Pirate Style

Okay, so I've been a slacker on getting Nikolas' room finished. Urban Farmhouse has been taking up every waking minute I have...even in the snow this week in fact, I've been trying to keep the workshop warm so I can finish custom refinishing projects. Who knew paint doesn't like cold weather?

At any rate, I've been struggling with a theme. I know those of you with toddlers won't relate, but my three year old bounces from one "favorite thing" to the next before I can bat an eye. Tonight while we were reading our bedtime stories, it came to me...Pirates. It's certainly not a new idea, but it is something he can grow with and I plan to keep it neutral enough that when he's sick of pirates, we still have a basic color scheme and look to the room that we can theme or leave themeless.

So I've spent the last hour searching the web for "Pirate Inspiration." Here's the best of what I've found:

My favorite, by far...I love this simple idea of taking a sheet, table cloth or drape panel to create a sail above the bed. Who said canopies were just for girls? This is definately a masculine take on one. How cute are the pendants that carry over to the window treatments and bookcase?

Photo Courtesy of Ideal Home Magazine

Elaine from Our Semi Homemade Life did her adorable son's nursery in a Pirate theme. Order the wall stencils here. I love how the beadboard stands out against the dark blue walls. It helps me visualize our beadboard wallpaper against the light blue walls. Throwing in accents of navy or even black will be a nice contrast.

Pottery Barn Kids keeps with the navy, white and light blues in their Pirate Room as well. Love the mast above the bed with the initial on the sail.

I'd love to get some opinions on the new theme! If you've done a similar room, I'd love to see it! Oh and I just got his cute little window seat cushions custom made in navy with white piping. They really stand out against the light blue walls. Now on to window treatments! It never ends!

Happy Snow Day! :-)

Model Home Tour...Inspiration!

As I mentioned in my previous post, I was so inspired by the model home that we recently toured in Castle Hills Estates. It was chalked full of great ideas and very similar to my floorplan. What was so refreshing to me was that it subtly mixed cottage, beach, and formal elegance together in a way that flowed seamlessly.

I'll try to guide you through the house with the pictures I snapped below:

When you entered the formal sitting was off to the right. This is the same room that my house opens to. The very room I've been struggling with since we moved in. I've been trying to make it my new office in a structured, formal kind of way. One idea I've been toying with is adding built-in bookcases on either side of the front window. This gave me the motivation I need to move forward with that plan!

I'm also diggin' the soothing barely blue wall color they chose. I'm drawn to these colors but wasn't sure how to incorporate them into my open floorplan since each wall blends into the next room. Furniture placement is another problem, and I'm really liking how they made a circular path with the upholstered ottoman in the center.

The long hall leading from the front door to the Great Room is lit by these fabulous hanging lanterns. Again, incorporating elements that would be found in the outdoors and giving it that subtle beach theme.

The lantern theme continues into the kitchen over the center island. Our kitchen has a center island and we've debated what to hang above it for years now. We also have the light granite counters with the cream cabinets. I am sooo excited about the blue island! I never would have thought to use that color but it really works against the cream antiqued cabinets.

Our island was never finished out and remains sheetrock around the sides, but we have the built-in cabinets below (where I keep Nikolas' art supplies) and so this really helps me to visualize what finishing it out will look like. Adding the posts gives it the look of a piece of furniture....loving that style!

In case you want to know....I found out that the color used on island is Benjamin Moore's Granada Villa with a tea stain over it.

The living room is opposite the kitchen and breakfast nook and the shades of the sea continue into this room as well. I love the plush velvet upholstered sofa....makes me wanna curl up with a book!

The Master Bedroom

Okay, a girl can dream, right? Look at the floor and the built-ins, Oh and the Sconces!!!

I NEED a round Ottoman in my bathroom now with a tray of seashells on it!

Who doesn't want to take a bath with a big chandelier hanging over them?

Going Upstairs and Falling In Love with the "Family" Wall...

We have a Gameroom (former playroom) that I've been trying to decide how to make it more inviting and convert it more into an upstairs living room. I have these large expanses of walls on both sides that need some character...this wainscotting picture ledge wall is the perfect solution. It really breaks up the boring wall and I'm all about wainscotting!

This little girl's room is so precious...almost makes me wanna try for another baby...(almost!)

Hmm...houndstooth in tan and frost blue....inspiration for baby bedding?

The stenciled border around the room reads" In a World Where You Can Be Anything...Be Yourself. I am Kate."

Guest Bed...I like the textures of the different linens.

I hope you found some inspiration as well! The design group that did this model is I.B.B. Design Group based in Frisco.

OMG!!! Word Wall Trick

I'm about to Rock Your World if you LOVE the look of hand-painted lettering on your Walls. I went into a model home (BTW...great way to get clever design ideas) last month and loved just about every inch of what the design team had done with the space. It was Over-the-Top GORGEOUS and the Best Part was that it was very similar to my floor plan. It really helped me to look at my space in a new light and try some design ideas I might never have thought of.

One of the first things that grabbed my attention was the dictionary definition of "Family" along an expanse of what would otherwise be a boring, blank wall. I have a long wall at the top of my stairwell that I've been agonizing over what to place there for two years to be Exact. When I saw this...it was that "Ah-Ha!" moment for me!

Since seeing this Word Wall, I've been trying to decide how to go about executing it so that everything looks straight and the spacing is exact. I knew this could be acheived with vinyl stick on lettering, but I don't have a big budget to spend on a hall wall and I think hand painted is so much prettier. It's a really big space and so I know the letters will have to be magnified by quite a bit.

