At two weeks from my due date we’re checking off a few more lingering nursery updates, like painting the closet door a bright happy color, organizing the clutter within…
… making/hanging some more art, and changing our minds in the curtain arena (you know we love a good final-hour switcheroo).
The green closet door was heavily influenced by Clara, who kept saying “my baby will like a colored door like mine but not pink” – and since a bold green door was originally in our plan back in January (which we mentioned to Clara, hence her obsession) we decided to stop hemming and hawing and just go for it.
After hanging our apple-green curtains and adding a kelly green sheet to the changing table, we worried a bright door between them would be too much. But the realization that we already had some breezy Ikea curtains from our last house meant we had nothing to lose by tossing those up to see how they looked (they used to hang on the deck sliders, but came down when we got french doors).
Although I couldn’t recoup the time I spent making the colorful curtains, they were under $10 a pop, so it seemed silly to stay married to them at the expense of losing something else we had all looked forward to in the room. And I pulled off the faux-changing-pad-cover (just a fabric remnant I tossed on to picture what a green cover might look like) when we decided a bright closet door was too hard to resist.
We still think the curtains need something (I want to line them in blackout fabric, and maybe trim them on all sides with black or brown ribbon – maybe green? Not sure) but we’re getting closer I think. And of course we still need to get a real changing pad cover, so that’s on the list.
As for picking a green door color, we relied on our usual method of taping up contender swatches to see which one we liked best in a bunch of different lighting scenarios (early morning, afternoon, late at night with the light on, etc). The winner was Irish Moss by Benjamin Moore. Not too dark, not too light, not too neon, and not too yellow or blue.
I only needed a quart to get it done (I went with semi-gloss), even though it took three coats to get a nice shiny finish with good coverage. Bold colors like this tend to look horrific for the first coat or two and then magically shape up at the end. Tinted primer probably could have saved me one coat (in exchange for one coat of that) but I didn’t have it on hand, so I just did three coats of paint instead. I applied the first one with a brush…
… but switched to a brush + small foam roller combo for the second two coats, just to knock things out a little faster. It’s the same method we used on Clara’s door (three coats of paint applied with a roller/brush combo) which has held up well for the last five months with heavy use so that’s nice to know.
As for actually getting the closet ready, that just meant organizing things (lining up shoes, putting a few empty baskets on that top shelf for future use, placing some extra toys in a bin on the floor, and transferring excess clutter to the hall closet). The hall closet is a more spacious double-doored closet, so things that we won’t use for a while like a bumbo and the play table can go in there. We’re sure the nursery closet will evolve into more sophisticated storage as the baby grows (might add some cubbies, a basket system, or a reading area on the floor depending on our needs as we go), but it’s nice to have a clean slate in there now.
We also had two nice wood frames that I wanted to hang on the curtain wall, so I was inspired by this no-longer-for-sale pear poster and just drew the shape in pencil on white foam core and used green & brown finger paint from Clara’s stash. I’m sure as the bun grows we’ll switch it out for a family picture or a subject/animal that he loves – but it’s sweet to have something there for now.
To make the lettered “Love You Forever” message below that, I took inspiration from this print from a no-longer-in-business Etsy shop, and used black construction paper and a pencil. I sketched out the letters roughly, cut them out, and laid them on another white piece of foam core. I tried to keep them all similar in height, but I didn’t get caught up in perfection, thanks to the charming irregularities in the inspiration print.
When I was done I showed John and he came up with the idea to add some color to the V’s, so I used decorative paper from my craft closet and a glue stick to attach them all to the foam core. We both love how it came out – and you can’t beat the price (free) or the amount of time it took (around fifteen minutes).
Since Clara has a print in her room that says “You Are So Loved” it feels nice to have a similar sentiment hanging in our son’s room. Sniffle.
Aren’t those wood frames nice with the stained top of the built-ins and the dark hardware on the drawers?
They also tie-in to the frames of the bike art and the changing table on the other side of the room, so there’s more balance going on.
Speaking of wooden things, we found this cute rocker at a local thrift store called Consignment Connection for $15. Clara is obsessed (even though it looks fragile it easily holds her weight) and thinks her brother is going to LOVE it. Can’t wait to see if she’s right.
Slowly but surely, this room is coming along – we even think we have a plan for the wall behind the crib after this post o’ brainstorming (thanks to everyone for their thoughts and ideas!). We might wait until the baby’s here to knock that out, but in the meantime everything from the toys on the built-ins to those elephants marching across the crib sheets and our new green closet door is making us more excited than ever to bring home this little man of ours.
