New Year, New Nursery, and a New Table!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 
It is 2019 and I find that insane. Another year has yet again come and gone in no time at all. Maybe because I've been so focused on finishing our 2017 yearbook, everything that happened in 2018 hasn't really hit me yet. Or maybe it's because 2019 is the year this little monster makes his debut.

For real though, isn't that face-front left pic some Harry Potter dark mark stuff? I mean he's my son and adorable, but c'mon, that's nuts. I about died during the ultrasound, then immediately started giggling uncontrollably.

Hand-in-hand with the wonderful yet daunting task of bringing a human child into this world and being responsible for it's well being, comes the more exciting part of designing the nursery! We decided the room that would best suit our little bundle of joy would be the guest bedroom. It seemed like the most logical choice since we JUST finished the office and use it quite frequently.

Because it hasn't been that long since painting the space, I really wanted to make the dark blue work. (Click HERE to read about the makeover and paint color). We got lucky with the baby being a boy, although I think there are some stunning navy + blush color schemes out there that a little girl would just adore. 

It's definitely a work in progress, but as of this week we bid adieu to the original guest bedroom and welcomed Baby W's nursery! 

We're not writing off having visitors spend the night completely, because we actually have a decent amount of friends and family stay over, we just knew it wouldn't be nearly as often as us needing to use our computers at night. To keep it functional still for guests, our solution was to remove the giant queen bed and replace it with a twin sized trundle bed. I found this gold beauty on Wayfair and knew it would be perfect. 

That way we don't lose as much floor space but also have the option for two adults to sleep comfortably. We're still messing around with the final arrangement of furniture, plus hunting for a decent dresser/changing table since this room only has one tiny closet which is currently 85% filled. So yea, in need of more storage. 

But it's coming along! Either way, Baby is going to adore it because he's my son and will be born with incredible taste in design...obviously. 

In other news, we FINALLY upgraded our dining room table! WOOO!!!!! Our original table belonged to my grandmother, who gave it to us for free and I am forever grateful, BUT it just never worked in our space. The legs were at odd places so the chairs sat awkwardly far part, and since the two long ends folded down, you couldn't sit at the head of the table without a table leg stuck between your human legs. 

With it just the two of us, we hardly ever ate in our dining room, so it never seemed worth dropping a lot of money to replace. That and Grandma told me it was made from a tree found in Valley Forge and if I ever got rid of it I'd need to donate it to " The Daughters of the Revolution"...or something like that. 

With a kid on the way though, I realized our living room eating habits would probably have to end, and the hunt for a more functional table to begin. Sorry Grandma, but it's for your great-grandbaby, and the table isn't leaving the family, just leaving that specific room. Miss you!

So onto Craigslist we went! A few days went by with nothing spectacular to report, but our patience soon paid off and we stumbled upon a Pulaski Alekto Rectangular table with the asking price of $400. A quick google search told us that was a GREAT DEAL.

Eric was thrilled with the price, and I was thrilled with the mirrored detailing! It's heavy as all get out, easily sits six, comes with an expandable middle leaf to seat up to eight, and already loves its new home. 

 Another project I've wanted to complete for a LONG time, is painting our chairs white and reupholstering them. Eric painted one over the summer and it looks AMAZING. It'll be so sharp having all white to go with the darker tones of the table. 

Overall, CRAZY happy with our purchase. Who wouldn't love a table you can also check your reflection in? Am I right?!? 


 Check out all of our home improvements, by visiting the OUR NEST page.

The Prettiest Table That You Ever Did See

At this very moment, I am typing my little heart out, while sitting outside under our COMPLETED PERGOLA! I have been wanting to do this ALL SUMMER and it's actually happening! Who knows how long I'll last before the mosquitos go insane, and I retreat once again to the living room. But until then, I'm going to enjoy the hell out of it.

Every blogger's backyard oasis needs a sturdy foundation to prop their computer. Or more practically speaking, every normal person who wants to eat outside needs a place to set their plate! So of course while planning our paradise, we searched high and low for the perfect table. While nothing on sale struck our fancy, Eric did find this tutorial on how to build one himself. It seemed easy enough (according to him), and even had built-in drink coolers stored down the center you could fill with ice! 

Per his create-something-out-of-nothing M.O., I came home one day after work and THIS was sitting behind the house. 

Table? Check. Now how to finish it??? 
Call me crazy, but right from the moment I saw it I knew this table needed to be two-toned. Dark wood on top, crisp white contrast on bottom. To figure out the stain, I mocked up a few different versions with Photoshop. In the end, I decided going with something similar to the pergola stain would look the best with the teal and black furniture we had already picked out. 

Another idea that hit me was to paint a little something going right down the middle. A faux table-runner if you will. Since I already drew a pattern on our mini-awkward-bathroom wall (which I consider a fabulous success) the decision to take that same design to this project was a simple one.

The pattern is broken down into 4 basic stages; big flowers, vines, small leaves, and dots. 

Eric wanted the paint to have plenty of time to dry overnight, so he could start applying the protective varnish right away in the morning. This meant I had ONE EVENING to start and finish the entire table. Good thing he brought me a Diet Coke and bug spray.

This is probably one of the best examples of how Eric and I's DIY relationship works. We plan it, he builds it, and I swoop in to make it pretty.

The two teal chairs are originally from Target, but we snagged them for a fraction of the price on an auction site called Fast Track It. The four matching black chairs were a lucky find on Craigslist, and the candles came from Mendards. 

I'm not sure how many layers of varnish Eric ended up using, but luckily it didn't discolor the white paint at all. We plan to cover it, along with the rest of our furniture, as much as possible to protect from the elements, but the varnish will keep unwanted water rings and scratches at bay. 

The final product is literally EXACTLY how I envisioned, and hands down one of the COOLEST before and afters our little nest has ever seen. Well...until I get to talking about our backyard as a whole. Now THAT is a pretty epic transformation, STAY TUNNED! 

Check out all of our home improvements, by visiting the OUR NEST page.

Setting The Table for Fall

IT'S FALL Y'ALL! 

I adore this time of the year. Leaves crunching under your feet, a hot drink in your hand, and pumpkins scattered all over the place. Getting to layer sweaters and scarves with cute jackets and boots is a definite perk as well.

Fall fashion is just a giant mass of cozy wrapped up in flannel goodness.

Autumn has made its way into our home recently, and I've been dying to share with you my table decorations this year! 

Just like in fashion, layering is such an easy way to instantly make your table look polished. You can layer plates, table runners, napkins, you name it. I placed a napkin in between my stacked plates to break up the look, and to tie into the black centerpiece. Speaking of the centerpiece, this one is a vase from IKEA I bought years ago, placed on top of a mirror, and filled with fake leaves and flowers. The table runner is made from an IKEA panel I had hanging in my room during collage (this one is equally awesome), and a strip of fabric I pulled from the remnant bin at Jo-Ann Fabrics ages ago. 

Gold and purple pine cones??? Yes please! 

I found all of these either in our backyard, or under a tree I passed on my walk the other day. A quick coat of spray paint and nature got a nice dose of glam!

The candles are from IKEA, and the rest is just random fall decor I picked up last year at Hobby Lobby or Dollar General.

Yes I know it looks a little silly since we really don't use our dining room, or plan on having a bunch of people over anytime soon (not to mention the absent cutlery and glassware). But I just CAN'T pass up the opportunity to decorate for the season!
Do you fill your home with leaves and pumpkins? Or do you go the frightening route for a more Halloween theme? I like to keep things somewhat Fall-neutral, and make my decor last from September through November. 
Decorate smarter not harder!