Fabulous Tween Room

I came across this girl’s room recently on one of my favorite blogs, Young House Love and instantly fell in love with color combo.  Maybe because when I was young my favorite colors were black and pink too.  This room was created for an 11 year old girl and I thought, what a cool yet sophisticated room for that age.  Most importantly she can grow into her teen years with the same design.

I think as parents you want to give your kids the opportunity to express themselves and create their own space at that age but yet you do not want to redo it every 2-3 years.  In my design experience and assisting clients with their kids rooms, I try and be aware of that especially from a cost stand point.  I created a little inspiration board and some suggested products on how to re-create the look.  Enjoy!

inspiration images, ottoman, desk, drapery fabric, paint, chair, chandelier, bedding, carpet, wardrobe

Parisian Chic Shared Bedroom

Designing for my family is a passion of mine. I thrive on making a space special for each of them… To see their faces light up in a room that reflects their individuality, decoratively. Redesigning Soph and Charlotte’s room was no exception. It began with a brilliant Craig’s List find of two mint condition Jenny Lind beds and evolved into an eclectic mixture representing both of the girl’s personalities. By blending newer elements like an Ikea desk spray painted hot pink and older relics like the industrial sign letters above each bed, a naturally delicate balance was achieved. Without hesitation, both girls have settled into their new stomping grounds flawlessly, which in turn makes for a very happy mommy.

xo.j >> www.sophandlulu.com

*Design by J + Photography by D >> www.sophandlulu.com

Source List >>

Beds: Craig’s List / Paint color = Graceful Grey by BEHR, Bedding: Target, Pillows: Target, Urban Outfitters + Home Goods, Industrial Letter ‘S’ and ‘C’: Etsy, Vintage Dresser: Ebay, Floral Rug: Target, Wall Lamps: Ikea, Chandelier: Ikea, Eifel Tower Vinyl Decal: Etsy, Curtains: Ikea, Armoire: Shabby Chic for Target,  Yellow Rug: Home Goods, Desk and Chair: Ikea, Wall Color: African Violet by BEHR

Eggcellent Nursery Inspiration

In lieu of Easter weekend, I was inspired by all of the pastels and colorful Easter eggs.  Why not find inspiration from a colorful egg?  I remember dying eggs with my mom as a child and how much I loved to see what color combination it would take on as you pulled the egg from the colorful water.  I still love all the blues, pinks, yellows, and teals so when you put all those wonderful colors together, you can create a pretty nursery palette of eggcellence!   Happy Easter….

sources: crib, rabbit blanket, bumper pad, pillow, rug, bookends, rabbit, petal chandelier, rabbit mobile, glider

Vintage Heirloom Nursey Done Simply

Hello all you Spearmint Baby mamas! Denise and I have been given the honor to bring a little bit of our bloggy baby, Soph and Lulu, to you and feel so privileged to be stopping by for a visit! We are sister-in-laws and mamas, with six littles between us, who blog about finding ways to make the art of controlling chaos as lovely as possible. We share inspirational quips, DIY design projects, photography, recipes and an up close and very personal glance into our lives. With so many kiddos between us, we adore putting together spaces for each of them that not only pay homage to their individuality, but that also are visually pleasing. The most recent addition to the seemingly ever growing tribe, and partial namesake to our blog, is Lulu and this is her room…

xo. j + d  >>  www.sophandlulu.com

Lulu’s room is a design that not only makes us smile warmly but one that beckons to our inner design loves. It is composed of heirloom pieces, vintage touches and a modern sense of simplicity.  It’s basically a blank canvas, mostly white, but with very intentionally placed pops of color.

The concept began with a crib, handed down to Miss Lulu from her cousin Soph by way of her cousin Char, and evolved from there. Elements were added over time to evoke depth, highlight textural interest and to provide much needed storage. Printed Instagrams hung via washi tape offer a hip alternative to frames, a subtle yet bold rug ties the room together, a set of thrifted wicker storage cubes and Ikea dresser stowaway random toys and clothing and a red rocking moose adds whimsy.

