Name: Maeve Rosalind
Age: 3 months
Location: Colorado Springs
Room Size: 10' x 10.5'
Maeve Rosalind's mom, Michele, didn't go safe with this room. Nope, after lots of moving and years of living in rental homes, the purchase of the family's first home gave Michele the freedom to chose whatever paint color she wanted. We love the fearlessness of the charcoal gray, and it's the perfect backdrop to the bright colors that stand out in this room like handfuls of hard candy.
Michele admits that she started in one direction with this room, and then scratched the whole plan and started over. When you're designing a room, sometimes you can feel overwhelmed or like you've backed yourself into a corner, so it's nice to know that others have experienced the same feeling. Read on to hear more about how Michele worked this room into the vivacious space it is.
What was your inspiration for the room? As an army family, we move around quite a bit and have always rented. The lifestyle presents MANY opportunities to decorate each new space, but the challenge comes in that what worked in the old room may be completely wrong in the new (i.e. furniture doesn't fit, you need a rug (or don't anymore), etc.) With the purchase of our first home, I wanted to take advantage of my newfound ability to paint whatever color--and do whatever I wanted with the nursery! My initial idea for the room began with a lot of olive green and pinks. There were stripes. There were patterns. It was too much. I scrapped the whole thing and really brought the vision for the room together around a rainbow granny stripe blanket that I crocheted after a trip to the craft store. It was so bright and bold, everything else needed to either match or be grayscale. I hadn't thought of it at the time I was putting it together, but now the room reminds me of those really overcast rainy days where the sun still inexplicably peeks though, and colors are all the more bright and beautiful by contrast.
What is your favorite element in the room? The mobile. It's just the centerpiece of the whole room.
What was your biggest challenge? I'd say the biggest challenge was working in the new pieces with the pieces that we already had from our eldest daughter's nursery. The crib, red book shelf, recliner, and dresser were all hers, but her nursery had a completely different look. It was a bit difficult to separate them from the context in which I had known them.
What do your friends say about the room? Every one has been so kind and complimentary! I got so much positive feed back that I gained the courage to open an Etsy store-- something I had been wanting to do for a long time!
What was your biggest indulgence? The Oeuf crib we already had, otherwise that would have been the biggest expense. I'd say it was a toss up between the Anthropologie rug and having my grandmother's recliner reupholstered.
What advice would you give to someone designing a nursery? Sometimes you have eureka moments, but I think often the best ideas evolve over time. Don't be afraid to let decorating be a process, and don't be to quick to settle on something that's just okay instead of the item that really pops. And always remember to let the room's function dictate your decisions--it doesn't matter how beautiful it is if it's not practical!
What is your dream source? Etsy. There's SO much out there that is unique and brilliant. Plus you get the added bonus of supporting the creativity of an individual.
Resources:
Crib: Sparrow by Oeuf
Red shelf: discontinued (I think) IKEA Rexbo
Rug: Dream Menagerie rug from Anthropologie
Dog floor lamp: Offi My Pet Dachshund
Paint: Iron Ore by Sherwin-Williams
Blanket and mobile: Made by me! Now selling at my Etsy shop, Screamy Mimi
Crib skirt and bumper: Made by me
Set of 3 posters above crib: Subliminal Baby series by Sycamore Street Press on Etsy
Tutti Fruitti poster to right of red book shelf: Keep Calm Gallery
For Like Ever poster: online from Village
Pom poms: Pink, Indubitably by Pom Love
Wall flowers by Umbra: many stores, including Bed, Bath, and Beyond
Shelf under window with books: West elm
Decal: Alphabet Zoo Re-stik decal from Blik
Thank you, Michele, for sharing your gorgeous nursery and be sure to check out her Etsy shop, Screamy Mimi, where you can find her beautiful, crocheted blanket and crib mobile for sale!
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What a lovely space. I like it a lot. And the blanket is wonderful.
Beautiful! Love the charcoal grey on the walls.
What a great job on the room! I also really like the blanket.
I love this room, especially the Subliminal Baby posters.
I love her sense of humor with the chalkboard drawings. Great room and glad to see this color story for a little girl!
wow, i think this room contains every nursery trend from 2010.
love the wall color.
I agree with mamatank, its a little much for me. But this is a toddler's dream! I would be worried my kid would never fall asleep, so much to do and see. I love the name.
Love this! What fabric did you use for the crib Skirt? I'm doing a similar wall color for my son's room, and am looking for a good grey print for the crib skirt.
Love it! Love the chalk board, the posters, teh bookshelf (I have one too!), the wall, everything!
Love! This is very fun!
Love! I was wondering if you would share the pattern you used for the blanket, it is beautiful!
I love everything about this room. I just wish I could have a chalkboard wall in my apt. Sadly I can't paint any of our walls.
This totally off topic, but I got super creeped out reading this because my daughter's name is also Maeve and I'm also a Michelle. Never thought we'd hear of another set. . . hope the she's not married to a "Jason." That would do me in.
The prints and mobile are my favorites but the whole thing is pretty great.
i kinda want to do MY room like this... : )
Michele,
Super cute room. Love the color and I had no idea it was all chalkboard paint (not my favorite though--hate chalk in the house.) I thought it was just a very dark gray...One question: What will happen when little 3 month old Maeve turns into big 9 month old Maeve and she stands up in her crib and rips off all of those cute wall application flowers? Yikes!
Another love--your crocheted mobile and artwork sayings. Too cute and very original.
Oh and I forgot to mention how much I respect the fact that you placed her books down low. Ankle height for us is pure treasure for our little ones!
LOVE the wall color!!!
I think this is just superdupergorgeous.
howit_rocks_it: I used Waverly's Charcoal Gray Cross Section Lattice fabric for the crib skirt.
