baby Bennett's nursery

40 weeks pregnant today. You get so excited about one date, for 9 whole months, then that day comes and goes, without event. It's so strange to be sitting here, still with a babe in my womb. I truly cannot complain though, I still feel really good considering. Just impatient. 

What else better to pass the time than blogging our "nursery"

So here it is.. Our nursery spans about 3 rooms right now. It's not ideal, but I think it'll work.

The crib is in our guest room. Somehow it all fits. The nursery of my dreams looks a little more black and white, a little more minimalistic, but I'm pretty pleased with how it all kinda fits now.

The mobile was a quick DIY project, one of the first signs of nesting early on. It's just styrofoam balls, wrapped in yarn, and hung by an embroidery hoop. I love it, I hope Bennett does too!

Then we move into our room, where you'll find the bassinet, the rocker, and the changing table.

The floor lamp is a new addition, from Target, I tried to bring in the brass to go with the drawer pulls on the changing table. The ottoman is a Donna Baker DIY from $3 Ikea mats. We followed this tutorial. We're also awaiting a DB DIY lumbar pillow for the rocker. I think this little corner will be quite nice in the morning hours once Bennett is here!

Last, but not least, the changing table. Doesn't that last picture make you smile? me too, me too. 

There you have it, Bennett's nursery :)

pieces of the master

What do people hang above their beds? These are the serious questions that constantly run through my mind.. normal? not sure, but, it's true. I mean, mirrors are always pretty.. photos? a shelf? art?

Well, here's what is above ours..

This PB ledge was one of our first big married couple purchases, after the couch. I really do love it... and I'm so glad I can still say that after 2 years. That's like a decade in "lauren-decor-for-the-house" years. (I get tired of things prettttty quickly - sorry Blake)

 The left holds three stacks of books with varied heights and colors. Most found in Canton. On top you'll find an Ikea plant and pot, a delicious smelling candle, and a bridesmaid gift from one of my bff's Kate.. it's our engagement photo on a wood block (so cool, how does she think of these things??)

 aw, presh. 

I was looking through these photos the other night, and just thought.... my goodness, we look like babies. It's weird how things change in only 2 1/2 years. 

 Above the ledge I added a personal touch and some art. The left - our place-card from our wedding "Mr. and Mrs. Blake Johnson" and the right - some art that we found in our garage when we moved into this house.... I painted the frame white (it looks much happier), and I just love it now.  

 And finally, the right side. A duck and two lanterns. I pretty sure all of these items were found at Marshalls or HomeGoods. I'm a sucker for anything with a cut-out. And Blake would be the duck-lover. It's sort of perfect. 

The end! Dun Dun Duhhhhh!!!! 

PS. while in Houston this weekend, my mom and I scored at a discount fabric store (they were going out of business) with a whole bolt of this olive fabric for 20 bucks... can you imagine the joy???

My loving and talented mother sewed for me these two beautiful euro shams, and I'm in heaven. 

I want... eventually... to add an upholstered headboard, and an all white duvet cover, and the pièce de résistance, a black and white herringbone bolster/lumbar pillow!!! I can see it now.. and it's lovely :)

be our guest, please :)

Welcome to our most functional, least decorated room. This room serves so many purposes. Number one, Blake's study. Number two, guest bedroom. Number three, my "closet" and number four, storage room. I almost forget, a laundry room too. Phew! I feel tired just writing that all out.

This room is off our hallway directly to the right. Those windows face the backyard, which I love. Right now, I can open the blinds and see all of the fallen leaves and the trees changing colors, it's quite beautiful. (and, this morning, a bit of snow! how fun!)

Here is Blake's office. It's close quarters around here. There's just enough room to scoot the chair back and climb on in.

Yes, that's a periodic table. And, the bookcase Blake built.

As you stand in the doorway and pivot slightly to your right, you find yourself in the guest bedroom, welcome! Stay a while..

I love this iron bed. It's been in my family forever.

One more tiny pivot right and you're in my closet! Now that I see this in a picture, it's very lack luster indeed. This tiny old house has two tiny closets, so Blake has the one in the master, and I have this one. Man, I miss that huge walk-in closet from our apartment.

I feel like I'm to the point where I don't want to do anything more in this house. I thought paint would help, but turns out, the landlord doesn't want us painting anything.. womp womp.

