Young House Love

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Rearranging The Nursery

Last weekend I rearranged Clara’s nursery. Again. And I owe you guys the details (a few of you even noticed things had moved around here and requested an update), so whoop, here it is. Let’s dive right into the moving madness. Heck, free use-what-you-have rearranging isn’t that bad, is it? No heavy breathing required. From you, at least (I did my fair share of creepy mouth breathing while pushing things around). It actually was only a few simple switches, but the room still looked tore up from the floor up for a little while:

ClarasRoom In Progress 2

As usual, Clara was in there “helping Mommy dec-rate.” Decorate only has two syllables according to the bean. I love that you can’t see her at all here because she’s not tall enough to poke up from behind the changing pad where she was “juggling” cloth diapers while singing Firework by Katy Perry. No joke.

ClarasRoom In Progress 1

Just for fun, here’s Clara helping me the last time I went crazy and moved everything around:

Clara Room2

Kinda looks the same except she’s wearing summer stuff.

Clara Room3

And now here’s the new layout description to help make sense of the madness (see the sketches of makeover 1 and 2 here). Well, it won’t really make sense of my furniture-shuffling-neurosis, but it might explain what’s where and what used to be where:

  • The crib which used to be on the wall in front of the door got moved to the wall across from that on the far side of the room
  • The dresser that used to be on that wall moved to where the crib once lived
  • The chair and side table pretty much stayed where they were
  • The floor lamp that used to be behind the chair got moved into the kitchen (where it’s used in our sitting nook by the fireplace)
  • Clara’s hamper got “hidden” back where the lamp once was (more on that in a bit)

And here are a ton of pics of her room after my recent switches. First off, it’s nice not to walk right into the side of the crib now that it’s back on the wall I originally wanted to put it (somehow I always planned to put it there but when we moved we stuck it in a corner, and then pulled it near the door, and only now is it back where it “belongs”). It didn’t jut out all that much, but the dresser is about half as deep, so it feels more open when you walk in again.

ClarasRoom After At Door

That little C on the door is from Anthropologie on clearance about a month or two ago. It was $6. Whenever we walk by it Clara says “C for Clara.”

Behind our little reading chair is Clara’s hamper, which is nice because she likes to take everything out of it and throw it around, so putting it a bit out of the way deters her. Sometimes. Other times it’s just a fun obstacle-course-like challenge.

ClarasRoom After Chair Corn

Ah, the crib is finally on that back wall. Mom bliss. All is right with the world. And since I’m Señorita Safety all the frames over the crib are well out of Clara’s reach (the crib is pulled about 18″ away from the wall, although that’s hard to see in these pics). They’re also not only hung with screws & anchors or nails (depending on if I hit a stud) but also reinforced with heavy-duty 3M adhesive strips (which are 100% removable so they won’t kill the wall, but aren’t baby-removable, so nothing will come a-crashing down – even in another unlikely east coast earthquake). Is that crazy first-time-mom enough for ya? I thought so.

ClarasRoom After Crib

Here’s the corner that’s opposite the green mirror and chair:

ClarasRoom After Closet

The shot below is meant to show three things:

  • the crib is pulled around 18″ from the wall (although there’s a weird double shadow so it really doesn’t demonstrate that very well – in fact it only looks about 3″ away)
  • there are still many blank walls in our house (we still need to add some art to that corner)
  • Clara’s closet is still my favorite place in the whole house (as in, I hang out in there and stroke the potato stamped walls)

ClarasRoom After Empty Wall

One of our favorite furniture makeovers ever is still Clara’s $20 craigslist dresser:

ClarasRoom After Changing T

It takes a licking (wooden fruit, cars, and blocks get whipped at it often), but keeps on ticking…

ClarasRoom After Changing 2

Every post deserves a detail shot of a stuffed alligator:

ClarasRoom Bookcase

More details. They’re my favorite things in here. The handmade stuff, like these bookshelves John made…

ClarasRoom Detail Shelvesl

… and the mobile I made.

