Bright, mural-enhanced walls, charming furniture and a variety of colorful fabrics have transformed this formerly nondescript room into a lively, lovely nursery. Now, a few finishing touches are all that's needed to prepare this room for the arrival of a little one!
- The first order of business is to fill in the handsome white shelves that extend along the lower half of one wall. Books, dolls and stuffed animals are creatively arranged on the upper shelves, while fabric-lined baskets containing more toys and functional items like towels are placed on the bottom level (figure A).
Tip: Arranging items in small groups or "vignettes" as shown in figure B allows them to serve as decorative accents while stored in their designated places. - For extra visual interest, decorative pulls (figure C) and knobs (figure D) are fitted on the drawers at the base of the shelving unit. Since this plaid pattern was available in coordinating pieces, the two center drawers were equipped with the pulls, while the four drawers on the outside were fitted with the knobs.
- Across the room on the changing table, a pastel plaid cover is fitted over the changing pad, while the shelves below are stocked with diapers and other changing supplies, all neatly arranged in more fabric-lined baskets (figure E).
To accessorize the built-on shelf near the top of the table's picket fence backing, several decorative and functional items are combined to form a simple yet charming arrangement. Among the items included are dolls, pots of silk flowers and greenery and a few additional changing supplies (figure F). And last but not least, the front of the changing table is accented with a single layette item hung from the decorative spigot on a white satin hanger (figure G). - In addition to accenting the walls and furniture with garden-theme highlights, certain accessories are enhanced with special details, too. For example, the shade of the small table lamp shown in figure H is painted with a whimsical butterfly design in soft pastels, making it part of the design motif.
- To further integrate the large painted tree into this cheery nursery, three tiny painted birdhouses are attached to ribbons and hung from small cup hooks mounted on the ceiling among the tree's branches (figure I).
This type of accenting technique is especially effective in areas such as this one, where the structure of the room provides a perfect way to set up the mural and the accent pieces. For example, since the branches extend over the sloped portion of the ceiling, the birdhouses hang at a realistic angle from the tree. - Another unique structural feature of this room allowed for the addition of an extra-special element in the decor. Just below the mural tree, a pint-sized door provides access to a small storage area. To make this feature part of the room's design, a small sign reading "Abby's Hollow" is painted over the door (seen in figure I).
And just a few feet down from the door, a small opening is cut in the wall to form a miniature "window" at toddler-height, which is accented with pastel plaid curtains tied back with bright yellow ribbons. From inside the storage space, the room's resident can peer out into her garden wonderland! But that's not all -- to make this vantage point even more appealing, the outside edge of the sill is accented with a colorful windowbox filled with painted wooded flowers in bright colors (figure J). What little girl wouldn't dream of having such a special secret play area? - Now the only area that needs a bit of final attention is the built-in window seat on the other side of the mural tree. To enhance this space, a big, soft, colorful caterpillar is placed at the base of the seat for a fun, vibrant addition to this already fanciful room (figure K). (He'll also make a nice foot rest for mom's tired feet while she's reading bedtime stories!)
With the last of the accents in place, this wonderful nursery is now complete (figure L) and ready to make one little girl's dreams come true.
RESOURCES :
Your Child's Bedroom
Model: 0867308354
Author: Stewart Walton
Lebhar-Friedman Books
$12.95
Ideas for Great Kids' Rooms
Model: 0376017546
Author: Susan Lang
Sunset Publishing Company (Division of Time Warner)
Website: www.sunset.com
Kids' Rooms: Ideas & Projects for Children's Spaces
Model: 0811828417
Author: Jennifer Ley
Chronicle Publishing Company
Website: www.chroniclebooks.com
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