Happy New Year 2017!

I don't know how time flies by so quickly sometimes.  How is it 2017 already?!?  Where did 2016 go?  How is it that Christmas is already here and gone?!?

And how is my baby 3 months already?!?

Little Harrison was born on September 23, 2016.



That's right, it has already been 3 months since I had this boy.  Life with a new baby has been amazing, crazy, tiring, challenging, everything I expected and more!  As you may have noticed, I have been very quiet around here, but I wanted to take some time out to really cherish every minute with him, because newborns grow way too fast!  I didn't want to miss a single thing.  It has been really nice to take a little step back from work, become re-inspired, and refresh the soul! 

Unfortunately, though, this 3 month "break" of baby snuggles all day in our jammies has ended.  January is "back to work" month and I am very excited for new clients, new projects, new opportunities for Jessica Stout Design, and looking forward to all that 2017 has to offer.  Stay tuned to see what Jessica Stout Design will be up to this year and what we are working on already this year.

Nursery Lighting

The nursery design for our little guy is quickly coming together.  There has been a lot of progress in the last month and it is so close to being complete before he arrives in September.  Notice any KEY design features missing in this picture though?

L I G H T I N G!!!!  

If you know anything about me or my design style, or have been following my blog, you know that lighting is a HUGE part of my designs.  So, I can't believe I have left the ceiling light for the last major design decision for the nursery.  

Our home was recently built a few months ago, and I purposely had them wire it for a ceiling light but not install one knowing I would be changing it out soon after we moved in.  Every time I walk into this room of our house, I flip the light switch on without even thinking and forget there is no light in the room!  Every time!!  So, needless to say, we need a light in here, quick! Here are my options I have put together. 

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Things to think about when purchasing a ceiling light.  1.  Number of lights.  Some of these have multiple light bulbs in them, up to 8 and others only have a single light bulb, so there is going to be a huge difference in the amount of lighting they will produce.  I am definitely going to have a side table lamp in here as well, so a single light bulb would work just fine in the small space.  2.  Size.  The ceiling height of our second floor bedrooms are only 8' tall, so I can't install a light too large (unless we want to be hitting our heads on it)!  For a room this size, you wouldn't want anything taller (longer) than 12" hanging down from the ceiling.  3.  Design and Aesthetics.  This is a no brainer.  Look for a light that looks pretty in the room.  I always like to search out interesting lights that makes a statement versus something boring and basic that no one will even notice.  It doesn't mean it has to be more expensive, it may just take a little more searching.  4.  Price.  My goal for this light was to find something inexpensive while still aesthetically pleasing.   All of these lights are under $200 and some even under $100.  5.  Where to purchase.  I generally always buy my lighting online because there are SO many options to choose from.  Some of my favorite sources online for lighting are Wayfair and Shades of Light.  You won't believe which one of these is from Target!

I still haven't purchased a ceiling light or made a decision on which one I want, but I will need to soon as my due date is approaching.

In a nursery, I always think you should have multiple sources of light.  You should have an overhead light for your main lighting and accent lighting for ambient lighting - night time feedings and changings.  Ambient lighting can consist of just a table lamp next to the rocker.  Or even 2 additional light sources such as a table lamp on a side table and on the changing table, depending on what you will have room for.  I have decided to just have a table lamp on the side table next to the rocker, but of course, I needed options.  This time I went straight to Target and was able to find more than enough options for a lamp.

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This was an easy choice for me.  I kind of had a clear winner as soon as I saw it in person.  I know I seem like a crazy person for purchasing this many lamps at one time, but I HAD to see them in person, in the room, to really make sure I was making the right decision.  Rememeber, lighting is important to me.  I ordered all of these online at Target.  Shipping was free and I knew I could return them to the store when I made my decision of which to keep.  Target makes it very easy to purchase multiple things for options and then return what you don't want.  

I loved #6 but it was a little too tall and big, and was the most expensive.  #3 was almost too "kiddish" with the silver stars on it for what else was happening in the room.  Initially, I always thought I would go with #4 but the base of it took up almost the entire table top.  :(  It's important to leave plenty of space for baby bottles, phone, books, etc.  #5 was much shorter and smaller in person than I thought.  #2 was just a really cool lamp in general.  I thought the concrete, geometric base looked so much like a moon's surface, but in the end, just wasn't right in the space.  