ClarasRoom Detail Mobile

Another favorite thing in here is the art wall. So many personal things that make me misty eyed. More on everything that hangs up there here.

ClarasRoom Detail Art

Monkey detail shot!!!

ClarasRoom Detail Monkey

Hah. That might be the best use of three exclamation points ever. Just kidding. This is:

You get a car!!! You get a car!!! You get a car!!!

Oh to be Oprah for a day. What’s wrong with me? Maybe don’t answer that. Anyway, when it comes to Clara’s third layout since we’ve moved in, I’ve learned not to make any declarative statements (ex: “I love it so much I’ll never move stuff around in there again!”) but I definitely love it the more than the past two setups. So it’s a keeper. At least until I go crazy again…

What rooms have you guys been shifting around? Do you have some that never get changed (our bedroom and living room are pretty much the same as about a month after we moved in) while others seem to move around all the time (Clara’s room and our kitchen seem to have enjoyed the most change so far).

Comments

  3. LeCheech says

    Hey y’all [That’s my southern twang there], I’ve got a little problem, and you rearranging your furniture in C’s room reminded me to ask.

    My bedroom is really, REALLY bare. I want to rearrange, but some things are ‘stapled’ to where they are and… well I just don’t know what to do with it.

    If I sent you pictures, would you be willing to help me make it look not-doomed-to-forever-sound-hollow?

    :D Thanks

    Reply

    • Nicole says

      Jacqui, I’ve been in love with this fan since J and S revealed Clara’s original nursery, and unfortunately I can’t find that exact fan ANYWHERE! I’m pretty sure it’s been discontinued, so I’ve had to settle for a similar retro-looking fan from the same maker (Deco Breeze). It’s not as cute as Clara’s, but it’s has that retro feel at least.

  5. kylee says

    I’d love to redo a dresser in lieu of a traditional changing table. What depth of dresser is used for Clara’s changing table in order to comfortably fit the changing pad?

    Reply

  6. Katy @ farmingmama says

    It looks great! I love all the little touches that make Clara’s room so put together! My daughter Little M and I moved our living/dining room furniture totally around last weekend, and I’m loving our new look too. Something about rearranging just makes everything feel new and fresh again :) Good luck with the penny tile this weekend!
    katy

    Reply

  7. Karen F says

    I have been so in love with Clara’s dresser ever since you first posted about it.

    The rooms in my house tend to stay the same (we just moved our bedroom around after 9 years or so (!!!) and it’s so much better (we got new furniture). We tend to move our living room around a lot because it’s an odd room and we haven’t landed on a floorplan we like. But mostly I’m a leave-it-where-it-is type of gal.

    Reply

  10. Lindsey d. says

    I’ve got handmedown furniture (couch and chair and a half) that aren’t the right scale for my little cottage, so I’m constantly moving stuff around to see if it works better. I think I finally settled on something that will work, for now…

    Also, I FINALLY got to rearrange the furniture in my tv room after TWO LONG YEARS! I previously had a TV that we loving referred to as a boat anchor. Huge, heavy and triangular in shape (back end stuck out about three feet. It had to go in the only available corner, unfortunately, that corner was on the wall where I wanted to put the TV. Got a new TV (slim, sleek, perfect) for Christmas, though, and the best gift was putting the couch on the wall where I always wanted it. And it’s perfect. I love it.