Lulu’s room is a space that fully captures the little one it was designed for and is not only a place that comforts a babe but also one that inspires a mama.

Paint the nursery red! From Here Comes Baby

Red Nursery Idea from Colora Belgium

With Christmas coming closer we found this red nursery inspirational photo from a Belgium paint company called Colora. I love the creature on the wall although I am not sure if it is a aardvark or reindeer, who knows! The painted white dots break up the bright red colour and match with the bright white nursery furniture. The idea to hang the sleep sack on the wall when not in use is a nice touch as well as a few red accessories and toys to tie it together.

Red nursery – love it or hate it? Let us know what your thoughts…

Want to see more European style then why not pop on over to our blog: Here Comes Baby

Kirsty xxx

Baby No. 2 Nursery Ideas

Hi all! Lauren here again from A Lovely Lark! We’re currently pregnant with baby number two, and I’ve gotten a lot of questions about if we are a) finding out the gender of baby number two and b) if we will be changing the nursery decor. Yes, we are definitely finding out if this little bean is a guy or gal (December 6th is our ultrasound date!) I think we may have the ultrasound technician write down the gender on a card like we did the last time with Violet and open it at a later date. There’s just something about that moment that I want to be personal, and I don’t want to share it with a stranger. We may even have a very small gender reveal party with family afterward. Since we won’t be having a shower this time around I thought it could be a fun way to celebrate together

As far as the nursery I would like to change the decor a bit but keep the main pieces (crib, dresser, etc.). The only piece of furniture I’d be thrilled to change out is the glider, but I doubt that will happen because we are pinching our pennies so that I can stay home for a while with the baby and Violet. If the babe is a girl I’m really loving the items above. (If you’d like sources, you can check them out here) I thought it was kind of funny that after putting the idea board together I realized the color scheme is very similar to the current nursery. Of course we won’t be able to afford many of the above items but in a dream world this is a favorite look of mine. I’m still thinking on the boy thing – that’s so different for me I don’t have a vision in my mind of what it might look like yet. Stay tuned! xo, Lauren

P.S. Don’t forget to enter the holiday giveaway – win an Ergobaby carrier and over $700 in other loot for your little ones! And more holiday gift guides are up – you can check them out here.

Modern Nursery Decorating Ideas & Tips to Inspire you from Here Comes Baby

Looking for nursery decoration ideas to inspire you to decorate or revamp your baby’s or child’s nursery? We found these gorgeous inspirational nurseries photos from Amélie at Petit Home and they are so so chic. Amélie advises to “Add a few cushions, a colourful quilt, a fairytale lamp or a poetic wall-sticker to give a fresh look to a room!”

Putting together your baby’s nursery can be one of the most fun parts of your pregnancy. You get to choose the colours, design the layout and don’t forget the best part which is shopping for all the lovely baby things. Here are some suggestions to help develop your nursery decorating ideas.

When putting together your nursery decorating ideas first plan what key element you will need in the room:

• When choosing a cot bed try to choose one that converts to a toddler bed, which gives a longer life to your crib and saves you money.
• Are you going to have a changing table or a large chest of drawers that doubles as a changing table?
• Do you want a rocking chair or cosy chair for late night feeds or comforting?
• What kind of lighting do you envisage, think about full lighting from the ceiling to ambiance lighting a night light can provide.
• What kind of flooring do you like – carpet, wooden/laminate/Karndean? Will you have rugs?
• Curtains with fun fabric or neutral blinds?
• What style or theme do you want? A theme can be as subdued or as busy as you want it.
• Look for accessories that complements your theme.

For the nursery decorating ideas photo above:

Key elements:

• Bird theme: using wall stickers (remember to place these higher than little hands otherwise they become fun peeling past time for your little one!) and a bird mobile.
• Colours are differing shades of grey which can look purple in different lights.
• Changing table doubles as a storage cupboard.
• Dual function cot bed.
• Floor seating for relaxing on the floor and for reading time.
• Magnetic board to display changing art postcards, photos and fun keepsakes.
• Matching storage bags and changing bag so when not in use they can still be chic in the nursery.
• Laminate flooring for easy cleaning.

