rug would be out of my price range but I had $125 in West Elm gift cards lying around waiting to be used. I only ended up spending $140 of my own money. Sadly, the rug is on backorder until the end of next week but I went ahead and placed my order so that it will ship as soon as it’s back in stock. Can hardly wait!
Like I said, I’m working on the nursery. I was asked to participate in Kirkland’s ‘Ace Your Space’ campaign and it was just the fire I needed under me to finally start decorating Mabrey’s room. Mabrey was only two months old when we moved and we didn’t find out her gender until she was born, so this nursery has been a long time coming! I understand why some people choose to learn their baby’s sex before birth {preparation!} but I don’t regret the surprise at all. So while other ‘Ace Your Space’ bloggers might be focusing on entryway organization or a mommy command center for back to school, I’m focusing on the nursery.
I’ll be back later today to take you on a virtual window shopping Kirkland’s trip. I was surprised by the great pieces and prices I found. I hadn’t been to a Kirkland’s in probably 15+ years but remember it being a little too country for my taste. I was happy to discover they’ve modernized their inventory since.
Click here to see who this week’s giveaway!
Ever wondered what’s on my phone home screen? Well, I’m sharing it all over on Myers Maison today! Check it out.
images: polyvore collage by Dana Miller, images linked within
budget decor, interior design, mood board