Tip for Living Small with Kids: We're still brand new at the sharing of our home with a child, but one thing we've learned is that we don't need all of the baby gear that we were told we would need. Most of it is supurfluous and just clutters up your space.
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What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in putting together this room?
There are no windows in this room! It's an interior room and can be very drab...but other than that our biggest challenge was that we're living in a rented home and everything has to be temporary. We aren't allowed to paint or put holes in the walls. I love color so I tried to include it in every other place possible. We chose gray, orange, teal, and lime green for the colors and used them all over. We painted the crib lime green, dyed the sheets and the carpet (a t-shirt latch hook rug that I made) grey, and used the same coordinating colors for a quasi-bookcase that we built. T
he room has two built-in units in the corner. One has shelves, but the other was just an open space (it used to be open to the next room, which is now a separate apartment) so we built boxes and rectangles out of 1x6's to use as shelving. The lanterns were purchased with the colors in mind as well, and they were hung from the ceiling with 3m's removable hooks.
The other, smaller challenge was money- we are on a very tight budget, but we were able to pull off this space for about $220:
rocking chair from a thrift store: $30
lanterns, bulbs, wiring, and hooks: $90
wood and screws for bookcase: $45
paint: $30
robot wall decal: $5
latch hook rug supplies: $25
crib: free from a friend who was cleaning out her garage!
As far as resources go, I found lots of inspiration on your site (and flickr and modernnursery.com).
Thanks!
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I wish there was a photo of your rug!
I love the boxes that you made to fit the buit-in, wonderful! I'm also doing my nursery on a budget and it's really nice to see such a fun space made on so little money!
I love the green crib. What paint did you use?
I like what I see but it seems like most of the pictures are of the same thing. I need to see more of the room!
Where did you find that robot decal? I love it.
That is utterly fantastic. Not only did you use a small budget but you worked with a temporary/restricted space. I love the use of color and the tones of the colors you chose. I also love the boxes to build out that "window". Totally freaking awesome. Great job!
I love the colors used in this room. And the robot immediately got my attention, where did he come from? What a great job!
Great room - it looks so bright and cheery - even without windows! I think the boxes in the built-ins idea is brilliant.
I love this room too! My favorite things are definitely the bookcase idea and the "Eeks Oh Ecks Oh" prints, really cute!!
I love the room. It gives me awesome ideas.
Just a terrific job all around!
love the boxes and lights
LOVE LOVE LOVE it, LOVE your work as well!
What a great room.... Amazing Job, Lou!
Oh the things he will dream in a room like that. Just wonderful!
the shelves are amazing!
So creative and colorful! The shelving solution is terrific.
It looks like the lights hang down from a common line instead of all plugging in separately -- is that correct? If so, can you please share where you found that strand? Thanks.
AND. . . is his middle name really Danger? How cool.
:D
Love this place! Did you have to buy a special type of paint for crib or did you just use the normal stuff?
Some great ideas here! I looove the lanterns and the rectangle boxes in the alcove. I'm going to steal that idea!!
Love the painted Jenny Lind style crib! (ours is turquoise) And my eyes popped when you said that you have a hooked rub made out of t-shirts -- there is one in our son's nursery too. Would love to see pictures of it!
A wonderful nursery (as you say, most of that baby stuff is unnecessary and just clutters up the space)!
Great room!! Cant get enough...would love to see the rest of your house!!
hello everyone!
thanks for your kind comments and votes!
Just to answer a few questions:
The paint is Rustoleum's gloss Key Lime.
The robot decal I bought at Michael's on clearance. It's from www.hipinahurry.com
The lanterns are strung on one continuous strand that we made. We just went to The Home Depot and puchased yards and yards of lamp wire, sockets, and butt splices and made it ourselves. =)
The latch hook rug pictures and a tutorial on how to make it can be found here: http://xoelle.com/2009/05/t-shirt-latch-hook-rug-tutorial/
oh, and his middle name really is Danger. =)
My favorite small, cool space so far! 2 thumbs way up!!
really bright and cheerful. i thought there was a window!
Excellent use of those awkward window spaces. It's a bright little room! I love it....
How whimiscal and charming, yet works on a budget. Love the lanterns and the swanky but comfortable-looking chair. How fun!
yep- FAVORITE!!
Beautiful and so creative! I love it! BTW I live in Navarre, Florida! I never see any one around from our area!
Oooh, it was too late to vote. I love this. Love love love.
My Hubby was pushing to use Danger, or Trouble as a middle name for one of our kids. I couldn't do it.
Great room!
Also arrived too late to vote, but this room is delightful. I'd love it just for its looks and function, but when you factor in DIY, budget, orange-teal-lime, and vintage toys, you get more "eckses and ohs" from me than is proper. At all.
I imagine a whisper of rustling paper lanterns when the ceiling fan is on that's better than any white noise generator.
You must submit another update when J. Danger grows older, please and thx.
Love the color theory. It is so happy! all spaces should be happy in my opinion not just kid's spaces. the crib happens to be my favorite color. Kudos!
The lights make all the difference - what a great idea in a rented space! How did you put up the box shelves if you couldn't drill holes?
love it!!! muchly!!