I decided to go with the Olsen Collection Two Headed Task Lamp by Threshold from Target for many reasons.  The base of the lamp was small, so it didn't take up a lot of space on the side table.  I LOVED the colors -- black to coordinate with the black wall on the other side of the room, and just enough of a touch of brass for a little added accent.  And having two lights with their own individual switch was a huge bonus!  That was really what sold me.  I can see this really coming in handy if I only want a little bit of light at night, or need more at times.  

Have you ever seen these light bulbs?!? 

 I came across the Sleepy Baby Nursery Light on Pinterest and was very intrigued.  At $30 a pop for ONE light bulb I might buy just one for the table lamp and see if it works.  Supposedly, if you turn this light on during the night for a feeding or diaper change or whatever, the baby's eyes won't register it and the baby still sees darkness, so they aren't woken.  It seems like a good thing but maybe they won't eat if they aren't awake!  I am still doing my research on this one before I spend the same amount on a single light bulb as I did on this lamp!  Let me know if you have used this light bulb in your baby's room!

7 more weeks to go!!!  

To the Moon and Back: Nursery Design Board

It's a race to the finish line now that we have decided to decorate our baby boy's nursery with moons and stars.  I may not get every last detail finished and hung on the wall before he arrives, but he will at least have a painted room and a crib to sleep in (or not to sleep in).  I started with this design board below, but as I started buying these items, I've been finding some items unavailable or changing my mind on some things.

Original Design Board for Baby Marhoefer

Original Inspiration Nursery

Now that I have started buying items for the nursery, the design board has changed a bit.  It still looks very similar and has the same style and feel, but the actual items I purchased are not these exact items pictured in the Origianl Design Board.  

New Design Board

Overall, the colors for the room are pretty simple and neutral -- white, black, gray, some brassy gold accents, and a lighter amber wood color and texture.  I wanted to keep the colors simple and masculine.  This space has room to grow in the future as well.  With everything so neutral now, I am hoping these are items we can keep and use for years to come!

Nursery Furniture and Decor Necessities:

ROCKER:  I would highly suggest splurging on this furniture item the most out of everything you buy for a nursery because you are going to use it every single day.  And hopefully can keep it for baby #2.  I decided to get an upholstered Rocker/Recliner from Buy Buy Baby for extra coziness and comfort for 3:00am snuggles.

CHANGING TABLE:  If you have the space in your baby's nursery, opt for a dresser instead of a changing table.  It can grow with your child throughout the years and add a lot of extra storage.  It is generally the perfect height and size for a changing pad as well. 

CRIB:  I was blown away by the fact that cribs can range in price from as low as $80 from IKEA to $2000 and beyond for designer specialty cribs.  Even the ones at Buy Buy Baby seemed over priced at $600 to $1000.  Me, out of all people was very concerned at the design and "look" of the crib but new I could find something much less expensive and more practical for our budget.  Shop around the internet.  I found a brand called Babyletto cribs that I loved but were very expensive.  I found a cheaper brand that was just as nice and also made by the same Babyletto people sold exclusively at Wal-Mart, so I scored a designer "looking" crib for less than $200.

LIGHTING:  Multiple light sources are ideal for day and night and middle of the night feedings.  I am still deciding on the exact light fixtures, but I will be doing a ceiling light for the main light source and a table lamp for extra night time lighting that will be softer, accent lighting. 

STORAGE:  LOTS of storage!  In the closet, we added some extra hanging storage and a 6 cube bin for miscellaneous items.  I love having some fabric bins hanging around the room for toys, books, or to use as a hamper.  IKEA floating shelves are some of the most practical storage solutions I have seen for children's books.  I love that they display them like art.

One of the biggest changes between the two design boards is the removal of the bookcases.  As much as I loved these open etagere style bookcases, the room just started to feel very cramped with too many pieces of large furniture.  It can always be a furniture piece that we add later down the road if we want.  I found the perfect dresser to use as the changing table!  It was perfect, to die for!  Only problem is, it was over $1000 from West Elm!!!!  So I had to fall in love with something else.  Luckily, I found an almost identical match from Wayfair.com.

This vintage inspired constellation art from Urban Outfitters was the first thing I bought for baby's room.  I was hoping it would be the perfect focal art behind the crib.  But once it arrived, it was much smaller than I thought.  (Should have double checked those dimensions a little closer!)  So, I decided to hang that on another wall and ordered this gorgeous "moon phases" artwork for behind the crib from Joss & Main.  

