Big Girl Room Preview

When I was pregnant the first time I wanted to keep the nursery neutral so we wouldn't have to redecorate if we had a boy after Olivia.  And (we think) we're having a boy after Olivia, so the planning paid off and we just need a picture to replace her paisley one.  In the room next door Steve's home office has moved out and we're creating Olivia's big girl room.  (Much more fun for me than decorating a nursery.)  I've gone back and forth on how to do this. I don't want anything too juvenile (i.e. princesses) that will have to be redecorated in a few years.  I'm not really into themes (i.e. princesses) because I get tired of them.  I don't want pink or purple because there's enough of that in her clothing and toys.  And until she's old enough to care, I generally don't ask what she wants.  (I know that sounds awful, but if you've been privy to our pre-lunch conversations you'd understand.  "Do you want a peanut butter sandwich or grilled cheese?"  "Grilled cheese." And 3 minutes later... "No, I don't want grilled cheese!"  And then I get out the PB... "I want grilled cheese!")

When Steve was in grad school something we enjoyed doing in our precious spare time was poking around the antiques stores the towns around State College.  We couldn't paint the walls in our apartment (or replace the awful brown carpet), but we could buy furniture.  This dresser was one of our early aquisitions, and although it needs to be touched up I still love the color.  It has been living, largely unused in our guest room because it fit well, then my mom suggested we put it in Olivia's room.  It has carved wooden bows in the upper corners, so that makes it even more appropriate. 

I'm not a huge fan of matchy-matchy furniture sets, although I like this blue vanity, so I planned to paint different pieces of furniture different colors in this palette from Pottery Barn. 

Green dresser, blue* bedside table, maybe a stormy purple headboard, and off-white walls.  (Although I hated having off-white walls growing up.  Sure, the living room was blue, sewing room apple green, and my parent's room was pink peach, but everywhere else was Navajo White or wallpaper.)  *This grayed teal reminds me of the mountains... swoon.

I scoured thrift stores and for $50 found this bedside table (manufactured the same year I was born)...

...and this headboard.

I apologize to those of you who equate painting over stained wood with killing a baby deer, but this is a girl's room and I think dark wood is either dated or too sophisticated for that.  So this week during OJ's naptimes I've been priming and painting.  One more hint of what's to come...

Are you at all surprised?  I love birds.  And my friends would say I'm nesting, but I call this GO TIME!  If I don't get things done now they'll never get done after the baby comes (7 more weeks).  I still need to paint the walls, but after that I'll show you the Big Girl Room.