Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Unfortunately, men don't nest.

 An old trunk that belonged to my great-grandma makes a perfect table between the beds (and holds extra bedding). The lighted globe is my favorite night light. A red box from IKEA holds all of Oliver's secret things.

Welcome to Oliver's room. It is my new favorite spot in our house. I've been itching to get it finished before the baby comes. The last and biggest project on the list was installing paneling. It was a project I couldn't quite handle by myself, so I had to enlist Mike during some of his non-existent spare time. He was very helpful, even when he would have rather been relaxing on the couch. He must love me, because he certainly doesn't love installing paneling.

 Oliver's side, complete with "shippy", his fleece pirate blanket.

Since this room is in the basement, it doesn't get much natural light. I wanted to lighten the walls with more than just white paint. So we matched the paneling we have in our family room, which is next door, and also in the basement. I think it worked. The room is so much brighter now.

Mabel's side

Until the new baby is old enough to move downstairs, Mabel will sleep in Oliver's room with him (he would never in a million years sleep in the basement alone). I thought I should girl up her side just a bit with a pink M and the flowery quilt I made for her toddler bed back when she was a toddler and I thought toddler beds were a good idea.


I think my favorite part of the room are the reading lamps above the beds, from IKEA. They make a perfect spot for curling up with a good book, as demonstrated by the very willing Mabel.


Next to Oliver's bed is his red dresser, also from IKEA. His collection of boy things, like bottle caps, rocks, and seashells is housed in an old type drawer I yanked from my in-law's donation pile a few years ago. I knew it would come in handy some day.

And now we are one week and one major project closer to having this baby.

6 more weeks.

Yay!

34 comments:

  1. please tell me why you don't think toddler beds are a good idea. My daughter is in one, and I'm starting to think it was a mistake because it's so small and she keeps falling off. We have a full-size bed in our guest room that I think would be better, but my hubby thinks it's "too much bed for her." At least her toddler bed was free.
    Adorable room, by the way!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a lovely room. And I think the reading lights are a great idea.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I adore everything about this room!

    Yay for 6 more weeks :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Everything looks wonderful :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. You have such a great sense of style and decorating! I love everything you do!

    Did you and Mike use any specific directions for the paneling? It is exactly what I want in my home and I do not know what that style is called. I would appreciated it if you could share where you got your instructions or measurements.

    And...for lk...we used a toddler bed for our last two kids. I always had a safety railing on it that was anchored under the mattress. It worked just fine!

    ReplyDelete
  6. If I love everything about your house, why isn't mine half as cute? I'm uncreative and lazy you say? Possibly. Oh, and toddler beds seem so cute until you actually have a toddler, don't they?

    ReplyDelete
  7. it's beyond adorable, steph! the beds were such a miracle find; they totally make the room! great job on everything. and what a journey that old trunk has taken. i wonder how many coats of paint are on it now. can't wait to see it in person.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love the paneling. It looks great. The whole room is super cute, the beds, bedding, and trunk!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous8:35 PM

    hi! did you install the lights from ikea yourself? if so, was it pretty simple? i thought about getting those same lights, but am not comfortable getting too technical with electrical work!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love what you've done with the room! Your use of color in this room and the baby's room is wonderful. I worry too much and get to matchy-matchy.

    I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  11. wow, gorgeous! I love the way the room flows yet is girly on one side and boyish on the other. I so want those reading lamps for my own room. And I LOVE the "boy stuff" collection. My kids are a little over a year apart. This makes me think that if we needed to, I could actually pull of a bedroom for them together someday.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love all those pics of Oliver and Mabels room and I also love your decorating style Stephanie.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Pardon me while I drool over the paneling! I absolutely am in love with paneling, especially when it goes up high like yours. And I love those reading lights. I totally need those above my bed. It all looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Cute room.
    Curious as to why you think toddler beds are a bad idea...? We're currently on the hunt for one, for our (nearly) 18 month old little girl. My boy has a twin matress (but it dwarfs his 2 3/4 year old body.) I figured something smaller would be best for my smaller one. (Especially because their room is kind of tiny as it is.) I just don't like having her confined to her crib (play yard) every morning while her brother runs free.
    Always interested to hear what has (and hasn't) worked for others who've already been in my similar position.

    ReplyDelete
  15. the room looks adorable!

    ReplyDelete
  16. The room turned out amazing! I'm feeling more and more inspired... I wonder what I can talk Elliott into helping me with in his lack of spare time too. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  17. What an adorable bedroom. What a great job!

    ReplyDelete
  18. whenever i have a house and/or a baby on the way i'm officially flying you and les out to help me get everything organized and designed. you two are seriously amazing. why did you soak up all the domestic skills leaving me empty? :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Looks great! i think my favorite things are the reading lamps. mom

    ReplyDelete
  20. i can attest to the beauty of this room, first hand. it's much more glorious in real life. i'm glad i loaned my husband for such a lovely cause. :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh didn't we all think toddler beds were a good idea with our first babies?! you made good use of the quilt though! their room is darling!

    ReplyDelete
  22. that room is adorable! i need to enlist my husband's non-time for paneling too!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. You did a fantastic job... discovered your blog from your sisters post. So glad she shared. happy friday. :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. I am in love with this room! I particularly love the bed frames -- they are exactly what I am looking for, now that my son is leaving the crib and going to a big-boy bed! (any tips on finding something similar would be much appreciated!). You are an amazing mom! Congrats on being almost there with the baby and your nesting to-do list! (I am 1/2 way there with baby #2, and still many, many. . . many projects away!)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Rocks and snails and puppy dog tails, that's what little boys are made of.

    ReplyDelete
  26. The room looks great! My girls collect all those little things too, that drawer is perfect! 6 weeks!

    ReplyDelete
  27. picture perfect. jay and i are totally stealing the bed light from ikea idea. and you KNOW how i feel about red.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Too cute..Love the new look..

    ReplyDelete
  29. Clicked over from your sister's blog, adorable room! I never use toddler beds either, bleh!

    Tell me, how did you get permission to use the artwork from the old Daryl Hoole Homemaking book? I asked the publisher but got told no as the images were still copyrighted.

    ReplyDelete
  30. LOVE the panelled look...I want to do this in my daughters room as well. I would love some instructions as to how you did this!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. I also think toddler beds are unnecessary--just an extra transition and such an awkward size. And I'm also trying to sweet talk my husband into panelling my boy's room which doesn't get much light.

    please, do you have a source on your beds? I'm putting my 3.5 yr old and 1 yr old in a shared room this summer, and am desperate for some classic beds just like these.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I absolutely am in love with panelling, when it goes up high like yours. & I am liking those reading lights. I require those above my bed. It all looks great!
    Kitchens

    ReplyDelete
  33. I want those reading lamps in my room. And I love the "Material Boy" collection. My kids are a little over a year apart. This makes me think that if we had actually could pull together a bedroom for them someday.
    nose job

    ReplyDelete

Hello! Thank you for your comment. I'd love to respond, and it is much easier if your account is linked to your email address. Or, you could just email me at barefootstephanie@gmail.com. Thank you!