Even though we’re not done in here, we worried we’d miss the chance to re-take our family picture before the bun is born (a tradition that we started with Clara), so here’s the one we took when we started on the room back in January…
… and here’s one that we snapped yesterday. Could I be more pregnant? I laughed and asked John if he inflated my bump in photoshop (or hid my legs). Turns out I just look like this and my belly really is that far out in front of me. #watermelonsmuggler
And just because I can’t resist a good waaaay back shot, here’s how the room looked before we moved in last summer.
Even though we still have a bunch of remaining to-do list items, it’s definitely feeling more like a baby-ready space.
So our to-do list officially looks like this:
- get a changing pad cover
- line the curtains with blackout liner and add some sort of black/brown/green trim detail?
- tweak the wall behind the crib with wallpaper, a stencil, slatted wood, or some sort of accent color (we have a plan… we think…)
- make a woodsy little cuckoo clock (since I made one for Clara, I’d like to make a charming little rustic one for the bun as well)
- add an overhead light on a dimmer since nothing’s there at all right now (wish we could check this off but we can’t agree on a light we both like)
- possibly add a softly colored ceiling someday? maybe sky blue to add another color to the mostly green/yellow/neutral/white palette?
- add sconces to wall between the built-ins in a few years (we’ve decided these will be more functional after the crib is swapped out for a twin bed, to be used as reading lights)
Is anyone else making art? Having a curtain change of heart? Or painting something a bold, saturated color? We never could have guessed we’d have a bold foyer door along with two in our kids rooms, but they’re proving to be somewhat addictive.
Psst- To read about all of the nursery updates from the beginning, here’s how we painted all the pink trim, laid new hardwood floors, got a rug, painted the walls and ceiling, added built-ins to each corner of the crib wall, tackled some baby bedding, hung some extra thick crown molding, filled up the built-ins, made some curtains, added a cabinet for open storage and diaper changes, and made a mobile for over the crib.
Psst- Wanna know where we got something in our house? Just click on this button:
betsy hamilton says
Love the green door! Just a thought about the curtains… http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/chevron-blackout-panel/?pkey=dwindow-panels&
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the link Betsy, those are fun!
xo
s
Tiffany Kuehl says
I am in love with how this room turned out. I love that it is something that he can truly grown with! It’s playful, but doesn’t scream baby!
Molly says
I was one of those that voted for those stripes on the wall behind the crib! Loved them. But…when you mentioned the thought of some blue on the ceiling, that made me think how baby blue stripes (instead of tan stripes) could be a fun option. Loving that green door, though!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a sweet idea too! Thanks for all the suggestions today guy!
xo
s
Ashley says
Aw, I miss the apple green curtains. Were they too busy next to the Kelly green? I feel like they would match the little knick knack boxes on your shelves and make a great combo. Maybe it would be overwhelming…
YoungHouseLove says
It just felt off-kilter since that one corner was so full of color and the built-ins on the wall across from it were neutral so it was sort of too dominant for us in that one spot (all concentrated in one area) – but I still have an eye out for other places in the house I might be able to use them :)
xo
s
Julia@Cuckoo4Design says
Love the green door and room and you belly is totally adorable!
Jenny B. says
I love everything in the nursery! That green door totally makes it! I am glad you showed the door looking horrific after the first coat. I’ve been thinking about painting a door, and I probably would have had a panic attack had I not seen this first! :)
Jo says
Green door with white curtains is PERFECT for this room. Love it! You guys inspire me. Thank you :)
Carli says
The nursery is looking soooooooo good! Love it! And Sherry you look lovely! So excited there will soon be a little boy joining the brood. So very exciting!
Meg says
Love the green door! And p.s. i am pretty sure Johns doppelganger is on the Globe University ad on your side bar :)
YoungHouseLove says
So funny!
xo
s
Tara says
I was skeptical about the green door when you first mentioned it but with the curtain change it looks beautiful! Honestly, I would leave the curtains just the way they are. You have all those great pops of color and dark wood around the room that the light, airy-ness of the curtains finishes things off nicely, without being in your face or cluttered. Yet, they have enough color and pattern to them on their own that they’re not boring, and still draw the eye.
Rebecca says
Can’t wait to see the next picture from the same spot with a beautiful baby in your arms. The room looks great. Congrats all around!
Deidre says
This looks PHENOMENAL! Love what you did. Great job. Ya’ll are an inspiration!
Sara R. says
Love how the room is turning out! We also have that same rocking horse! My husband found it at an antique shop out in Colorado last year. He said he paid $18 for ours and it’s not is near as good of shape as yours! Our 4 year old and 1 year old sons love it!
Pam the Goatherd says
What a difference the green door and curtain switcheroo make! The room look so classy! I love how kid friendly it is without looking babyish.
