apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Rachel, who writes the blog Bling On My Sewing Machine described her design style and philosophy to us and states:

Like so many other moms, I was unwilling to sacrifice my son's environment to pastel circus animals. I knew we would use many of the pieces in his room through the next few years so I opted for a style based on color rather than a strong theme like sports or monsters, etc. There are subtle elements of a sea theme in the octopus on his wall and cork board as well as the painting with waves and the nautical nod in the 'Enjoy' canvas.

The green/blue combo was an easy choice and was toned down with brown and cream. I wanted it to have as much vintage style and nostalgia as the rest of the house so I added a few globes from our collection as well as some vintage children's book illustrations. I have grand plans of making a teepee reading corner where the rocker currently resides. We are encouraging S to keep everything in its place when not in use but appreciate that a few scattered train tracks aren't the end of the world.

A smart collection of thrift finds, DIY items and store scores in Sebastian's room, our favorite items include the blue rug under the bed, which is from Urban Outfitters; the curtains and pillows which were made by Rachel; the vintage desk and chair that are thrifts finds from California; the tugboat print from BoyGirlParty; the felt octopus from Wonder Thunder and the turquoise shelf which was purchased unfinished from Hobby Lobby.

And of the great bookshelf closet, Rachel tells us it was a freebie. She added two hooks and a curtain rod, with the finishing touch being wood grain contact paper.

There are a few family heirlooms as well, as the quilt on Sebastian's bed (which was a Craiglist find) was made by his great grandmother, the one on the rocker was made by Rachel and the white bookshelf belonged to Rachel when she was in junior high

And Rachel has also begun a globe collection, "The globe collection started this summer as we drove from California to Missouri...My best friend growing up had one in her play room and I used to spin it around and around. I'm drawn to the colors in each of them and think they'll be an easy way for S to learn where Grandma and Big Papi live."

Finally, we asked Rachel for advice on how to approach the nursery decorating process and she had this to say:

If you have the time to create a strong vision for what you want before you have to put it together, you'll be able to gather things you love rather than filling it with pieces you don't. Think about the potential in pieces you already have that might lend themselves to a clever storage solution such as the shelving unit turned armoire. If you can't paint your nursery, use color in the accessories. You can easily add color with handmade pieces such as bunting across a wall, pillows on the floor or tote bags on the door handles that might hold a few extra books.

Thank you so much, Rachel, Brett and Sebastian!