    Reply

  12. Alyssa says

    Looking great! And I love rearranging furniture on a 4-5 month basis, drives my hubby bonkers, but it also gets me to clean areas that get pretty dusty like baseboards and under the beds. I do have a question for ya, how did you attach Claras changing pad to the dresser top? I think I read it once and just looked back at the original post but didn’t see it there. Is it somewhere else that you could post the link for Me quickly? Thanks a bunch! Happy Friday the 13th….spooky! ;)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      It came with a heavy duty snap system (you screw snaps into the back of the dresser and there are tabs on the side of the pad that snap in). It’s on there good. I think they might be standard when you buy one?

      xo,
      s

  13. Mabell says

    So funny that your post is about this. I actually thought it would be some living room changes, and was anxiously looking forward to it, as I am in the middle of changing my living room again! (taking christmas tree down…don’t judge).. But its something I do…every, I dont know…. 3-4 months… I think its a problem… Is there a Anonymous club for that? :)

    Reply

  14. Stephanie L. says

    I love her room. Where did you get those baskets that you placed in the Target side table? I have the same table and like the cleaner look of the concealed storage.

    Reply

  16. Anita says

    Maybe this is a silly question, but when you’re trying to hang up pictures on the wall (say, with a wire hanger), how do you use the anchors and screws to hold it up when you hit a stud? I’ve been trying to use nails with the little picture frame hangers (with the hooks) where there are studs and the nails keep getting bent. :-(

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      When you hit a stud just use a screw and it’s in there good and strong! Anchors are for when you don’t hit a stud and need more strength since its just drywall or plaster.

      xo,
      s

  18. Jaimie says

    I really love the wall colour in Clara’s room. I was never a pink-bedroom girl (even when I was little I requested blue) and my daughter’s current room is also (you guessed it) blue. But, when we redo her room one day down the road, I’m considering doing a very pale, sophisticated pink like this. It just seems very livable (and flattering!).

    Reply

  20. Melanie says

    Put John to work building some specialized 18″ storage console back there! Or a crib-length shelf/ledge for a couple of won’t-hurt-if-they-tumble-into-the-crib stuffed animals (giraffes… all giraffes, I say…)! Or… or… somethin’. ;p

    I’m struggling with rearranging my bedroom lately. The bed is plenty cozy but the room does not invite me to sleep there. I finally got the closet in there like I wanted, but now the room is all blaaaah. Must… conquer… bedroom.

    /end gratuitous use of ellipses

    Reply

  21. Tricia A says

    HI! I have that same exact mirror that you guys have in that first kitchen shot! (hallway) Wondering where you guys got yours and how much you paid. I got mine at my local Goodwill for $2.99 and I was freaking out because I was instantly in love with it and couldn’t believe it was that cheap! I would have paid much more for it. I think sometimes pricing mistakes happen and I’m happy to be around when that happens! Everything is looking good guys!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha- that thing moves all around! It’s in the kitchen now in front of the chair in the corner with the fireplace. She loves it so much (and it comes in handy for reading) so it migrates around!

      xo,
      s

  25. Jordan says

    I constantly rearrange my room! In high school, my bedroom got a completely new makeover at least once every six months including a new comforter, pillows, art, and generally a new piece of furniture. I think my bed was on every single wall in my room at least three times. I can’t stand seeing the same old, same old. I like chaaaange.

    Reply

  27. Kate says

    sweetest little girl’s room:) looks great!
    quick question for ya- would you be able to tell me how tall is her dresser/changing table? i’m working on a nursery for my little boy arriving in march. trying to find a vintage dresser on craigslist but not sure what a comfortable height would be for changing diapers???
    Thanks so much!!!

    Reply

    • Pamela says

      I think it depends on parents’ heights. Our changing table is 37 inches high. Mom is 5’10” and Dad is 6’3″. A 30-inch high chest was uncomfortable for both.

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes that makes sense! John’s 6′ and I’m 5’2″ so although he does more than 50% of the diapers he might be bending more than I do. Hah. No complaints yet (about bending – plenty about smells, haha).

      xo,
      s

  28. Cara says

    I read pretty much all your kitchen update posts, but I can’t seem to figure out if the penny tile gets grouted (is that a verb?!?) or not. Does it? Anyway, it looks lovely!

    Reply

  29. Ginny @ Goofy Monkeys says

    I haven’t rearranged anything lately, but I feel a shift coming soon! My husband is heading out of town for a few weeks and I’m planning some changes while he’s gone as a bit of a surprise. Dining room, for sure. Maybe the kids’ room too!

