Show House Show & Tell
Q: I love the nursery you did for the show house in Atlanta. What was your inspiration?
A: When I did the initial walk through of the home for the 2015 Atlanta Symphony Associates’ Show House, I had just found out my daughter was pregnant. With a baby on my mind, I wrote about turning one of the bedrooms into a nursery. My excitement must have shown through because that’s exactly the room they picked for me! I dreamt of a space fit for a princess and stylish enough for a trendy mom. I batted around some ideas but it all really came together once I settled on the color scheme of white, charcoal and blush.
I liked that while it was clearly a space for a child, it didn’t look anything like the nurseries I’m used to seeing. Chic and crisp, this room could easily transition once she grows out of the baby stage. The crib and changing table can be removed without disrupting the rest of the space. And the color scheme is sophisticated enough to work in any bedroom. The window treatments were actually purchased by a customer who is planning to hang them in her guest bedroom. This room is special because not only is it beautiful, but because it challenges the idea of what a typical nursery should look like.
Q: The bed is amazing! Is that an actual wedding dress?
A: Believe it or not it was created by our workroom from a sketch. A dressmaker and upholsterer worked together to create it and it turned out better than I could have even imagined. The idea for the dress bed came from something I had done for my daughter years ago. We breathed new life into this one by altering the design and using it with a day bed running lengthwise underneath. This allowed the bed to have more of a presence on the main wall, while also making it appear more like a dress due to the silhouette.
The dress is made of a white dupioni silk and is actually in two parts. The dress portion is an upholstered headboard with rows of ruffles that cascade all the way down to the bed. The coverlet has the same rows of ruffles to give the illusion that it is a continuous part of the dress.
The bed was our statement piece and what we knew would make the biggest impact. It’s currently in Knotting Hill Too waiting for the perfect home.
Q: How can I incorporate personal items in my own design?
A: Some of my favorite designs involve highly personal pieces that we were able to incorporate.
Whether its furniture, art or an object, it’s important to find a home for things that are meaningful to you. In the nursery we used my youngest daughter’s christening gown as art. It was mounted and framed so that we could hang it on the wall. This not only kept it safe, but it allowed us to be able to take it out of the frame a couple weeks ago to ship to my new granddaughter so she can wear it at her christening.
I’ve framed musical instruments, antiQue jewelry, fabric, you name it. This is a fantastic way to preserve your treasures while finding a uniQue way to use them. If you have smaller trinkets they can work well in a college wall. Crosses and other religious icons also work in nicely in groupings. We also used a framed lullaby and an old cello that was converted into a floor lamp as tributes to the symphony association. Using unexpected items as art or decoration are often the most interesting, not to mention favorite, pieces.
Q: How can I decorate my son’s room so that the furniture and décor can be used again in my home?
A: I think this is something that all parents interested in design ponder. You want your child to be able to have their favorite character themed bedding if they want, but you don’t necessarily want a racecar bed.
This lovely distressed chest can handle some wear and tear, house clothes as needed and transition with the room, or move to another room in the house. The grey and white ticking fabric on the swivel glider is the perfect neutral to be used anywhere. The lamp works great in the nursery with the pop of soft pink against the charcoal wall, but is still elegant. As a matter of fact, I have the same one in my own living room. Children’s spaces don’t have to be filled with only children’s furniture.
This story was originally published December 25, 2015 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Show House Show & Tell."