Dianne says
With all the updates — the look “feels right.” What a great room to bring your baby boy home to.
I am a fan of black-out curtains, but now purchase paint tarps (the waterproof ones – with the black rubber middle). They are made out of the same fabric and a fraction of the cost of black-out yardage.
You look fabulous – the bump which will bring you joy!
YoungHouseLove says
Such a smart tip!
xo
s
missy says
I LOVE that door and the new curtains!! Looks amazing! Does the wool rug shed? I have had such problems with one I got from overstock!!
YoungHouseLove says
I got one thick wool rug that sheds from Joss & Main but have about 5 others that haven’t given me any problems (this one is a flat weave from HomeGoods and it has been great). Some of them just seem looser and woolier for some reason. So annoying though!
xo
s
Sandra T says
This looks really nice! I like these curtains in here! And if you do hang the blackout liners, they won’t look so light colored. About the changing pad…will a pillow case fight on it? I used to do that. Also like the art! Yay, come on baby! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Never even thought of that. Will have to try it!
xo
s
Sarah says
I love the color palette in your nursery! Love that you are keeping neutral with pops of color that can easily be changed, should he grow older and want a change. Wish I had done something neutral like this for my daughter’s room. (We went with purple walls with pink accents, and she’s more of a lime green and teal girl now) She is now 10 and its been a year long project painting and buying a bigger bed and accessories! I just finished painting the walls grey and painting dots on to curtains. Just need to finish the 3-d art canvas and wreath and I might get it all done before we hit the official 1 year mark on the room redo! haha Congrats and Good Luck!
ajira says
Sounds like you already know what you’re doing on the wall above the crib but I thought I would suggest something like photo wallpaper- see here for more info- https://wemontage.com/
Seems like it would work well above a crib since it wouldn’t be heavy and it would be well attached to the wall.
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh that’s fun too! Thanks for the link!
xo
s
Romy says
You need to paint that curtain rod green as the green in the bike!
Oh yes you do!!!
YoungHouseLove says
That would be fun too! Thanks for all the suggestions today guys!
xo
s
Maria @ Something Decorated says
It really looks so cute. I love the addition of the green door — with a pop of color like that it’s best to spread it around. I think that a green trim of some kind on the drapes would look the best. So excited for you!
Kellye says
The room looks wonderful. Clara has inherited your eye for style; the green door is the perfect touch. What about navy trim on the curtains? I wish I was there. I would sew the trim you desired and make your changing pad cover while you sat in your chair with your feet up. Take care of yourself.
YoungHouseLove says
That sounds awesome Kellye!
xo
s
Kate C says
Here’s a ceiling light fixture idea: Murray Feiss MF SF189 (see it at DirectLighting.com and other sites). Simple, white, with ORB accents. A bit pricey even on sale, but I put a bunch of these in my house to replace outdated fixtures very like what you just removed from your upstairs hallway, and I love the new ones. Give plenty of light but a bit filtered. And though they appear large and kinda in-your-face in the sales photos, once mounted they look very low key and blend right in.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Kate! Will have to check those out!
xo
s
Monique says
you need a growth chart in the missing part!
YoungHouseLove says
Fun idea!
xo
s
Fiona says
You two have done such a great job of your sons room, its a lovely space everything goes together just perfect, your a clever couple!
Natalie says
Oh I love it all especially the prints on the wall.
Well done guys. I think this is my favourite room.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much Natalie!
xo
s
Miranda says
I just can’t get over the creativity of it all. It is gorgeous. I’ve been in my house for 12 years, and still have my husband’s ex-wife’s curtains hanging in one room. Gotta do something about that! Baby’s room looks great
Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs says
i LOVE the green door — it looks great & adds so much to the room!
Carey says
Hi! I have been following you posts “forever”. Its my fav thing to do …. curl up in my chair, read your latest, and gaze around my house at the next project I want to do! I love your door. I was so thinking you would have done a third colour…like a creamy orange, pulling in that colour from some of your accessories! I like the green though!
YoungHouseLove says
I think we love the pops of yellow and blue in the built-ins and expedit, so we might work more of those in as we go :)
xo
s
Charlotte says
Love the GREEN pop of colour in the nursery. This looks awesome. I remember getting the nursery ready for my girls and thinking, I can’t believe I will have a baby in this room, sitting rocking them. Enjoy each moment you have, it goes even faster with the second one. Thinking of you as you are due in 2 weeks and wishing you all the best!
Still wish I lived closer to see the Show house…that too is amazing.