We still have a year and a half left in this house, but then again, it's only a year and half! So, this room, and it's paint colors will just have to do! :)

the gallery wall

I am a sucker for a gallery wall. All of the things you love get to be so beautifully displayed on the wall. It's art in itself I think. I knew when we first moved in that I wanted to keep all of my frames and things together in one place. Just one spot where there are no rules, and anything goes. Our hallway is sort of like it's own little room, so it seemed perfect. 

Here it is at move in.

I found an inspiration photo from none other than Pinterest.

I was drawn to how unexpected the color photos felt. By expected I guess I mean a wall of perfectly placed white Ikea Ribba frames filled with black and white photographs (which I still find classic and undeniably pretty, for the record).
Without further delay, our gallery wall...

The left side. 

An engagement photo, wedding photo, and photo strips. 

I totally borrowed this idea from YHL. Hopefully I can fill it up with more keys from each place we live. So far, just one from our first apartment together as marrieds. :)

My favorite thing in the entire wall is this. I found it while going through a box of things from our wedding. It's just a sheet of paper with the lyrics to "how He loves" (the song I got to walk down the aisle to) with the chords marked above. 

And, here is the right side. 

"The Johnson's" sign was a wedding gift. I know probably everyone got one of these as a wedding gift, but I love ours. The geese and the beach scene are reprinted paintings done by my great aunt Louise.
Let's wrap it up....
Before

After

and, that would be our hallway.

onto the Dining Room.

Next up, we have the dining room. Remember the living room? Our dining room opens up directly off to the right, with a huge arched entry. These arches must have been signature for this builder in the 40s, we've been in other homes around Stevens Park and the arches are everywhere. We have one in our bathroom too, just you wait and see.



how crazy beautiful is the to-the-floor window?



The table is set for fall, the pumpkins in the bowls are not year-round. Though I wouldn't mind, they're so precious.

Did I mention Blake built our farmhouse table?

I was spoiled by being able to pick out this Restoration Hardware table, and have it customized to our specific requirements. We nixed the fold-out extensions, and made it a tad smaller, you can still fit our future family of 5 around here comfortably, so I'd say it's a win. And for 1/4 of the cost... double win.  

The best part about tackling our dining table together.... beating it silly with a sock full of screws. Also, taking a hammer straight to the legs, you know, for the whole salvaged wood look.

My herringbone mirror project found a permanent home!

(still not sure what to do with the tall arched cut-out over there on the left wall) 

My favorite part of the dining room, behind the breath-taking window (I really did gasp when we were first looking to rent this place), would be the sweet built ins.



left.




right



I think I've almost covered it all. Except when you turn back around from here, toward the front door, you see this. The hopes were for this to function as a bar of sorts. One day I'll muster up the creativity to finish this little corner.

And then here's your view back to the living room. Dining room tour complete!!

maybe the Master next?

welcome home.

I figured since we've been at the house for almost a year now, it was time to do a little tour. I love this house so much. Well. For what it is... a rental, that we can't update or paint, or change light fixtures. Other than those minor things, the move to N. Oak Cliff has been a dream. 

So, welcome home. This is literally what you see when you open the front door. Hello couch. The living room is kind of a strange layout. It's really long with tons of windows and doors. 

I've had an epic battle with the pillow situation in our living room, they are constantly changing. On my latest wish list would be these covers... ah, the Greek key pattern. Now, I just need to get Blake on board. 

From Etsy

 Then, we turn right. There you will find the fire place. No, I did not place that dog there, what a camera hog. Don't you just love all of the windows here? Yea, me too. 

I tried to tie this side of the room together best I could, with the navy strip lumbar pillows. Let's just say I'm going with the "gathered" look. Oh hand-me-downs. Maybe we could say eclectic?

 Now if you go left from here, you're in our dining room, but that's for another post. Let's head over to what's above the couch. 

 I made a Dakota silhouette. You know, kind of like parents do for their children. I'm totally that dog owner. 

 I found this on Pinterest and did a little LJ version. 

 A neutral paint and wax drip creation. 

Let's take it back to the front door now. Remember, right = fire place. If you take a slight turn to the left, you'll see our shrine to the television. We have an obnoxiously huge television courtesy of my husband. Maybe it's not as bad as I make it sound, but it takes up the whole wall in my mind. 

 BAM! tv.

The front door rounds out this little living room tour.

Close up shot of 2 framed post cards. Little Dallas reminders: Parkland Hospital (where Blake will be spending a lot of time in the future) and White Rock (one of my favorite places in the city).  

next up... DINING ROOOOM!!