A Room Fit for a Prince: The Finished Nursery

I met my main goal of having the nursery pretty much complete by 30 weeks — the furniture was put together, the artwork was hung, and most of the decorative items were in place. But it took me until just this weekend — 35 weeks — to get the sheets and changing pad covers washed, enough books purchased (secondhand) to satisfy my own book-worminess and innate need to decorate with books, and the finishing touches made.

It’s my very favorite room in the house. I’ve spent the most time and effort on it, and I’m so proud. And while I know that Bean won’t know a darn thing that’s going on, but it makes me feel so good that we’ve created a safe and personal space for him to spend his earliest years.

My goals were to create a baseball-themed nursery that was youthful and boyish without being babyish, or without looking like something my superfan husband was using as a storage space for his memorabilia. I think I accomplished that — do you?

In the end, I think we ended up with a nice vintage feel between the woods and finishes used and the sophisticated color scheme. The gray walls represent the Yankees’ away uniforms while the blue and white are their team colors.

The crib sheet pattern? “Sports Stars”

A dear friend made this for us and gifted it to us at the baby shower. She also gave me a personalized coffee mug — she’s so crafty! I’m hoarding it for when I can drink coffee again.

We had to have some Yankees decor touches, so we opted for subtle ones like these instead of full-sized Derek Jeter posters (like we would have if my husband had decorated the nursery…). I loved how the stained glass carried the vintage feel forward.

With our baby monitor needing 3 or fewer feet between it and the baby, and me needing a place to set water glasses, my laptop, etc. while nursing in the glider, I randomly picked up that antique refinished nightstand at a local shop last week.

Everybody needs a great wall decal.

This glider is just about the most comfortable thing in the universe.

And this little vintage-y pillow made by Etsy seller Mon Mell Designs (see end of post for link to their shop) brought in some red for a patriotic accent to a blue-and-white room, as a nod to the Americana of baseball.

This is the piece, from ABC MVPs that started the baseball nursery craze. They have tons of teams (see end of post for link to their shop).

I think the bookcase is my favorite part of the whole room.

Mister Mister picked out the Yankees bobbleheads; we went with the more kid-ish ones, with a couple of retro pieces for the vintage touch. I love bobbleheads in a kid’s room!

This mini baseball bat was a gift from a friend. The baseballs are from Mister Mister’s collection — the one on the right signed by his favorite player, Paul O’Neill, and the one on the left caught at a game. I love that there’s a piece of Mister Mister in Bean’s room.

More prints from Etsy… seriously obsessed. I loved how graphic these are. We have another one — “Glove” in blue — that didn’t fit, hiding out in the closet, that we’ll swap out from time to time.

The canvas crates from Land of Nod hold toys, blankets, burp cloths, breastfeeding supplies, and other odds and ends. Those bears in the second cubby from the right were both gifts from Mister Mister as part of floral arrangements he’s had delivered to me over the years. I love having a piece of us in here!

We picked up this cute piggy bank at Buy Buy Baby when we bought our glider — it plays “Take Me out to the Ballgame” when you drop a coin in it! All our books were purchased secondhand at Goodwill or through Better World Books online.

I couldn’t resist this vintage tin top from Etsy. Yes, I was trying to avoid baseball-playing bears as a rule, but old-timey toys are the tops (pun intended).

That wall decal looks so cool in person — it’s so detailed and wasn’t at all difficult to put up despite all the little pieces.

A total splurge from Pottery Barn Kids, but well worth it. 

I DIY’ed the baseball mobile — about the only thing I had the time, energy and creativity to DIY — and love how it turned out! That shark bag in the background is a gift from one of my best friends, for Bean’s first trick-or-treating session. And behind that is our diaper bag 🙂

I love how soft and playful these muslin swaddle blankets from Aden + Anais are.

We’re kind of obsessed with books around here. That “Andy Warhol’s Colors” book in the bottom right was the first thing we bought for Bean, while I was in my first trimester, during a visit to the local fine arts museum. The book to the left of it — “All the Ways I Love You” — was a birthday present from Mister Mister.

Source list

• Paint color: Benjamin Moore Covington Gray
• Dresser: Land of Nod Oak Park Elementary Dresser
• Crib: IKEA Gulliver
• Bookcase: IKEA Expedit
• Glider: Best Chair Kamilla, via Buy Buy Baby
• Picture ledges (used as wall book shelves): IKEA Ribba
• Baseball lamp: Pottery Barn Kids Brett Baseball Shade and Batter-Up Lamp
• Rug: Dash & Albert Catamaran Stripe Indoor/Outdoor Rug
• Nightstand: Antique
• Painted “D” artwork: DIY gift from friend
• Changing table mobile: DIY
• Hamper, floor lamp, and changing station basket: Target
• Miniature baseball bat: Gift from friend
• Baseballs: Husband’s own collection
• Bobbleheads: MLB.com
• “ABC” Yankees poster: Etsy, ABC MVPs
• “Little Slugger” pillow: Etsy, Mon Mell Designs
• Vintage baseball bears spinning top: Etsy, Chirp
• “Derek” wall decal: Etsy, Janey Mac
• “Bat” and “Baseball” art prints: Etsy, Wallerbee
• Batter wall decal: Etsy, Sticker Brand

Friday Five: Dot Dot Dash and Girlie Nurseries

It’s been a minute since I’ve done a Friday Five, but I’m not going to get all stereotypical and apologize. Instead, let’s just get right to it, shall we?

