house
A Realistic Toddler Room in Progress
I’m the first to admit that I love a gorgeous nursery/toddler room…
I pin photos like crazy on Pinterest, I drool at photos in magazines, and dream of all the fun purchases that cost an arm and a leg in catalogs.
But then reality hits. Do people actually have rooms that look like that?
Well…I’m sure they do but they are either perfectly staged for photos or the mom of the little one that lives in that room is driving herself crazy constantly picking up the room to be super neat and tidy. Lol, I don’t have time for that!
Now that I’m thinking up Mabel’s new toddler room and a nursery for Baby #2, gone are dreams of the perfect room. It’s amazing how your priorities change after being a mom for a few years or when the second child comes along. Like what was I thinking buying an insanely overpriced crib the first time?!
You know what wins over now? Practicality! A room that’s comfortable and can be played in…one that looks lived in too…not just straight out of a magazine.
The big challenge this time around is that since we are in a rental, we have to be a little more creative without permanent personalization. I would love to paint…but it’s just not gonna happen since I don’t feel like asking the landlord or having to repaint before we move again.
Let me show you what I’m working with before I attempt a slight overhaul on Mabel’s new room. We moved in 3 months ago (goodness, has it been that long already?) and Mabel’s room is a slight hodgepodge of eclectic furniture that goes together but is missing the warm feeling of anything on the walls.
You can see her sheet, it was part of her crib bedding that I made (you can see her nursery here) and now that I’ve decided to change up her color scheme, her bedding will be changing. Now, there is nothing wrong with the bedding I made almost 3 years ago…but I enjoy sewing so I’m taking on the challenge of making new bedding for her room along with some window panels. *I’ve been asked a handful of times about the bookshelf – and this is the one we bought…we’ve been very happy with the quality so far!*
These are the fabrics I decided on:
If you’re curious, they are by Katy Jones/Art Gallery Fabrics and part of a collection called Priory Square.
Here is another view of her room with her toy chest and vanity that I found on Etsy while we were back in Delaware. One thing I have no problem spending money on are quality wood items that I know will last. Depending on space, the vanity might be moved to Baby #2’s room so that we have more room to add a table/chair set to Mabel’s room.
And lastly the view of the dresser (see there are actually things on top of it because a real toddler lives in this room, lol!):
The dresser was another Etsy find (from the same place we found the vanity) and the little purple table is from Target. As for the glider and ottoman, I’m almost 100% positive they will go to live in the nursery since those bad boys aren’t cheap and this momma doesn’t want to shell out the money for another one. Mabel will either get a comfy stationary chair or the teepee/tent that I plan on making will fill out that space. She loves little cozy places where she can hide.
Okay…so that’s where we are currently at right now. Mabel’s room is one big work in progress and the nursery is still a blank canvas (I’m going to be kicking myself the closer I get to this little one’s arrival when I still haven’t gotten around to messing with it)…but I’m taking it one step at a time.
I’ll post the update photos as I go, probably some photos of Mabel’s new bedding as it comes off of my sewing machine over the next few weeks. 🙂 And possibly a tutorial if any of you like to sew!
Did you go with a theme for your little one’s room, do you have a color scheme that you chose, or is it just an eclectic mix of what you and your little one enjoy?
I would love a tutorial on anything you make. I also love to sew and i have taught myself almost everything i make from watching tutorials. The teepee tent is a great idea! Did you get the idea from somewhere? I was thinking of buying one,but I’m sure making one would be cheaper! Thanks for sharing! ! Love your blog and video’s!
Tanya,
I saw some tutorials on Pinterest that I liked, but none were exactly what I’m thinking of. So I’m going to do some modifications on the fabric and I’ll post what I do/measurements. 🙂 Buying it might be cheaper, it just depends on the type of fabric you choose/how elaborate you want to get. I want it to match some of the fabric for her bedding so making it is the only way to go for me. I might regret that later, lol!
Where is the bookcase from?
Gina, we found it on Amazon a right after we first moved in…this is the one: http://amzn.to/1yuxaqM We’ve been really happy with the quality so far. 🙂
I love her little bed! I’m transitioning with my 2 year daughter right now and it’s quite bittersweet seeing all the baby stuff gone. I totally agree with you on practicality. No mom has time for a spotless kids room like those off pinterest. I’m anxious to see what the finished product will look like, as well as the nursery!
BTW where did u get the book shelf?
Paula,
You’re exactly right about it being bittersweet! The transition wasn’t as bad as we thought and she did pretty good with it. I was afraid she’d be running around her room constantly with the new freedom, lol! Let me know how it goes with your little girl! 🙂
And this is the bookshelf that we ordered off of Amazon: http://amzn.to/1yuxaqM It reminds me of the furniture I had when I was teaching 1st Grade and we’ve been really happy with it so far. I’m just debating on whether or not to paint it white to match her furniture.
I remember on your vlogs when you were pregnant the first time, you chose a papasan. How did that work out for nursing. I ended up not using the rocker that I thought would be great for nursing (the arms were too high to comfortably nursing). It’s still in his room, but I like taking in little nuggets for planning for the future.