Meredith says
It looks adorable! I’m a week behind you! Due in 3 weeks with boy #4! Yes I said 4 boys! I have no idea what I’ll do with 4 boys. I cried for 2 weeks in December. Until my 7yr old told me…you get what you get & you don’t throw a fit. Haha!???? Congrats on your soon-to-arrive boy!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, that’s so sweet! Hope your house is even more full of love :)
xo
s
Phoebe K says
Girrrrl, that belly is for real! The room looks amazing. I love the new curtains.
Amy says
Two weeks to go! Woohoo! Best of luck in the homestretch. The curtain switch looks beautiful and I love the bright door. I’m eyeballing all the white doors in my house trying to figure out which one I’ll paint a fun color.
Susie says
It’s been so much fun following along with you on your new adventure. The baby’s room is fantastic. I love the green door and I think the decision to change out the curtains was a good one. One suggestion for the wall between the closet door and the window. How about making a growth chart that looks like a big yardstick? You two are making such wonderful memories for Clara and Barnacle with all your fun, cheerful projects.
YoungHouseLove says
So many folks have recommended that. Would be fun!
xo
s
Sara wutzke says
What a fantastic nursery! He could come any time and the little details you want to change later you can. It looks awesome and I’m so glad you did the bright green door! I’m still tweaking my ‘baby’s’ nursery and he’s almost two;)
A'Dell says
OMG that rocking horse is totally the exact same one my brother got when he was a baby. Ours is about thirty years old, and it’s IDENTICAL. My mom still has it. My kids play on it now.
YoungHouseLove says
So funny how many people have rocking horse twins!
xo
s
Karen says
Good decision on the curtain switch! And sweet Clara is right about the door. Her baby will love it. I adore the bamboo-looking rocking horse. What an awesome find! Such a darling room. I think a sky blue ceiling would be great. Can’t wait to see your idea about the crib wall.
Jenn says
What a gorgeous room! I thought of you and that empty space by the closet door when I saw this beauty. I could so see you creating one!
http://www.brooklynlimestone.com/2014/03/wooden-baby-growth-milestone-chart.html
YoungHouseLove says
I love hers!
xo
s
rachelle says
awwwwwwwwww…. look at da widdle hangers waiting for all da baby boy clothes!!!!!
you look really sweet with the big belly!
great call on the door!!
Patty C says
My trio of favorites are the green door, the pear print, and the dragon basket. Awesome job!
Stacey Field says
Another cute idea that Clara could help with is a pear print. Just cut a pear in half, paint and stamp onto watercolor paper. Use watercolor pencils for little details (like seeds, stem and leaf) and call it done. Just an idea for her to help and keep the cute pear idea.
YoungHouseLove says
Such a fun project. She’d love that!
xo
s
Elizabeth says
How do you determine that the color green (for the door) is best selected independently, rather than just trying to straight-up match it to the green in the bike print?
My inclination would be to match it to the frame of the bike, but the green y’all ended up with is just so slightly off (but still fantastic). When do you (or do you at all) recommend just matching exactly to something that’s already in the room?
YoungHouseLove says
The green of the bike print was a little bit bluer/cooler when we held swatches up to it, so we worried on the door it would amplify and look off. So we went with more of a true green with fewer yellow or blue undertones since we thought that would read better in such a large area.
xo
s
Lindsey says
We had that rocker when we were little, and my mom still has it! So cute, and it’s sturdier than it looks!
Julia Daniel says
Absolutely love it. Perfect and simple and modern and sweet. Well done!
Kathy L says
http://www.etsy.com/listing/117335125/apple-green-pom-pom-ball-fringe?utm_source=google&utm_medium=product_listing_promoted&utm_campaign=supplies_low&gclid=CJXKjYi2w70CFchFMgodmEEAwA
green pom pom fringe for the curtains.
YoungHouseLove says
Love that idea too! Thanks for all the suggestions guys!
xo
s
Monique says
What happened to the thrift store table for next to the nursing chair?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s traveling around the house to find a spot – I think it might end up in the living room eventually.
xo,
s
Charlotte @ Ciburbanity says
I love this sweet little room! Beautiful “before” nursery pictures are always so touching because you know all too well what traditions and memories and quiet little moments will take place in that same room! Your artwork reminded me of a project I jacked from Pinterest for our playroom… would LOVE to see what you all could do with this… could be a nice little hint of color for you. Homestretch! :)
http://ciburbanity.com/2014/03/18/march-craft-madness/
YoungHouseLove says
Really sweet!
xo
s
Sandra says
The room is coming along nicely! :)
Perhaps it would be cute to add a bright green pompom trim to the curtains?
Heidi says
thinking that the curtains would look nice with a pattern similar to what you did with clara’s doll bed. that skinny marker look.
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a fun idea too!
xo
s
Veronica says
I am sooooo loving that gorgeous green! And the whole room!