Then I ran across this great blog, My Sweet Savannah , which happens to have the step-by-step tutorial for this exact word wall idea! I'm guessing the team that furnished the model home where I got the idea from, probably got the idea from this blogger in the first place!

Tutorial on "Family Word Wall"

I'm so EXCITED! Not only am I about to try this Word Wall out this weekend on my upstairs hall wall, but I've come up with about 6 other ways to use this technique around the house. The best part is that other than getting it magnified at Kinko's, it's virtually FREE! Love Me Some Free!!!!

I hope you get some great ideas!

xo, Kristen

Going Ga Ga for Baby Rooms

So Super Psyched to be introducing a line of baby bedding in the next few weeks to Urban Farmhouse! So of course fabric choices and patterns have been on my brain nonstop lately.

Preview of one of the new looks: Toile and Ticking Stripe Black and White Set: Retailing at $175

So as I started researching for the crib bedding line, I realized that there really isn't that much out there for new moms on a budget who really want that custom look. I had that problem when trying to find pretty bedding for Nikolas' nursery and of course a round crib has even more limited choices.

I'd love to get some feedback from any Mama's or Soon-to-Be Mama's on what you're craving for baby bedding looks. Here's a few nurseries that I had to share....

More Toile...love the pink with a soft brown

J Lo's Nursery..how much do you think that chandelier was? (I wager more than my house is worth)

Ooh La La...This has got to be one lucky baby! Loving the gathered fabric on the lofted ceiling. (Photo courtesy of Little Crown Interiors)

Little Birds Flying High...I love how this designer used wallpaper on the ceiling to give the effect of a mural above the baby's crib. I'm diggin' anything with birds lately...especially in a nursery!

Bonne Nuit Opulent Nursery Courtesy of Posh Tots

Sigh...I could look at nurseries all night, but considering it's midnight and I have a little munchkin that'll be jumpin' in my bed at 7am....I better get some beauty sleep!

Sweet Dreams!!!

Oh and Please Sign Up to Follow Me for a chance to win my very first amazing GiveAway in the next few days!!!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland...

If you live in Dallas and you wished for a White Christmas....you got it this year! It was just beautiful. Here are some pictures of our snowy holiday.

Hope you had a Magical Day!

Redecorating Nikolas' Room

So I have a problem with buying pieces of furniture before I realize that they don't necessarily work in the space they will live in. Case in point...my 3 year old son's room.

I was so excited that we were ready for a "big boy bed" that I ran out and found him a huge Cargo style bunk bed system and refinished it in navy blue. It looked amazing....just not in his room. With the bulky style of this system we couldn't even open one of his closet doors and it blocked the light from one of his windows.

So the bunk beds went on Craigslist and I decided to take my time to really PLAN OUT what I envisioned his room to be. I wanted something that he could transition from a toddler to a teen in...so even though he LOVES trains right now, I don't want it to get too themey (is that a word?). I also have to redo the room on a MAJOR budget.

So, I'll be posting pics as I continually add to the room. This is a process :-)

A little Background...

We originally decided that this particular room was going to be the nursery even long before we decided to have a baby. The great lofted ceiling and the cute little window seats screamed "NURSERY!"

Here's a picture of the room, before baby. I decided to paint the walls as soon as I found out we were having a boy...big shock, blue. Luckily I chose a soft blue that actually goes well with what I plan to do with his room now.

Here's one of Tres painting the ceiling, while I in my "delicate condition" document it. (sexy shorts, Mr!)

And me, seven months preggo excited to finally have the crib assembled :-)

And finally, putting the finishing touches on...

and...he finally arrives!

But enough trippin' down memory lane for now...I have a 3 year old's room to transform now!

Step 1: Bargain Hunting for the Right Pieces

I was searching for months for the perfect twin bed. I hit the jackpot with JCPenney's Black Friday Sale where I got it for $199 with free shipping. I was really surprised at the quality and it is a dead ringer for the PBK bed I'd been eyeing but couldn't justify the price tag.

I also got a killer deal on the perfect nightstand as well.....I think I'll paint it dark red to pull out some of the colors in the train bedding we chose.

Step 2: It's All in the Details

Ever notice the little details that give a room character? For me, I'm drawn to wainscotting and trim in bright white glossy paint. Unfortunately our house lacks these features...we have large expanses of sheetrock walls. I've always wanted to do wainscotting or beadboard paneling in Nikolas' room, but the cost and the fact that I'd have to rip out the existing baseboards before putting up the paneling, made me reconsider.

I had seen BEADBOARD WALLPAPER on other design blogs, and I thought well, for $15, why not give it a shot.

It ROCKS! Let me tell you, it was so easy! I just measured the length I wanted and cut the strips. Then I filled the bathtub with water and submerged each strip in water for a few minutes before sticking it to the wall. Just make sure to smooth it out really well to get the air bubbles out and make sure your lines are even.

Here is a picture of the first wall I did. You can see my uneven lines at the top but they were quickly covered by a chair rail moulding.

 

Super easy....you just get it wet and lay it on the wall smoothing out the bubbles.

Here's a picture of the wall with the chair rail moulding put up (it's still wet here but today it was totally dry and it really looked like the real thing).

I haven't decided if I need to paint it glossy white or not yet, but I will go back and caulk the corners and edges. I am now a Beadboard Wallpaper Believer! I have big plans for how to use it in the rest of the house.

Stay tuned for pictures on the final room transformation :-)