Mockup Madness: Ike's New Room

Thanks again for indulging all my hemming and hawing about the office. I think I've fully vetted the possibilities and have a pretty good idea of what to do for Plan A and Plan B. I've also come to the scary realization that we need to get some doors on that room or it's not going to matter how pretty it looks -- it won't be functional for an office. So decor for "the office" is tabled for the time being until we solve that problem, and I'm moving on to one of the many other rooms that need attention before baby gets here: Ike's room.

If you don't recall, here's what his room in the old house looked like:

Now for this room I really wanted to give him something different, but I also want to reuse as many things as humanly possible. I have so much stuff to buy for this house that I need to make SOMETHING easy on myself (ha! as if). So, without further ado:

erin willamson designs

Hmmmm, yeah. Maybe not that different. Let's discuss the room itself. It's long and narrow and has zero architectural interest -- not even the pair of large windows the other room had. The one small window faces west, so it's dark during the day and then gets a burst of sun in the evening. There's no way a light color would work in here, so Sanders helped me pick Deep Secret, a kind of gray/navy that I think will look nice with the sisal carpet and also have some kid appeal (I foresee some hubble telescope posters in here someday soon... Ike is obsessed with space).

I don't love the white furniture, but I tried very hard to use what I already had, and Ike still sleeps in his crib... IT'S A MIRACLE. Like, he climbs in himself, but we have convinced him that climbing out is dangerous. It's kind of hilarious. Anyway, when we he outgrows it I'll get a cute antique twin bed and paint the white table set, or more likely just pass it on to #2.

So the only things here that need purchasing are the curtains, light fixture (hot air balloon fixture is going in baby's room), a colorful basket, and that leopard stool -- which is only $1400. Just kidding, suckers! I'm going to paint the old ottoman and add a cute cushion. Donezo.

I think the basics are here, but it's missing the wow factor. Does it need wackier pillows and bedding? Or maybe I have a big piece of art I forgot about... Or perhaps I should spend $400 on a roll of this wallpaper and frame a few panels:

But $400/roll?!... I'm thinking no.

Ok, enough of what I think. What do you think?

The Best Craigslist Post Ever

Before the blackouts started in Texas, I was a craigslisting fool. First I sold this:

Then I sold this:

Hooray for me! Now all of this purging has opened up the extra space (and cash) to -- wait for it -- buy more stuff off craigslist. Thus far, I've been pretty restrained in my purchases. I did buy this rug for Ike's room:

But that was a necessity... relatively speaking. I know. It's a hard luck life I live. Anyway, I've been trolling craigslist like a crack addict, hoping to score a new (to me) headboard or perhaps even a fancy dresser, when what did I spy with my gimlet eye but this --  the most amazing craigslist post I have ever seen:

Queen Bedroom Set w/ Dressers (Black)

selling my bedroom set. its all black with a tempurpedic mattress. the only pics i have are with my friend and the snake so disregard them.

Yes peeps, this is for real. And still for sale. Now, close your eyes and try to remember what the bedroom set looked like... What's the matter? Can't you remember? For the life of me, I can't imagine what may have turned your attention elsewhere.

Happy Friday! Hope you stay as cozy and warm as a snake in a den.

I'm Down With OCD

The paint problem has reached fever pitch. I awoke to about 500 sample swatches painted all over Ike's walls and had a major WTF?! moment this morning. Should I pick light Stonington Gray and just dewit, or should I pick a medium gray and hope that it will balance out the jumble of white and mahogany furniture I have amassed? Or should I go with the sample Sanders sent home with me yesterday, as seen in a very fancy Austin home featured in House Beautiful:

Oooooo, the dark! (and eeeeeewww, that bedskirt!)

Sanders gave me a pint of Wolf by Pratt and Lambert (they sell P&L paints over at his store) and it's gorgeous. But dark. Verrrrrrry dark. Too dark for a nursery/playroom? Too dark for what may be the best lit room in the house? Too dark for my tiny cojones? I just don't know. But I like it.

Meanwhile, Karly is all like, why are you painting over the blue? I like the blue. And I'm like... duuuurrrrr... I don't know. I'm so tired of a toddler trying to climb up the ladder behind me and rub his tiny grabby hands in paint (he has succeeded only once) that I am wondering the very same thing myself.

Except that, I don't actually like blue. The hormones made do it. The second I found out I was having a boy, I was all BLUE ROOM!!!!

Gross. Not that there's nothing actually wrong with blue, since it's the most adored color in the world -- there's something wrong with me. (it's not you, it's me. promise.)

Anyway, I need to take the day to reassess my motives. Light and kid friendly, dark and brooding, light with a dark accent wall (sounds very noncommittal at this point, which is somewhat appealing but also annoying), or some kind of medium neutral gray.

All advice and support is appreciated. You guys are the bestest support group for painting freaks ever.

Not that you are a freak or anything... but our tagline does say that Design Crisis is the fix for your creative compulsions.

So there you have it.