1. This pink-and-gray little girl’s nursery

I k now we’re having a boy, and we’re THRILLED, but rooms like this really make me wish I could girl it up in that little baby’s room. Maybe we’ll have a chance someday, and I’m definitely keeping this on file for that eventuality. From the vintage touches and color combos to THAT PINK CHANDELIER, this room is so amazing and cozy. In fact, their whole house is awesome, and you can catch a tour of it over on Houzz.

Image by Sarah Greenman via La Maison Boheme

2. This living room from Lonny magazine

 

Lonny magazine made over this Brooklyn apartment with pieces from Restoration Hardware’s Big Style Small Spaces collection. I just love this room and this shot — the way the deer’s head looms over it all, the black pendant light, the abrupt modern leather chaise lounge set in front of the cozier, more cottage-y pieces. Just gorgeous.

Image by Patrick Cline, art direction and interior design by Michelle Adams

3. This entryway

This is another meticulously styled interior shot by Douglas Friedman Photography. I love the gallery wall, the black doors, the details in the bookcase and then that amazing spray of pink flowers.

Image by Douglas Friedman Photography via SF Girl by Bay

4. These DIY surprise balls

 

I can just imagine being a kid and tearing into these to gradually reveal an assortment of cool little toys and candy pieces. By winding the crepe paper around and around while tucking the toys and candy into the strands as you go, you create this awesome little gift bomb that would delight any child — OK, or adult. I’m totally keeping this on file for when Bean is big enough to enjoy something like this.

Image via Honestly…WTF

5. This amazing morse code name necklace

OK, really. If this wasn’t $400 (only $80 for gold fill or sterling silver) I would totally have asked for it numero uno without a doubt for Christmas this year. It uses a series of long and round beads to spell out the name or text of your choice, all strung on a silk cord in the color of your choosing. This is such a cool and understated version of the name necklace, I can’t even stand it.

Image via COATT

 

 

 

Nursery Nesting

Since I’m an overachiever who’s made it my goal to set up the nursery by 30 weeks pregnant (which would be late November — or, yeah, pretty much Thanksgiving), I’ve been pushing myself — and my husband — to get furniture set up, artwork hung, and finishing touches put on.

We’ve purchased everything we need decor-wise, with the exception of the bobbleheads and the light switch plate (which I really just need to go ahead and order from Wal-Mart since it’s the only place I’ve found it in stock), so now it’s just a matter of putting together the rest of the furniture, and then finish up all the fun decorative stuff. Because it’s kind of hard to hang artwork and put up wall decals when you only have the roughest sense of how big the furniture under and around it will be.

Oh, and there’s that DIY mobile I’ve decided to make. At least I have all the supplies now, thanks to a craft store trip on Sunday afternoon.

But the thrilling thing is that it’s actually starting to look like a nice, pulled-together room. I just might make our deadline yet.

Want to take a peek?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(That last photo was taken at night, hence the odd discoloration.)

Then there’s the ever-expanding to-do list outside of the nursery, like:

• Choose daycare Done, scheduled, deposit paid.
• Finalize maternity leave details — I have 6 weeks paid short-term disability and received 8 weeks of paid maternity leave as a raise, so I need to somehow reconcile how that will work and whether that means they’re giving me 14 weeks, or still 12 weeks as discussed.
• Figure out how short-term disability works — when do I file the claim? How? And more importantly, when does the chunk of money come?
• Find out how much it will cost to put the baby on Mister Mister’s health insurance. I currently pay $0 for my health insurance. To add the baby, it would cost $170 per paycheck. We’re hoping it’s cheaper at Mister Mister’s job.
• Tour the hospital — this is scheduled for November.
• Register for childbirth classes — also scheduled for November.
• Make freezer meals for after birth — because cooking will not sound good for quite some time.

And the non-baby-related list of to-do items that has somehow become baby-related, like:

• Buy a real bed that isn’t sitting on the floor like a dorm room I’ve decided not to worry about this for now.
• Please, God find some front porch and/or patio furniture from Craigslist, please. Done!

Isn’t being pregnant a miracle? And I don’t even think I’m even technically nesting yet.

P.S. I’m planning on doing a full nursery source list once everything is totally complete and I have better pictures for you, but if you really must know where something is from, just leave me a comment!