Sources:

1. Airdeje changing mat cover flower
2. Airdeje hanging mobile bird, fish and butterfly blue dots

Read the full post for more nursery decoration ideas and tips to inspire you. (more…)

Contemporary Soft Pink Nursery for Eugénie from Here Comes Baby

Eugénie’s pink nursery is small but perfectly formed just like herself. Baby Eugénie’s nursery is contemporary, chic and peaceful. Eugénie’s mother created this baby room for her 1^st baby girl Eugénie. The room is painted in a soft pink/beige tone (not too babyish) and the furniture and accessories are in soft white, grey and pink tones. I love the idea of leaving a white space to hang pictures.It adds life and personality to the room and it is can be updated easily as your child grows up. I also like the idea of placing little shelves to display lovely baby items (adorable shoes, soft toy & lovely lamps).

The lighting greatly contributes to the peaceful atmosphere of the room. The little mushroom lamp by Heico adds a fairytale touch to the pink nursery. It looks gorgeous when turned off and cast a wonderful warm light when turned on. Heico makes the best lamps for children! The lovely soft toys, cushion,changing mat cover and musical mobile give a refined touch to the pink nursery. They create the unique atmosphere of the room and make Eugénie’s nursery special.

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Nursery Corner

Such a cute space for baby! Are you sharing your room with your newborn? Rex slept in our CLOSET the first year.  It was great to have him so close for breastfeeding throughout the night. He learned to sleep in his crib from the start, but I could easily jump out of bed to peek in at him at any time.  It was the best thing I ever did!

images via bobedre.dk

Here Comes Baby: Top 10 Nursery Decor Styling Tips

Are you searching for inspiration for your nursery decor? Melissa Fiendell shares with us her top ten nursery decor styling tips from her book ‘No Mom Jeans’:

• Nursery Decor Styling Tip 1 – Don’t be afraid to shop for nursery decor outside of the baby stores

There is no reason you can’t find wonderful pieces for your nursery at your favourite shops. Beyond a crib and sheets, most everything else can be found at traditional furniture stores – curtains, dressers, wallpaper, shelving, rugs, recliner, even a throw blanket for over the crib. As a bonus, you may actually use the pieces again once you baby outgrows the nursery if they aren’t totally “baby”. You can still make the nursery age appropriate with adorable infant accessories like a baby photo montage, mobile, throw pillows, sheets, or alphabet art.

• Nursery Decor Styling Tip 2 – Think outside the baby store box

While it is tempting and easy to simply order a matching set of baby furniture and linens from your favourite national baby retailer, super savvy mummies know that this is only one of your many options. Baby décor does not have to come from a baby store! Scour your favourite shops to look for pieces that you love and that fit with your nursery décor and colour scheme.Your dresser might be Crate & Barrel, your shelving IKEA, and your rug West Elm. Mixing and matching complementary items is a great way to up your nursery’s style and acquire some new pieces that might get a second life outside the nursery as baby grows up.

• Nursery Decor Styling Tip 3 – Stick to a neutral colour pallet for the walls & furniture

Then accent with colourful accessories. This will help the nursery decor blend with the rest of your home and make transitioning the nursery to a future space (big kid room, nursery for a future boy/girl etc.) easier.

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Nursery Color Palettes Inspired By Art Work

I am a huge sucker for Etsy. Obsessed, addicted and all of the above. I just like to browse the oh-so-pretty site. It’s beyond inspiring. And well, last week I realize how inspiring it really can be when I was browsing art work for my nursery in progress. So many of the beautiful prints can really help you create the perfect focal point and color palette for your nursery. Don’t believe me? Check out a few of my favorite pieces of art I found for the gallery wall or just to hang over the bed and see just how the colors come alive. Just add art. 

