Nursery Ideas Part 1

Well, I don't have a baby but I love designing nursery spaces and children's rooms because of how free and colorful you can be! I like to combine some structure and sophistication with whimsy and comfort. Here are some elements for a little girl's nursery, and a little boy's nursery will be in the next post.

For a Little Girl...

Call me old-fashioned, but I would love to paint the walls of a little girl's room pink. Not pink pink. But a beautiful light, airy, baby pink that is not overwhelming but gives the room a feminine touch.

Add to that some light, airy, translucent white curtains to hang from the windows. I love the ideas of keeping the windows neutral white and not weighted down by a heavy fabric choice or print, so that the room doesn't become too overwhelming for a baby. I like the polka dots, how fun!

 

I love love love this print that I found on Etsy. It adds to the soft, ethereal, yet colorful and playful elements of the rest of the room and I think it would be perfect for a nursery. Frame it in a chunky white frame and hang it over the crib and it becomes a beautiful yet not overwhelming focal point for the room. Plus, the dandelions mimic the polka dots curtains!

Mood lighting is another important feature for those times that you need some light without turning the overhead lights on. I like these sea glass lamps, for example. 

Every nursery needs a rocking chair. It is more than a comfortable place to sit, it is a precious memory maker while rocking your beautiful baby. Buy a rocking chair that you love, and add to that some comfortable cushions in a fabric that you love. You could choose something solid, floral, or if you'd like a more contemporary vibe you can do something graphic.Graphic pastels are a fun an unexpected choice.

 

Soft textures on the floor are so important. Find a shag carpet or something else that is soft to walk, sit, and lie on that will also add some texture to the room.

For the crib, I love old, traditional wood cribs that really make a statement. Find soft, baby friendly textures for blankets and to pad the bottom so it is comfortable to sleep on.

Mobiles don't have to have to look tacky, you can find or make a beautiful mobile out of natural elements. Money plant is a beautiful idea for its shine, along with dried flowers such as baby's breath.You could make something really colorful with all of the options available.

Another great feature for every nursery is a bookshelf or storage option for toys. Storage bins that double as benches are great ways to disguise toys to keep the room looking beautiful and functional at the same time.

For other accessories, how about these vintage Disney prints? They add some interest and color into the room and some interest to the walls.

Want more decorative ideas? Consider other elements such as a chandelier or flower arrangements. I love the chandelier pictured here, it has a vintage feel and warm, subtle cream color, and brings some added dimension to the ceiling. Also, don't forget your changing table!

 

A calm whimsical space for a baby, with an airy and light feel still with plenty of color!

Mat Ideas for Pictures

Now that you have the freedom and flexibility to frame what you love how you love for a price that you love, here are some options for the part that goes behind the picture and next to the actual frame. (If you have some leftover space). If not, great! It just depends on what you think looks better. Again, flexibility.

Here are some great options for what you can do:

1. No mat. This is something that I absolutely love. The see-through glass border around a picture is so contemporary and so unassuming, yet really adds a lot of interest and a professional touch. Also, if you have a picture and you have a wall picked out, but the picture may be too small to fit the space harmoniously, try it this way! It does nothing to detract from the actual picture but will fill the space nicely.

2. For a graphic, floral, or other pattern, try fabric! You can find thin stripes, chunky stripes, chevron, the sky is the limit on what is out there. Fabric is also great for texture behind a picture, try something weaved or embroidered, or even with some shine to it.

3. Scrapbooking paper. Another great way to get a color or design that you love but maybe don't know what to do with. It's all about finding what your taste is and incorporating it into your home in a unique way.

4. Wrapping paper. Probably one of my favorite ideas, because wrapping paper is often shiny, bold, and geometric. Spring for the nice quality stuff, and there are so many amazing options out there. Even if you want to make the design of the paper your picture, go for it! Using wrapping paper itself is also a wonderful way to create themed art for your home.You can even buy multiple square frames and group them to create an architectural element on your wall.  Here are just a few of the options I have found that I love:

Creating art like this I think tends to look more contemporary and fun compared to what I see with pictures that are already framed professionally. It will also be one of a kind. Another tip if you do try something graphic and colorful with a picture- try photographs. Take, or have a professional photographer take, pictures of you and your partner, your family, or just your children and print the ones you love in black and white or sepia-toned. Having a mat that is more colorful or graphic is unique and something I haven't really seen out there, but something that I have started in my own home and am dying to try more of. Here is one that I put together digitally with fabric behind a stock photo:

Have fun and have at it! You never know where inspiration will strike.

Artwork Framing

I don't know about you, but I love searching for those beautiful accessories that really reflect your personality. Especially pictures! I love paintings, drawings, and prints, but unfortunately usually don't love their price tag. So typically I look for cheaper ways to capture the things that I love, and frame them myself. And nobody is the wiser that what is hanging on my wall is actually a poster matted DIY style and the frame was from the 60% frame sale at Michael's. (Love those!)

I'll give you an example.

One of my favorite artists is Ted DeGrazia. If you're interested, you can read about him here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ettore_DeGrazia

But, all you really need to know is that he painted scenes from the American Southwest and some were of children. Now, while I do not live in the Southwest, nor am I Native American like the children, I love his work because it is colorful and vibrant, and he really captures the innocence of children. Hence, how great would works like these be hanging in a children's room, professionally (looking) framed to do them justice?

 
And all for $8 a print! Sometimes they come with a white border on the poster, and some writing at the bottom, which is a dead "I am a poster" giveaway. Simply cut it out as perfectly as possible, buy some posterboard at your local craft store at $.79 a piece, and mat it yourself!

Want something even cheaper? You can buy postcard sets by your favorite artist, or favorite anything really, and sets of small frames to go with them. That way you can make a creative display on your wall of something that you love. Calendar art is another great option! Simply remove the picture parts and voila! The key is really the frame. A nice frame will transform it from cheap to classy but without breaking your bank if you do it yourself.

Next post I will give you some great options to use as your mat other than paper or posterboard that will not only transform the art you love into looking more expensive, it will add your own personal creative flair.

Lovebird Wedding

First off, hello! Welcome to Watermelon Designs, where I hope to share all of my design ideas from accessories and fabrics to overall themes and inspiration. My first post is about a cute idea I had for a wedding.

I came across this adorable watercolor picture on Etsy:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/127420675/love-birds-watercolor-painting-art-print?ref=shop_home_active&ga_search_query=bird

 After I saw it, I thought it would make such a wonderful theme for a wedding- Lovebirds!

A few ideas:

1. Find a beautiful ornate frame for the picture and place it as the centerpiece of the welcome table.

2. Use the colors in the picture as your color scheme: greens and yellows with pops of pink and orange. Use gold and white fabrics as neutrals for table linens and other accessories.

3. For example, I found some beautiful flower pictures for bouquet and table flower ideas:

http://cdn.www.babble.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/25-spring-flower-ideas/10.png

5. Make birdseed gift bags for your guests.

6.Find some vintage brass birds as paperweights or napkin weights, or just decorations at table settings. Here are a few examples:

 7. Birdcages as chunky candle holders:

8. Find an big beautiful picture album and use it both a sign book for guests and album for your pictures. It's a great way to consolidate all of the precious mementos from your wedding for years to come! Here is an example of a beautiful book on Etsy to match the color scheme and feel of this wedding:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/65389771/photo-album-12x12-dusty-rose-and-gold


And there you have it! Some ideas for a beautiful Love Bird wedding.