Monday, March 30, 2015

Nursery Plans and Favorite Baby Products

Margot just hit the two-month mark and has started sleeping mostly through the night (bless that sweet angel!), which means it's really time to get going on a nursery! Cribs have come SO far since my last baby. Really, there was only the Ouef wren crib that was cool and modern back then, and it was stratospherically out of my grad school budget! I went with a $20 Jenny Lind crib from Craigslist instead and give it a fresh coat of mint green paint. I still love the classic Jenny Lind style, but it's fun that there are so many different crib designs available now! Some are still very pricey, but there are a lot of mid-range options that are total show-stoppers.

 photo bb31cd998ff93329c7408bc2cba6823e.jpg

We've been having Margot sleep in our room next to our bed - sometimes in that cute bassinet I posted about, but honestly, it's usually in this little Rock N Play seat thing. It's not the cutest baby product in the world, but it has about a million five-star reviews on Amazon, so I had to try it for myself. And, WOW, it is like the holy grail of baby swings/bouncers/bassinets. It plugs into the wall and rocks itself for up to six hours. And it has a built-in white noise player! The seat hugs her little body and keeps Margot feeling tucked in and secure. And the angle of the back is perfect for babies that spit up - a new and not so fun experience for us!

 photo rocknplay.jpg

It folds up easily for travel and just for moving it around the house. I bring it upstairs to the studio often so Margot can sleep nearby while I'm working. It's awesome for naps, but I think she'll be happier to have a crib soon and a quiet, dark space to sleep in at nights.

 photo IMG_9122.jpg

The playroom is going to be Margot's room since its next to our bedroom. There's a closet in there that is big enough for a crib and a small dresser. 

 photo IMG_3674.jpg

 photo IMG_3702.jpg

 photo IMG_3687.jpg

We're thinking of turning it into her (tiny!) nursery and that way we don't have to do much rearranging in the playroom.

 photo IMG_6804.jpg

We started taking down the (old and cheap) shelving, which has opened up the space so much already.

 photo IMG_7950.jpg

I'd love to do some sort of fun wall treatment in here, but I need to find something that would work with the bird wallpaper I have in the playroom on the ceiling.

 photo 28.jpg

Maybe some cool ikat upholstered walls like my friend did here?

 photo DSC_0037.jpg

And if I can find a lighter, neutral ikat, I'd love to paint my Draper dresser a fun color and throw a cute stripey changing pad on top.


I'm thinking the white Dwell Studio Mid-century crib would be fabulous in this small space. I love that it feels like a beautiful piece of furniture instead of a giant prison crate. :)

 photo Screen Shot 2015-02-09 at 9.15.23 PM.png

But it's also nice that there are a ton of other crib options that aren't as much of an investment. I really like all of these.

 photo Cribs.jpg
1  //  2  //  3

I'm sort of leaning toward this one though, crate similarities and all. It's a new line from Fisher-Price (who actually also makes that Rock N Play that I'm so in love with??) and it's less than $250! I love the simple, clean lines. And I really like the warm gray color. So many of the gray cribs seem really blue.

 photo Fisher-Price-Furniture-Riley-Island-3-in-1-Convertible-Crib_1.jpg

I'd love recommendations on other cribs too, if you have a good one! We had to completely start from scratch with baby gear and I've been out of the baby mindset for so long now that I've had to rely on friends' suggestions for practically all of our purchases.

  photo stroller.jpg

We splurged on some things (like a pretty car seat and stroller) and have tried to save other places - like in the clothes department. I've finally learned my lesson there and stopped buying a million outfits. Baby clothes are crazy expensive and really, babies are happiest in soft sleepers for the first few months anyway, right? I've found a few reliable lines that I know I'll keep coming back to as Margot is growing. They look cute, we only need a few of them to have in rotation, and I know she is comfortable.

 photo Layette.jpg
1  //  2  //  3  //  4  //  5  //  6  //  7  //  8 


Also, this line of super-soft head wraps is adorable and makes me feel just a tiny bit less lazy for dressing my baby in mostly pajamas. :)

 photo headwraps.jpg

 photo Screen Shot 2015-03-30 at 12.34.09 AM.png

And just for kicks, here are a couple more of my favorite baby products, some newer to me and some tried-and-true. What am I missing here that you love?

 photo baby.jpg
 Organic unbleached ivory muslin swaddle blankets that are more beautiful with every wash  //  Make your baby smell like a French baby  //  The only socks that actually fit a newborn's feet  //  Wipes warmer (SO WORTH IT)  //  Adorable fox burp cloths that will get a million compliments every time you are out  //  Great and affordable baby monitor that doubles as a walkie-talkie (!)  //  The cutest kitty lovey around  //  If it's possible for a pacifier to be pretty, this natural rubber one is it! Also totally recommend this tutorial for a DIY paci holder.

Monday, March 9, 2015

Hiring!

Hi friends!!! Thank you for all your well-wishes and support about baby Margot and for letting me take a little breather after her arrival. I've been soaking up every second of these sweet first few weeks!

 photo IMG_9569.jpg

It's been a great time for me to reflect on my career too, and I've got some big plans. The blog and website redesign is almost done and we've decided to do an online store. I'll be selling some of my most favorite, really special pieces online - I'm SO excited to show you!

 photo IMG_9122.jpg

I've also been taking on more client work this year, so we're hiring! If you are an experienced interior designer looking for work in the Phoenix area, please email me! I'd love to hear from you.  xo

 photo hiring.jpg