Better Homes and Gardens Paint Magazine: Princess Chloe’s Nursery

I have always dreamed of being featured one day in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine. Well I made it and on the cover! When they coined the phrase “Times Flies” I’m sure they had watching your kids grow in mind. It seems like yesterday when I found out that I was pregnant with my daughter Chloe.  She’s now approaching her 15th birthday in just a wink of an eye and I still can’t believe it!

When it come to finding out your baby’s gender before birth it seems like everyone has their own strong opinion.  At first I wasn’t sure if I wanted to find out but then when it came to decorating the nursery…. well a gender neutral theme just wasn’t going to cut it for me.  At the time, I was doing the art show circuit painting my FUNKtional furniture so I knew her room had to encompass my signature playful whimsical painting style combining upcycled painted furniture and feminine furnishings.

Finding Inspiration

I always like to start a room with an inspiration. I found a sweet whimsical patterned crib set from Burlington Coat Factory, the perfect combination of polka dots, stripes and a fun plaid.   Everything fell into place from there and the nursery was completed in under a month.  We were ready for Princess Chloe to enter the world!

One day while in the checkout line at Home Depot I was browsing the DIY magazines. I picked up the Better Homes and Gardens Publication Paint Decor. A Meredith special interest publication of DIY painting and decorating.  I said to myself ” This is what I do!”   The magazine went in my cart and the next day I submitted pictures of Chloe’s nursery to Paint Decor. The rest was history. Here’s the layout and it was a surprise to find out her room made the cover. I will never forget seeing the issue in the aisle at Wegmans and Chloe said to me “Mommy! Theres’s my room.” I said “It sure is!” The checkout girl gave me a look like Sure it is lady!

Upcycling Furniture

A thrift store buffet served as a changing table and dresser. I matched the bedding and painted a green plaid of the fronts of the drawers and changed out the hardware with large handmade daisy pulls. Wooden window valances matched the crown and a $4. German brass crystal chandelier purchased at an auction hung in the corner giving Chloe something shimmery to look at. Walls were striped in Benjamin Moore’s Peach Kiss 2089-60 and Salmon Berry 2089-50.

The bump in where the crib was located was painted in large golden harlequin diamonds.  Above the crib was a wooden crown that my father cut out of plywood. I painted an initial C, added gold balls to the top and in the inside attached c-hooks to hang the white sheers that draped over the back of the crib.( I must have painted 25 of these crown as special orders after the issue hit the shelves.) Here’s a picture of 6 month old Chloe so completely delirious after 8 hours of staging her room and photo shoots. No nap!

Adding Special Touches

Another thrifted vanity got a whimsical paint makeover and a gold tassel edging. Lime green art deco lamps and vintage pastel pottery brought back from the Paris Flea Market scatter the room.  A simple wooden box gets fence post finials feet, an upholstered cushion and a tassel and fringe top. This homemade tuffet serves and a bench and extra storage.

The backs of the bookcase get periwinkle polka dots.

Detail of Chloe’s nightstand: The technique and paint colors were given at the end of the article. To this day this furniture had been used by both Chloe and my niece Charlotte. It’s now in our attic waiting for the next baby girl in our family. Later this week I share her room as a tween and give you a glimpse into her teen room that she and I collaborated on with Raymour and Flanigan. hint hint she’s now told me that she’s not so into color! Ugh! Good thing I designed and picked it out before she had a chance to give her opinion. Thanks for stopping by Friends and seeing our Better Homes and Gardens feature! xoxo Amie

She’s All Grown Up