Courtney: Stella’s Room

I know it doesn’t matter to her, and it’s totally all about me, but I really need to do something with Stella’s room.  Before we moved in the new house, while it was being built, we’d have conversations with our kids about what color they wanted to paint their rooms.  A year and a half later both kids’ rooms are still white.

Not only have we not painted, but I have a handful of things on hand that would immediately improve her room and I just haven’t gotten to putting them up.  I have two beautiful chandeliers from Potter Barn Kids as well as silk curtains and sheers to hang up.   She really does love her room.  Stella has a beautiful antique wooden sleigh bed that was a gift from our old neighbors.   She picked her bedding out herself from Pottery Barn and it was a gift from her grandparents for Christmas.  Stella really does have all these great little girl touches in her room, but it’s just missing the cohesiveness to bring it all together.

So what is that thing?  Paint?  Now, I’m one of these people that would rather see something in print, in a catalog, and just try to copy it.  I’m really bad with picking paint color or accessorizing a room.  I followed the picture from the Pottery Barn Kids catalog, almost to the “T” when planning Stella’s nursery, paint color and everything.  Stella’s current bedding is shades of white, lavender and gray.  In fact, in the catalog, the bedding is shown in a room with light gray walls (see below).   So I think that’s what I’m leaning towards.  I’d like her room redo to be done with very little output of cash…like, only buying paint.  I’m pretty sure that I can accomplish a soft, pretty little girl’s room with a minimum amount of supplies and really only making use of things I find around my house to decorate.  Although she could use some sort of new bookcase, since storage in her room is at a minimum.  Which is fine since most of the big toys are in the playroom.

But here’s my dilemma…I really do love this little gray girls’ bedroom.  I already have the bedding, and I could recreate it relatively easily with very little cash. But there are so many beautiful things out there that I like even MORE!!!  ugh!!!  I’m in love with Serena & Lily.  Serena & Lily offers amazing unique bedding, furniture, and home accessories for both kids and adults.  It’s funky, eclectic, and bohemian.   The colors are bright and bold.  Using design inspiration from S&L I could totally create a room for Stella that she could grow into and could grow with her.

Isn’t this just amazing???!!!!  (Serena and Lily is currently holding their end of summer sale.  You MUST check it out!)

How chic is this girls’ room!!!!  Great colors, great artwork.  Could be for both a young girl or teenager!  Not to mention yellow is truly my favorite color.

Here’s the current state of Stella’s room.   It’s a mess…literally.

The two flower lights are from Ikea.  I thought they were so cute when I picked them up, but now I really hate them.  There’s probably a better way to integrate them into her room without them looking too “cartoony”.  I took the picture, and her name was painted by my amazing friend/artist Christie Lucas (friend her on facebook and hit her up for some custom pieces.  Just wait till you see the rocking chair she painted!)

The second “Stella” was painted by my sister.  Both Owen and Stella have custom art pieces by their Aunt Mallory.  The book shelves are actually spice racks from Ikea that I spray painted green.  When it comes to her room redo, I’m not married to anything.  The flower lights and these book shelves can go!  (hhhmmm I wonder if the book shelves could just use a fresh coat of paint.)  The vanity was a gift from the grandparents.  Awesome right??!!  It just gets lost in the corner.  It’s such an amazing cute piece it really needs to be a focus.

The blue dollhouse was built by my dad when I was little.  It’s unfinished.  I really really love it.  Although it looks more like “Gray Gardens” then a dollhouse a 3- year-old would want to play with.  My intention for putting it in her room was really to use it as storage.  There are deep wide shelves in there that are perfect for holding baskets or books or games…..but really wouldn’t it nice if it was a beautiful dollhouse?!  I wonder if it would qualify for an Extreme Home Makeover (doll edition).

The rocking chair which is currently being used as a cave for the unicorn, was painted by Christie and given to me as a gift when I graduated from college with my elementary ed degree.   I sat in this chair hundreds of times and read hundreds of stories to eager, wide-eyed first graders.  Getting rid of it is not an option.  I just wish I could find a place that I could really make it work in my house.  It’s an amazing piece.

I’d love to hear thoughts and ideas for Stella’s room.  Pinterest is full of ideas and I’ve been keeping track on a “Stella’s Room” pin board.   I also want to mention this amazing blog for nursery inspiration, Lay Baby Lay (laybabylay.com)  I hate to pigeon-hole her designs into “nursery” because even though that is her focus, her room designs are age appropriate for all ages. Joni uses Lay Baby Lay as a “creative outlet” to not only share her fresh modern designs, but to also share her own motherhood stories. I’m in love with every single room inspiration board she puts together even if it’s not exactly my style. Joni bases her designs on classic themes, which translate into timeless designs and not gimmicky characters/cartoon, soon-to-be-outdated mess.  One of my favorite boards of hers right now is her “Avengers” inspired nursery.  I couldn’t imagine an 18 “man” year old who wouldn’t want that room.  Just switch out the crib for a full and it’s all good.  I’d like to do something like that for Owen.  I know he’d love it.

see you soon,

court