Thursday, March 8, 2012

My Old Kentucky Home Nursery

I'm really REALLY excited/nervous to share this post with you guys!  It's no secret that I love to design inspiration boards for children's spaces.  Coming up with creative and beautiful solutions to make these special rooms extra cozy, welcoming and functional is something I really enjoy.

After numerous requests from many wonderful readers and fans, I have decided to make nursery e-design an official "service".  I've been so reluctant to do this....to put myself out there like this.  It's one thing to do these designs for fun or for a friend but another thing entirely to do it for someone who is paying you.  But if I can do something that I love and doesn't feel like work PLUS help a parent create a safe, inspired and functional space for their little one, that is a win-win in my book!  Fear not, I will definitely still be posting my normal/free inspiration boards regularly. 

Carrie was my first official guinea pig client and she is just as sweet as can be.  She and her husband are Kentucky natives, born and raised but currently living in Chicago while he finishes law school.  They both grew up around horses, competing often and want a nursery that has an air of equestrian sophistication with a nod to their beloved home state.  It also needs to be gender neutral (yay!  a surprise!) so it couldn't be too girly or heavy and dark.

Here's what I came up with:

nursery-inspirations-my-old-kentucky-home
Out of respect for paying clients, I do not reveal sources on their e-designs.  Thank you for understanding.

My goal was to keep it light and baby-appropriate while still integrating equestrian touches.  It also needed to be <$3,000 for EVERYTHING.  The final design features a galvanized barn light, rich woods and mixed metals, a touch of leather with the round mirror and some plaid on the floor.  Add in some beautiful artwork plus a few personal touches and I'm pretty much in love with how this turned out (and, more importantly, so is Carrie!)  

Speaking of personal touches, I was completely inspired by these two images.  When Carried told me she and her husband both had boxes full of old horse show ribbons in their parents' attics back in Kentucky, I just about died.  My idea is to create a full wall installation of them over the crib.  HOW AMAZING IS THAT GOING TO BE?!  Here is what I LOOOOOVE about this idea - it integrates some of mom & dad's personal history, adds something beautiful and graphic to the main nursery wall AND is totally safe.  You know I'm a freak about stuff falling off the wall into the crib and you really don't have to be too worried if a horse ribbon falls in there.  Carrie will also frame some of the ribbons to pair with the gorgeous black & white horse photo above the changing table. 



Because Carrie paid for this design & corresponding source list, I don't feel right sharing the complete list of sources.  However she did give me the OK to share one fantastic deal that I included in her design.  

Like so many of you, I love much of what Restoration Hardware puts out but the prices can bust most budgets.  The quality is usually very good though so when their stuff is on sale, I'm all for swooping in and getting a deal.  The Leighton crib is beautiful normally $949 but currently on sale for $569!  That's much more like it :)


Congratulations Carrie!  Wishing you a smooth, happy summer filled with a growing belly and lots of inspired decorating!

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