{etsy find:: sweet dreams print :: mateo +tobias}

{etsy find:: custom nursery print :: zeppi prints}

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Here Comes Baby – Bunny Rabbit Nursery Inspiration

Bunny Rabbit Nursery Style Board Sources:
(1) Belle Hugs Boo (Pink) Print: Belle & Boo (2) Maileg Flower Sisters Bell Bunny (Small): Sisters Guild (3) The Zoo Rabbit Money Box: The Modern Baby
(4) The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams: Amazon(5) Rabbit Lamp: White Rabbit England (6) Bunny Berry Bowl in Eggshell White: A. Speer Ceramic Studio (7) Zelda Nursing Chair in Grey Velvet: Graham & Green (8) Boo Cushion: Belle & Boo (9) Purple Cot: Amazon UK

A rabbit nursery theme is utterly heart warming with little fluffy bunny rabbits with their sweet cotton floss tails hopping all over the place! That’s what inspired me today to create this bunny rabbit nursery style board. This nursery has a warm and feminine feel perfect for a baby girl.

Belle & Boo inspired me with Belle, a bob haired little girl and her adorable bunny rabbit friend Boo. Mandy Sutcliffe creares a charming world of innocence, warmth and adventure and I feel this is also reflected in my rabbit nursery style board. The nursing chair from Graham & Green has me immediately thinking of bygone times and it looks so comfy. The characterful ceramic bunny bowl is lovingly handmade by Adrienne in her home studio and I can imagine Maileg’s bell bunny being dragged around the house by her endearingly large ears!

Of course a bunny rabbit nursery wouldn’t be complete without a well read copy of ‘The Velvetine Rabbit’ by Margery Williams. It is a story about a stuffed toy rabbit (with real thread whiskers) who comes to life in this timeless and sentimental tale of the transformational power of love.

Do you have a nursery theme you would like Here Comes Baby to create into a style board ? Add you idea to the comments below.

Click here to visit Here Comes Baby Blog UK. A dedicated resource for mum & baby inspiration & style.

Kirsty xxx

Guest blogger introduction and nursery in progress

Hi, my name is Kate and I’m so excited to start guest blogging for Spearmint Baby on Thursdays!  I work a full time corporate job and have a passion for floral design with a business and blog on the side – but since learning that I was pregnant with our first child, I’ve had baby things on the brain in a pretty all-consuming way (ok, that’s putting it politely and mildly ; ) I’m so excited to have a new outlet to share it, because I think even my mom is going to burn out on discussing the minutia of nursery décor with me pretty soon here (speaking of which, we need to know: is there a name for that color exactly halfway between coral and watermelon?!)

Since I’m introducing myself, I should also introduce my bump – here it was a week ago at 25 weeks- it’s growing pretty aggressively now!

I’ll aim for about half of my posts to be about pregnancy and baby style (nursery décor, maternity/baby photo ideas, cute maternity/baby clothes and accessories, birth announcements and shower invites), and the other half to be of more substance (wellness, fitness, preparation for labor and motherhood, etc.)

Today I wanted to kick off by posting about our budget friendly nursery décor project – it’s about halfway there now, with most things chosen and ordered, but not all installed. I always love chronicling a project from inspiration to fruition!  Here’s the board with all of the various components of our nursery, and there is an explanation of our choices after the jump:

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Here Comes Baby: Dotty Elephant Nursery Inspiration

Dotty Elephant Nursery Style Board Sources:
(1)Elephant Mobile: Bebemoda (2)Elephant Print: Redbubble (3)Elephant Toy: Miga de Pan (4)Elephant Stool: Dennis & McGregor
(5)Cot Quilt & Playmat: Baby Concierge (6)Armchair: John Lewis

Hi Spearmint readers, my name is Kirsty from Here Comes Baby. Shari has kindly let me become a contributor to Spearmint Baby and I am excited to share mum and baby inspiration & style from the UK.

I made this nursery inspiration style board after finding the adorable elephant toy handmade by the talented Miga de Pan. I want one! Once I started searching there was so much elephant theme nursery inspiration that I am sure I will be making another elephant related style board in the future!