    Reply

  31. Denise says

    Clara is becoming quite the design diva! We’re updating our teenage son’s bedroom with a cottage/college dorm vibe that makes the room look much more spacious. Although his new desk has a feminine name (World Market’s Josephine desk) the height and leggy style are perfect for the room. Even my husband likes the desk and it was super easy to assemble. http://www.worldmarket.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11108343

    Kids/teenager rooms are always evolving, no matter how old they are…so fun!

    Reply

  35. Jill says

    I am hoping to rearrange my bedroom this weekend. It’s been about 3 years…. definitely time!!! Hope to put together my new ikea dresser (I’ve only had it 3 months now). My furniture is pretty heavy so I’ve got to wait on my Dad to come help me. We’ve both been sick for a while so hopefully this weekend we can just GIT R DONE! :)

    Reply

  38. Skooks says

    There are not too many options for our master . . . it’s pretty small, so stuff tends to stay in the same spot in there. My sewing room which is even smaller though has been rearranged so many times I can barely keep up. It helps to not have to work around a queen sized bed!

    Reply

  39. Megan says

    The first thing I thought when I saw the crib there was, “Uh-oh, all those frames above baby’s crib is not a good idea” then I read on and saw you were thinking the same thing. I am on my second one, but the crazy first-time mom in us never goes away. It does get slightly better though. While we are on baby rooms, thought I would throw in that my little one’s crib was made using the same process as yours. Thanks for the idea!

    Reply

  40. Elizabeth says

    I love how refreshing shifting things around can be for a room. I moved most of my living room around to make way for my Christmas tree and then in the post holiday clean up I left a lot of things in their new homes. I like it so much better now and find myself wondering why I hadn’t tried it this way sooner.

    Reply

  42. Amy Brewer says

    We live in a 100+ year old house with odd rooms and are constantly “inheriting” new/old furniture. If something stays the same in certain rooms for 6 months it is odd. It makes my mom CRAZY. We love it and our constantly tweaking things. It is a cheap way to freshen up a room.

    Reply

  44. stephanie says

    love your blog. read it all the time. i am amazed on a weekly basis how many people know casa petersik and where everything is at better than i probably know my own home! i would have never noticed the rearrange and i’ve referred to your nursery posts multiple times (we bought the same crib)!

    Reply

  45. Natalie @ Living Green Chicago says

    the space in our apartment is TINY. the living room is probably the only area that can be re-arranged, but it’s also the room with the most furniture. i’m both anxious and terrified to switch it up a bit. we haven’t changed a thing since we moved in (in september!) but it could definitely use it.

    Reply

  46. Mari says

    I just rearranged the furniture in my son’s room (he’s 2 1/2) on Monday and it didn’t go well. I clearly wasn’t thinking and put his crib in a corner of the room where he could pull on the curtains and blinds from bed. Not only that I put a toy storage box at the foot of the crib that he could sort of reach and get toys out of. Needless to say the room was frantically rearranged again at the start of nap time that day when he just wouldn’t leave stuff alone. Sometimes I think we just need to go totally minimalist and have his bed in the middle of the room and nothing else in there.

    Reply

  49. Paige says

    I am constantly redcorating rooms and moving furniture around…it’s fun! I always change up the guest room and our enclosed front porch area, which is more like a sitting room and office area.

    Reply

  50. Belle says

    Just curious – I’m kidlet-free (unless you count those with four legs and either a stable or a basket), what are the clear things hooked on the edges of the crib in the summer photos?

    My wildly off-base guess is they’re something to do with preventing Clara from climbing out but…. they don’t really seem up to the job in that they’re so light and…. non-threatening? Not chunky?

    I fail at descriptions today.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Haha, they were to keep her from gnawing on her crib (she would dig her little teeth into the wood). Thankfully they phase was pretty quick so she doesn’t need them anymore!

      xo,
      s

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