The Nursery Chronicles: Step 3: Wire display

Here we are, back in chronicle land. The Nursery Chronicles is where we be! It is a paradise of yellow, grey, and green. 

Let's get to steppin'

Step 3: Get some more furniture. Start the decorating: Wire display for pictures.

It is time to talk furniture which, to me, obviously means it is time to talk Ikea.

Here are a couple Ikea secrets for you. There are secret cut-throughs in the Ikea showroom and in the Ikea marketplace. Bring me with you and I will get you through the crowds and to the checkout in no time at all. Another little Ikea secret is the hidden gem that Ikea calls the "as-is" section. PS...neither of these things are actually secrets. Everyone knows about them.

The "as-is" section is always the first area I check in Ikea. On one of my weekly Ikea trips while pregnant, I had some luck in the "as-is" section. I bought a little table to go between the daybed and the wall. It was a random space that needed something just the right size. If you know me it should not surprise you to find out that I made a very detailed list of all of the possible items at Ikea, Target, and anywhere else that had random pieces of furniture that might fit. I categorized the possible item by type. Then I pasted a link to the item, wrote the dimensions and how much it cost. Lucky you... I found the list and did a little "print screen" of the first page (out of about 6 pages). Craziness

So, after I spent all of that time making crazy lady lists about potential items to fill the space I found something that was the perfect size in the Ikea as-is section. And it was only $20. I scooped that right up! And did a couple laps with it raised above my head singing the Lion King song about how proud I was to have it. Thankfully, the last part did not really happen. But I was a little bit crazy- I saw it, broke out the tape measure, realized it was perfect and practically ran to the check out. I didn't want to have to cart it around the store the whole time because I knew it would put a damper on my efficiency. And I didn't want to risk someone else seeing it and raising the roof with it. So, I bought it, loaded it into the car and back to Ikea I went.

Here is what I bought.

This is the random space I wanted it to fill.

And here that space is for you... all filled up!

OK- let's readdress the pregnant weekly Ikea trips. I was working hard on Cora's sweet pad. That required a bit more time in Ikea than you would think. I'm not the only Ikea-obsessed pregnant lady though... next time you are at Ikea look around. I guarantee 7 out of 10 people that you see you have got the baby belly going on.

I googled "pregnant Ikea" and this photo of 90210's Jennie Garth popped up of her and her very pregnant belly wheeling her haul away from Ikea.

Onto the fun part. It is finally time to start decorating the nursery! 

I love a good wire display. To me, decorating is all about spacing. I think about what colors and sizes I want in a space. Then, I pick items that help balance things out. And what this space needed for balance was a little wire and some squirrel pictures.

Here is how it went down:

1. I bought two packs of the Dignitet curtain wire from Ikea ($12.99 each) and one package of the Riktig curtain hooks ($2.99).

2. Scott and I installed them. It was frustrating. You have to make sure to get the wire really, really tight or it will sag. We had to do this twice on each row twice. It still isn't super tight but we were happy enough with it.

3. Fabric stash! The fun part!!! I broke out all of my fabric and found 7 different kinds that would work in the room. A number of them had already been purchased specifically for this room.

4. I did a little trial and error and decided what size I wanted my wire hanging items to be. Then, I cut 14 pieces of cardboard to that size.

5. I cut 14 pieces of fabric to a size that was just big enough to wrap each piece of cardboard like a present.

6. I ironed all of the fabric. 

7. I wrapped each piece of cardboard to make sure it fit.

8. I hotglued the fabric to the cardboard.

9. I hung all of the pieces up. I spent forever arranging them into the perfect order.

10. Then I gathered random pictures that I already had, some from online, and some I photocopied from my favorite children's books. I clipped the photos onto the fabric and...

Waaaaaahhhh Laaaaahhh! Consider step 3 complete!

Here are all of the after nursery photos. 

I change out the pictures that are clipped on every once in a while. I try to put in pictures of things Cora loves.... mainly ducks!

There were a lot of steps to get this nursery where it is today. Don't you worry- I am going to go through every little step in some future blog posts for you.

Here they are:

Step 1: Get rid of the old furniture and try out some more baby-centric duds for the room. Crib, bookshelf, and daybed.

Step 2: Convince my husband to do more painting than anyone would ever want to do in their whole life. Start the painting spree by painting over the headboard on the wall. Get a dresser/ changing table and refinish it.

Step 3: Get some more furniture. Start the decorating: Wire display for pictures.

Step 4: More decorating: Put up the book slings. Floating shelves.

Step 5: Decorations, Part 3: Hang art above the crib and all around the room

Step 6: Refinish side table and get a few more pieces of furniture

Step 7: Paint the chalkboard and mirror and hang them.

Step 8: Put up the curtains. Line the inside of the dresser with some of my extra fabric

Step 9: Paint the mailbox. Finishing touches.



And one more Ikea secret (for the Charlotte store, at least). Park near the exit. Parking is always atrocious near the entrance. This way you can just slip over to the entrance in no time and then be close to your car when you're done. Also, the exit puts you closer to the as-is section which is where I run to first anyway.
 


Time for the Would You Rather question of the day!

WYR... win an all expenses paid trip to the Galapogos Islands for 1 week (and you are still paid your normal salary while you're gone)
or
never have to do yard work ever again... it just magically happens.



image sources: dignitet, riktig