Click here to visit Here Comes Baby – A dedicated resource for mum & baby inspiration & style from the UK

Kirsty xxx

Jute Interior Design

Happy Monday morning! A little decor inspiration for you by Jute Interior Design. I love the nursery pictured above. You don’t often see dark wood cribs with such modern lines. It really is a beautiful piece of furniture. I also love that Dragonfly Wallpaper!

Modern Boy’s Room

BOLD , geometric fabrics & artwork are great for making your guy’s room feel modern. I love the green/white striped duvet on his bed, don’t you? via thesecondlifeofmine.blogspot.se

Modern Bunk Beds

Such a cool room! How awesome are those bunk beds with the windows? & how about the zig zag paint job? So different! I blogged about those cute marionette cards back in 2010…they are just darling in this room!

via roadtripinfinland.blogspot.com

Get the Look: Clean, Modern Nursery

I fell in love with this clean, modern nursery from Laura of Orange Beautiful after coming across it over on Parenting.com:

Do you love it too? Get the look:

clockwise from top left: paper owls, Behr limelight paint, mobile, number poster, abstract art, zigzag pillow, dresser, crib skirt fabric, blanket, crib, rocking horse, glider, marbled paper, porcelain letter

10 Ways to Define a Shared Space

IKEA

1. Pattern
My sister and I shared a room growing up, and there were times that it was great and there were times that it, well, wasn’t. It was during those times that we dreamed of building a brick wall right down the middle of the space.

Luckily for all of you parents out their whose little ones share a room, there are better ways to define a kid’s space. Here are ten of them:

2. Bedding

Domino Magazine

3. Art

Lonny Mag

4. Furniture

Living Etc.

5. Architecture

Artistic Designs for Living, Tineke Triggs

6. To each his (or her) own

Period Living

{nicegirlnotes}

8. Color Block

Soorikian Architecture

Milk & Honey Photography via Bondville 

How To Create a Sophisticated Nursery

I’m starting a new series over on my blog with two cats all about striking the right balance between sophistication and fun to create the perfect space for a child.

While I think it’s important to bring in adult decor into children’s spaces to prevent them from becoming too “cutesy”, I’ve also seen a lot of spaces lately that are going overboard and taking all of the whimsy, life, and fun out of a space that is supposed to be for little ones. (Example 1, Example 2)

After studying some of the best nurseries and kid’s rooms out there I’ve decided that there are three main elements that work together in each to create a great space:

1. Color Palette
2. Whimsical Touches
3. Statement Piece

Each week on with two cats I’m going to share a few spaces that get it just right and talk about how they did it. I thought I’d share the first set here on Spearmint Baby as well. I’ll start with this colorful, yet sophisticated space of Ramya Giangola and Chiara over on THE GLOW:

Color Palette – is one of the biggest things that makes this room read ‘child’. Separately, any of the important items in this room could easily fit into an adult space – the chevron bedspread, the floral rug or the abstract art . Even the chairs are very grown-up looking. None of these pieces necessarily read ‘kid’ on their own, but together the bold color palette created by all of these items makes this space just right for a fun-loving little one.

Whimsical Touches – stuffed animals, toy dinosaurs, and a playful garland all add to the childlike feel of the room

Statement Piece – Without the bold large-scale abstract art, the space would still be playful, but a little too monochromatic. This colors of this piece in combination with the rest of the space really shout, “This room is playful!” And playful = perfect for a child.

Next up is a room created by Palmer Weiss that I found in Lonny Magazine:

Color Palette – The main pieces in this room are very formal – the valanced drapes, upholstered headboards, bolster pillows, and tailored bedding are all very sophisticated and adult. It’s the color palette that really makes this room come to life. Bold oranges and soft pinks rescue what could have quickly become a very stuffy child’s room.

Whimsical Touches - A couple of ruffled pillows, a fun modern pendant and a few childish knick knacks on the dresser/nightstand are all it takes to add a little childish whimsy to the space.

Statement Piece – The stand-out pieces in this room are definitely the two photographs hanging above the beds. In case the color story and childish touches didn’t win you over, these pieces let you know without a doubt that children live here. (And the sunglasses are a great and unexpected touch).

