Play on last post’s Baby Grand with Grand Baby
Great minds, they say think alike. I don’t know about great minds, but mothers and daughters often think alike. Lindsey just did a post on nurseries Wednesday so this will be a second look at the same subject from a different perspective. Last Wednesday her post was titled Inspiration For Your Baby Grand so mine is a play on those words.
I’m going to have a new grand baby this November. Since I won’t visit until the baby has arrived, I thought it would be fun to at least dream about how I would decorate his or her room. Back in the dark ages when I had my children you didn’t have the option of knowing before hand whether you were having a boy or girl and Lindsey and her husband have decided to be surprised, too. The trend for baby rooms has gravitated away from the proverbial blue for boy and pink for girl to any other color but or neutral colors.
Janell Beals. a working designer and the owner of Isabella & Max, LLC, posted an article for Houzz titled The New Look of Nurseries. If you visit her blog, Isabella & Max Rooms, you’ll conclude that she has oodles of creative ideas and just as much patience and perseverance! Janell says, “If I were designing a nursery today I would start by finding inspiration from a great wallpaper. This wallpaper sets the tone for a simple design, reflected in the lines of the furniture and a simple yet sophisticated color palette.”
I like that idea and would perhaps select Casart Coverings Birds and Birch temporary wallpaper for its neutral tones.
Birch trees must be very “in” this year. Chicago Transit Authority is spiffing up stations with artists’ murals. Residents voted on artists’ submissions and “Let’s Bring the Birch Trees Back to Rogers Park” by Johanna White won the most votes.
I’d certainly want to include a daybed or a rocker to help mom or grand mom relax.
The most important piece of furniture, of course, is the bed. I’d select one that could be used as a youth bed later because I try to be practical about such things! This seems to be the bed de rigueur and it happens to be the one another daughter chose for her son’s room. After the grand baby arrives I’d add a Casart growth chart (knight or princess) as she did.
My very favorite nursery is one Sarah Richardson did during the second season of Sarah’s House. This is Sarah’s take on colors for a nursery. ” I’ve never been a huge fan of bubblegum pink or daffodil yellow as a colour scheme for the nursery. I know it’s supposed to be sweet and innocent, but these shades can make any sleep-deprived parent feel nauseous. I prefer a more mature palette that will grow with the child and not seem outdated and babyish in a few short years…Soft blues and coffee/toffee browns are the ultimate unisex scheme.” She built her color design around the leafy branch patterned linen drapes. Playful polka dots on the chair keep the mood youthful. “Grown up” furnishings like side tables, dressers and lamps in a combination of dark and light finishes guarantees that the room will grow along with the child. These choices won’t cost more and they will have a longer use. I love the way she used a 4-inch-wide band of flat stock trim about 7 feet above the floor to showcase the multi-colored alphabet letters. The sky blue on the upper walls and ceiling is very soothing.
Now, all I have to do is wait and see what the REAL nursery REALLY looks like!
– Lorre Lei
Thanks for the mention! Wonderful post, and I do think nurseries are about the best room to decorate! And Sarah Richardson…her nursery is just divine! Janell