Christina: Check out the incredibly lovely and talented Attic24 http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/granny-stripe.html for the inspiration for my blanket.
mdmeyer: Whoa. Super weird indeed! Only difference is I'm a one l Michele and my husband is...Justin. Creepy.
burnttoast: Thanks! And no worries, I'll just lower the mattress height and move the crib away from the wall. Too easy! Gotta stay one step ahead of those kiddos. :)
Thank you!
Michele, Where is the dresser from?
I finally became a member just to say that thhhiiiis is my dream nursery.... And what i love is that with a few minor tweaks it can be a boy nursery in a sec.
Congrats!!!!
Thanks to all for the kind words!
Anne, the dresser is from Ikea, the Hemnes line. It is the PERFECT height for me (5'9") as a changing table!
This is absolutely beautiful. The colors are so well chosen. I could see it being both restful and a fun place to play in. The mobile is super cool as well, it is hard to find attractive mobiles that would appeal to an adult and a child. Great job!
ive viewed so many charcoal rooms, yours the only one the worked - great great great =)
*that worked - typo *SORRY!
love it. I have a 2 year old boy and a baby on the way... and am trying to get up the courage to try a dark gray room for my toddler. I'm thinking of doing pops of orange and blue...and I mostly have white furniture. Hoping I can pull it off half as well as you have!
I love the paint color and the tiny book ledge under the window. Beautiful.
I really like this room! Can you tell me where you got the pattern for the crib skirt? I have the same crib and I've already made sheets for it but could use a skirt. Thanks!
I was afraid the dresser was from Ikea! We are due right before our Ikea comes to Denver, and I can't decide whether it would be better to get something else or wait until Ikea opens. My husband is 6'7, so we definitely need a dresser rather than a standard changer. Thanks for the info! Beautiful room.
Very, very sweet. :) I've always read that you should never put a bumper in a crib (because of SIDS). Every time I see a pretty nursery, though, there it is, a beautiful bumper in the crib. Is this just a suggestion that people generally ignore? Or is the bumper removed while the baby is really little?
Too much of everything for me, but some very pretty and well done things here. Congrats.
Love the blanket! Would totally purchase one if you made it in adult size! :)
Such a sweet little place for a kiddo. I'm sure Maeve will love it even more as she gets older. I know too well the experience of being a military spouse. We have been moving every two years lately which has made it difficult to settle. I'd just gotten my first daughters room DONE and we got orders to Germany. Argh. Ah well, I guess the trade off is a good one. Best to you. Nice job.
LOOOOVE this!! I am a couple of weeks away from finding out if my baby is a boy or girl, and know that I want to do "vintage toys" as the theme if it's a boy, but hadn't thought of the perfect background (aka "wall") color for the theme, and this is it! Thank you so much!
Also, did the crib come in grey or did you paint it?
I really love this. Yes, it has a few popular trends, but it's a fun-yet-soothing space that will be a pleasure to be in for both the parents and the kiddo. That Anthropologie rug is great for a kid's room.
This is so stinkin' cute and perfect! I'm trying to put together a nursery as we speak, I instantly fell in love with the mobile you have, I've never seen anything like it, where'd you find that or did you make it yourself???
Super cute nursery. Love the name, we have a Maeve ourselves!
Anne: Ahh! I'm waiting (not so patiently!) for the Denver IKEA too! In all honesty, unless you found another similar piece, I would hold out! That dresser is the perfect height and pulls double duty with tons of storage--plus, you can't beat the price for something that size!
Jessibug: I don't know what other people do, but I've only just now put the bumper in.
Suburban homestead: I'll keep that in mind for my shop's future!
MariaB: We just got back a year ago from a 4 year tour in Germany!
Keri: The crib does come in grey.
Mintandhoney: I did make it myself! See the link for my store in the sources list above!
Thanks again, all!
Love love love it! Would you mind sharing where that adorable bumper is from? Thanks!
Aww damn, just saw you made the bumper! Way to go it's awesome!
Would love to know where the "Love" pillow came from! Also love this color for a girl's room!
Hi! lovely nursery. I love all the fun colors. Very unique!! i was wondering if you could tell me who makes the crib bedding or who makes that fabric? thanks so much!
please don't think i am nuts, i just have no style of my own. saw this last night while looking for inspiration for my 3 month old daughter's room and 24 hours later my husband is putting charcoal on the walls, i am trying to get the rug using my friends anthro discount, i ordered the (same) bumper fabric, i am going to B3 for the flowers tomorrow and i have 10 yarn balls in front of me as i type. yikes. please take this as a huge compliment on your style and not stealing! THANK YOU, this is AMAZING!
would have never thought such a dark color could work for a girls room...but wow! So cute. I love the prints above the crib and the Anthropologie rug ties all of the accent colors together beautifully! just love it:)
love love this nursery!
not sure if this was asked already i tried to check thru the comments
but i love the glider where from??
great room! a wee bit too much for me, I would probably paint the artwork frames a different color and go without the poms and animal wall decals. otherwise I love the colors, fabric choices and other little unique touches!
I've been looking for something high-contrast to go with the weird pastel rug we aren't planning on changing. This is truly an inspiration in so many ways. Plan to "borrow" many things from this. Love, love, love.
Hi! Love love love the nursery you put together! Can you tell me how you did the chalk board paint border by the changing table? Looks like there is some type of a border on it? Also did you do all the walls that color or only a few? And where did you get the material for the bumper? Thank you so much for posting this, and in advance for answering my questions!
love al the splash of colors!
*all
I love this nursery so much! My bedroom has the same colour walls and I have been thinking of switching rooms with my daughter but did not want to repaint both rooms so thanks for the inspiration to work with what I have. By the way my daughters name is Maeve as well. Great taste all around.
Where is the chair from????
Thanks!!