And last (for today), but certainly not least is this beautiful and sophisticated nursery from Samantha Farjo found over on Decor Pad:

Color Palette – This room is mostly neutral, however the pops of springy green in the space help to add life to what would otherwise be a dull color palette for a baby.

Whimsical Touches – The birdcage pendant, stuffed animals, elephant toy, and polka-dot pillow all add those important childish elements to this elegant room.

Statement Piece – The bold botanical wallpaper would look right at home in an adult space, but the spring green colorway and climbing vines pattern add interest and movement to the quiet solids of the rest of the room.

What do you think of the first three rooms? Do you think that they work well as children’s space? What do you think makes them work (or not)?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

P.S. If you’d like to follow along with the entire series, be sure to check out my blog with two cats next week!

A Few of My Favorites

I’m currently off working on artwork for the opening of my Etsy shop and have some fabulous guest bloggers filling in for me over on my blog, with two cats, so I thought I’d share a few of my favorite past children’s posts with you this week:

Home Design:

Violet’s Nursery

Play Room Progress

Britnee’s Play Space

My Violet:

Just the Girls

A Little Animal Lover

A Tiny Botanist

A Spring Romp

Keeping Cool 

Children’s Party Ideas:

A Super Hero Soiree

A Circus Celebration

A Rainbow of Colors

A Back to School Bash

Personal:

Our Perfect Halloween Day

The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

Adventures in Breastfeeding – Pump Wars

Pregnancy:

The Dreaded Glucose Test

Tackling a Baby Registry

One Year Later

How-to’s:

How to Choose a Pediatrician

How to Decorate on a Budget – Part I

How to Create Your Own (Removable) Fabric Decals

Enjoy!

vintage children’s rooms

cute rooms from Casa Chauca

white children’s rooms

these 3 rooms from Micki show how fun a white room can be! no need to paint the walls. just add some vibrant colored decor:

colorful children’s bedrooms

images via josefinaylasrisas.blogspot.com

family cottage

i saw this house on Apartment Therapy and it makes me happy. i love the different wallpapers, the kid’s wall of art in the kitchen, and the colorful/vintage decor. it reminds me how much i really want a granny square blanket. last week i was actually purchasing one off of etsy and as i hit the BUY button the status changed to sold! someone beat me to it and i was so bummed

sisters’ shared bedroom

an adorable shared bedroom from designspongeonline.com. i love the letters above the beds. i am definitely going to remember this once my daughter transitions into a bed.

play kitchen

adorable play kitchen from mikodesign.blogspot.com

bedroom makeover

an absolutely stunning room! for info about this before and after visit thehomeinparadise.com
BEFORE

AFTER

toddler bedroom

a great eclectic room from tracy-boboho.blogspot.com

little girl’s bedroom

since my daughter is now 18 months i have been looking at more “big kid” rooms. this is one of my favorites. i love the antique style bed. for more photos and to see the rest of her beautiful home visit flickr/winniczka

which one is the budget room?

1.

or

2.

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room 1 is the room done on a budget! for details about both of these rooms visit styleathome.com.

Stella & Liam

Tori Spelling & Dean McDermott’s son and daughter’s nurseries!


oxygen.com

Playroom Decor

how gorgeous! more at ourhartbeat.blogspot.com and flickr

Featured Bedroom – bunkbeds

Summerhouse on the coast of Denmark.

Photo: Nathalie Kragh
See more of this bedroom

daughters and sisters

we are so inspired by Stine from www.lutterlagkage.dk, so we decided to share some photos of her beautiful daughters. here are a few shots around her home of bedrooms, birthday parties, first days of school, and picnics. you can see more photos on her flickr.com . ENJOY!

a beautiful room :)

Photos Eugenia Daneri
Revista Para Ti

inspiration from andrea larsson

here are some beautiful images from andrea larsson. ENJOY!

bedroom inspiration

just a few for today


Homes & Gardens, March 2005

countryliving.com