Nautical Colors Baby Room

A Nursery for Baby Bandon

Step 1: Empty out the Room

Our house has been a disaster zone since we started to get the nursery ready and anyone who knows Justin and I knows that we hardly ever have anything cluttered around the house, let alone a living room full of junk. Justin in particular seems to struggle with the clutter that has overtaken our life - hopefully it will motivate us to get this project off the ground and running quickly.
Step 2: Tape

In preparation for the arrival of Baby Bandon, we are creating a nursery with a nautical ambiance (not overly themey).  Justin and Thayer have both approached the project with a vigor.  I have been supervising the project from a distance and providing general guidance.  :)  There are some definite benefits to being prego.

 Step 3: Paint

After spending countless hours taping (which is the most monotonous part of painting in my opinion) the painting has finally begun.  Thayer was honored with being allowed to do the first rolls with the blue that will be the main color of the nursery.

Step 4: Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

 Justin has been such a trooper about his role as painter of the room and it is coming along quite nicely.  After the blue paint was applied, he had to tape again, and then do two small white stripes.  He is almost done now, as there is only one larger tan stripe (which is almost the original color of the walls - almost) left to complete.  Then it is time to add all the little touches that will really make this into the perfect nautical nursery.

Finally done - the tan stripe has been added and the painting is complete.  It looks perfect - Justin did such a great job.

Step 5: Add Decorative Touches

The final color in the scheme is red and we are doing some letters and the dresser in this accent color.  I also picked an old-fashioned, whimsical blue fabric print to pull it all together.  In this picture Thayer and I are working on adding fabric to a shelf that we are creating in the dresser.  The room is almost ready to be reassembled - we can finally relax in the living room again.

 We added red lettering that spells out Bandon's name, two corner shelves and the necessary(?) electronics.  We also took the top two dresser drawers and painted them inside as well as outside, modge podged fabric on the bottoms and made them into shadow boxes.  They were replaced by fabric lined shelves and baskets.  Everything turned out cuter than I had imagined.  Now, I have two more small sewing additions to make and then I just need the baby.

Step 6: The Final Touches

 This is the only piece of furniture that was not refurbished or a hand-me-down.  We really wanted a nice glider this time and we spent about 3 months finding the perfect one to fit in this room.  We ended up picking an oatmeal colored one with white piping from Babies 'R' Us.  I made a pillow to match the rest of the room.

 Next, I made curtains to bring a little more red into the room and used the whimsical white and blue fabric to make them a bit interesting.

Step 7: Relax and Wait for Baby

 It is really hard to get a shot of the entire room, but I LOVE it!!!  Justin and I put so much work into this room and I really like the way that everything came together.  I like to just sit in the glider and rock for a couple of minutes each day while I think about the excitement to come once Bandon arrives.

 I love the red lettering and the shelves that Justin added in the corner for the monitor and sound machine.  Even the bed seems to fit perfectly in the room.  Thayer is 100% in his big boy bed now, but he still likes to jump "weally high" in the crib from time to time and to snuggle his brother's blankets.

The dresser might be my favorite part of the room.  I love the shadow boxes and having the white baskets that pull out is much more convenient than using actual dresser drawers.  This room is all ready.  I can't wait to add the sleeping (okay crying, pooping and spitting up) baby.

Step 8: Add Loving Touches From Friends and Family

At the shower that my friends from work threw for Bandon, they all helped to cut out this streamer from fabric that matched the nursery decor.  Keri put it all together and it added the final and perfect touch to the baby's room.  Every time I look at it, I am reminded of how loved and supported we are by all of our friends and family and it makes me feel really blessed.