I am absolutely not an interior decorator at all.

It is almost virtually impossible for me to envision how something will look until it’s actually in place, and picking out paint color for a room or project is one of my most feared tasks. We’ve literally changed the color in our master bedroom three times because I just couldn’t get it right. I’ve learned I have to stick to the basics and simplest color palettes (which means whites whites whites), or else it just totally freaks me out and I don’t know what to do. I admire people who can take patterns and colors and make it look amazing…but I’ve not been gifted that ability at all.

This baby room was actually really fun for me though…I guess because I’ve now learned more what works for me and what doesn’t. It’s full of white and neutrals, which is really all I know how to use. The room actually came together like I envisioned, and that never happens! Fun surprise.

Ben actually did most of the hard work…he painted the crib and the changing table and the wall, plus he built me shelves and hung a birch branch to use as a closet rod. I had originally envisioned a dark wood branch for the hanging branch above the clothing shelves, but he had the idea to use birch wood, which went so much more perfectly with the soft neutral theme of the room. He’s the best!

We were able to put together the whole nursery very inexpensively, which is always a fun challenge to me. We found the crib on Craigslist for fifty dollars and a coat of paint made it like new. Some friends of ours gave us their changing table they were no longer using, and more paint made that like new too. The shelves were made from wood we scavenged from an old barn, and the shelf brackets were only a few dollars each at Lowe’s. We did have to paint those black since they only came in white, which wasn’t what I was looking for. The glider was gifted to us, as was the little Moses basket (which was something i wanted so badly…and here my mom-in-law had one in storage that came all the way from ireland! such a fun gift). We bought the rug new, and the night stand was on clearance at TJ Maxx. I’ve learned that you can often create the style you want if you can be creative with what you have on hand and do simple transformations to make it what you want.

Now that the nursery is done and the little clothes are washed and the diapers stacked, it’s just the waiting left. We are just ready to fill that room with snuggles and kisses and poopy diapers and sleepy smiles and sweet baby smells. This little baby has already filled our hearts to overflowing, and it’s about time for him or her to fill our home and arms and this little room. We can’t wait!

What about you: do you enjoy interior design? What styles work for you?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!