Pool Pandemonium

Oh Dear.  I have so much stuff on my plate, I'm literally spinning in circles.  Remember my nasty little habit of doing things last minute, upside down, and in a completely chaotic order?!?  Well, I'm doing it again, but this time I'm gambling with a considerable amount of money.  We have decided to {possibly} put in a pool.  I say possibly mostly because I'm not sure I can nail down a design in the time frame I have to work with.  Yikes.  Talk about pressure.  I have to have the design submitted to the homeowners association for approval next week if we want to have any chance of swimming if June!  I've been obsessively stalking every pool website known to man in an effort to determine what style of pool I would like the best.  The good part is I've found a style I like.  And the bad part?  Not a good fit for my yard.  So, I am now trying my best to reconcile what I really want, with what I can feasibly do....a time weathered quandary common to all design projects.  Wants vs. the budget, your style vs. house style, in my case, contemporary square pool vs. round yard.  They say you can't put a square peg in a round hole, and I'm certainly beginning to believe them!  But, I have faith that things will work out.  Stay posted for my big backyard reveal if this pool thing actually goes down.  If not, I promise to post the totally fab outdoor room, complete with kitchen and fireplace, that did make it to construction.  I'll leave you with a few pool pics I have fallen in love with for our yard.  Enjoy!

A place for an Angel: Alexis' Nursery

I am the lucky Mom of 3 kids.  Alexis is the third and final one, so her first months have been bittersweet.  I love babies...their unconditional love, sweet gummy smiles, and baby-soft skin.  They take my breath away.  Consequently, I wanted my final nursery to do just that.  A beautiful haven in which to spend those precious moments.

Back to reality for a second.  I'm pregnant, still working part time, and I have 4 year old twins who are, to put it mildly, rather demanding.  So, this nursery actually did not get totally finished until a few months after Alexis was born.  But, I enjoyed every second of designing this nursery from scratch.  So, without further ado, here is the finished project:

Ta da!!

Actually, this nursery was mostly done before her birth, but I could not come to a final decision on her name.  Tsk tsk...I know I know.  You're supposed to have a name picked out before you go to the hospital.....!?!  Yes, that's me...always last minute and always indecisive.  I was between 3 names.  But, when I saw her sweet little face, calm and poised,  I knew she could be none other than Alexis...protector of mankind!  Sweet, strong, and sassy all in one.  So, I needed a great big "A"!!  This monogram went through a number of failed incarnations.  It was the centerpiece above the crib, the focal point in the room, and most importantly, a representation of my sweet little one's beautiful namesake.  Nothing I tried had the impact I wanted....

 ...until I framed out the initial in a big, fat, gold (and ugly I might add) Victorian frame, spray painted ballet slipper pink.  And Voila...I had impact!

I started with the intent of having a more modern, sleek, hip type of nursery.  I had seen lots I fell in love with on HGTV, and other blogs.  But, in the end, this project really took on a mind of its own.  It started with a quilt and baby bumper from Restoration Hardware...mostly because the paint color in the room was Silver sage, and also from RH.  I know, you should never decorate a room around an existing paint color.  That is the cheapest and easiest to change.  But, I LOVE the color.  It is my favorite color, and I have used it in other rooms in my house, such as the guest bath and playroom.  So, that was the original inspiration.  As I was saying...I wanted to go in a more modern direction.  Blue for a girl (unheard of, right?), no cutesy barnyard animals, or butterflies.  Just a clean, fresh room.  Well, modern went out the window when I got the white curtains up, took one look at the brown, white and robin's egg blue, and said to myself....ugh...I need pink.  This is just not feeling right.  It was cold...not feminine enough.  It needed a girly flair.  So, with a healthy injection of pink, some cottage accessories, and some ribbon and bows, the project went from sleek to romantic very quickly, and I couldn't be happier with how this project evolved.  Here are some of the reasons this project looks so soft, serene, and decidedly, un-modern.....

Fluffy pink bears, time worn signs and sayings

There are those butterflies, ribbon and bows

Ruffles and flowers

Mirrors, modern in shape, but embossed with Fleur de Lis and covered in pink paint

Those of you who know me know how I love my draperies.  They are, in my opinion, the icing on the cake in a room.  Some people go nutty over color, or accessories, or artwork.  For me, a room is never really finished without it's clothes...curtains!  Luckily, I am a self taught seamstress.  Not a very good one, but certainly adequate for the types of drapes I like, that being mostly straight panels.  Those of you who know me also know how I love a good canopy.  It adds such a strong focal point to a bed, and softens hard bed frame lines.  It is for me, a solution to that area above the headboard...the one I can never seem to get right!!  In this room, I had to conceal an unsightly attic door, so a canopy was perfect!  Here is a closer look at the canopies and curtains I designed, sewed, and hung (while teetering on a ladder, alone, and 8 months pregnant I might add)!  Once again, yes, that is me.  Sometimes not too bright, but if I get it in my head, it's getting done...now.    

Pretty Trim and bows were added for a more traditional feel

There's that door...you wouldn't even know it was there now...whew!

See what I mean about curtains and canopies?  They just dress the whole room. 

I hope you have enjoyed my little nursery tour.  I feel so blessed to have this amazing little person in my life.  This nursery is my small interpretation of the infinite love I have for her, and I feel like it represents her personality and demeanor. I know I have enjoyed this project, my final nursery.  Just another page of my decorography.

What's your story?
Lynette

I've linked to:

My Decorography.....

De-cor-og-ra-phy
-noun, plural -phies
1.  Your story told through design.  Your Style.  Your Way. 

 

A biography is "a written account of another person's life".  Pretty simple.  That could mean just about anything! Unsurprisingly, when I went in search of one word to sum up my design style, that word was elusive.  I could not find just one.  I am a multitude of styles, thrown into a pot, and boiled many many days!  You just never know how it's going to come out!  So, in searching for a blog title, I found myself in a quandry.  How on earth do I define ME?  Consequently, I decided, hey...why not simply coin my own term!  So, this is my blog, my creative outlet, and My Decorography!

 

I just love the possibility and excitement of design.  You get to create, define, and express yourself in ways that words and actions simply cannot.  I am not a wordsmith, or a comedian.  And, I'm not much of a talker.  But, great design I understand!  Thankfully, I am a listener.  That means I love to hear your opinions, feelings, occasional rantings, and positive feedback.  I also love to explore the decorography of others.  This design blogland is vast and overflowing with amazing, talented, and creative personalities.  I am so happy to finally be a part of it.  I hope you are inspired.  I hope you enjoy My Decorography.