I'm hoping all of the fabrics in the room will come together nicely once I get the fitted crib sheets and changing pad cover as a starting point.  These will be store bought from Land of Nod, while I am still debating some custom options for things like a crib skirt and boppy cover.  I haven't settled on any of the fabrics quite yet, though.

That's how I have been pulling this nursery together -- one decor/furniture piece at a time.  I am starting to feel a little under the gun to get it completed with only 9 more weeks to go.  But honestly, a baby doesn't need anything of this in the first few weeks of life, so I think we will be okay! :) 

Sweet Baby Girl Nursery

Our sweet niece arrived a month ago now!  All perfect 5.9 oz. of her and a head full of hair .  I posted about our excitement of her arrival here.

I guess it is time to officially do a reveal of her sweet little, adorable nursery.

You can read more about the design process and details of the nursery here.  

This first time mommy has a great sense of style, so she was a natural at pulling this room together and coming up with some great decorating ideas.  I couldn't help myself but help her, so I was thrilled to know she actually wanted my help! ;)  Their new home has a beautiful, neutral palette throughout the house.  So, she wanted to keep the space sophisticated and neutral to match the existing home decor, with just a touch of pink!

sweet little Finley Erin loves her new bedroom too! ;) 

I LOVE designing nurseries and kids rooms, especially when it is for family.  This is another favorite of mine -- my other niece's nursery I designed a few years ago. 

{photos by Jenny Meyer Photography & Jessica Stout Design}

Navy & Green Room to Grow {After}

A few months ago, a mom from Georgia contacted me to help her design her growing son's bedroom.  She was looking to redecorate his "little boy" space into a room he could grow into and enjoy until he was in high school.  E-Design's are perfect for projects like this, where the client feels capable of doing the shopping and decorating themselves, they just have a hard time knowing where to start and how to coordinate all of the new furnishings to create a beautiful bedroom.  Check out the original blog post here to see how we started the project with Mood Boards and a furniture layout.  

Out of the three options I gave them, this is the floor plan I suggested, which was different than the space's original layout.  Sometimes it is nice to move the furniture around to create a different feel to the space you are trying to change.

BEFORE

This is how the bed was placed in the corner, BEFORE.

AFTER

And this is what the bed now looks like with the new furniture layout I suggested.  Taking that bed out of the corner and placing the headboard against that wall creates a more grown up bedroom space for this guy.

BEFORE

 This is the "desk" area BEFORE.  It was really just wasted space.  There were a couple of "kiddish" book shelves that weren't helping with the new grown-up space, so those had to go.  We brought in this industrial style book shelf for books, toys, and trophies for a more grown-up, manly look.

AFTER

The biggest improvement of this little niche was creating a work space for homework and actually utilizing this area.

BEFORE

AFTER

This boy now has some fun art that will grow with him through the years, but since he is still only 10, it also fits with his age now.  Those awesome wire baskets are great for books and keeping the space organized.

BEFORE

Before, his dresser was covered with trophies and all those little things kids seem to have.  So I wanted to create a space for his trophies that made them feel more special and important.

I suggested floating shelves for this wall because it gives those trophies more importance by having their own area.  And it is a great way to display special items and artwork.

BEFORE

AFTER

Even though there are a few items that are slightly different than what I chose for them, I love how they incorporated all of my ideas and ran with it.  They really created a great space once I led them to the key pieces needed to bring this space together.  It didn't take a lot to create such a huge impact for a growing little boy's bedroom.

The great thing about E-Design is that they are open to interpretation.  So you don't have to furnish the room exactly like I am suggesting, but they are merely suggestions.  You can finish the room as you feel fit for the space and for your budget.  Most of the time, I will always add in a few ideas you didn't ask for, such as an additional night stand in this case, so that you can always add to the space in the future if you want.

And it is always so sweet and humbling to hear such fantastic feedback from a client I have never even met!  She has no idea how much these sweet words mean to me.

"I cannot recommend Jessica's E-design service enough.  I have been following her blog for about a year now and I love her taste and work.  I was very excited when I saw that she offered online design services.  It only took a few emails and pictures to convey what I was looking for and Jessica blew me away with what she came up with.  She provided a detailed source list using vendors I had said that I would prefer to use.  I was able to pull the room together on my own very quickly and efficiently right at what I wanted to spend.  I never would have been able to turn this room into what I wanted without her services.  I look forward to working with her again very soon."   --Beth, from Georgia

And that, my friends, is why I love what I do, and why my job is SO rewarding to me!  Contact me today if you are looking for help with any of your spaces or interested in an E-design.