One of the first rooms we tackled was Scout’s. It needed a lot of work, and we weren’t sure it was going to be safe for the baby. I remember one night, our nephew, Dace, came to visit from Wisconsin and we decided to stay at the new house before leaving for vacation the next day. We were in-between boxing up the old and making the new livable. He was so scared of Scout’s room, he wouldn’t sleep in there. “Why are there holes in the walls?” he asked me, astonished. I laughed. He was about three, so I can imagine that going from our updated apartment on the 11th floor of a high-rise, to a dumpy little house with no trim and a horrid aesthetic must have been a bit of a shock.
We immediately ripped up the carpet and had it replaced. I am usually not a carpet gal, but for a nursery, and the fact that the rest of the house would be hard flooring, I went against my status quo. We ended up picking the middle of the road, home depot special [linked below]. I honestly got sick of looking at carpet and decided to pick one of the first ones that popped up online in our price range. We had set aside about $10,000 for beginning repairs, so even though we were doing everything ourselves, we were on a tight budget. I believe this whole room cost around $650-700 at the time. I should also add that we did not install the carpet ourselves. Both of us figured it was not worth our time and I think it only cost about $200 or so to install. The carpet is super soft and hides blemishes well. So far, it’s held up very well. I would definitely recommend if you’re wanting a more affordable high traffic option.
A few coats of fresh paint and new trim later, the room was beginning to come together. I made the poor decision to get Scout a montessori bed, rather than a crib. And let me just add, if you are a new parent reading this, and you’re thinking that it’ll be worth it because the internet tells you that only the first few weeks will be hard and then it’s smooth sailing- it is not worth it. It is a lie. Run away very fast… to a store. To buy A. Fucking. Crib. Though I consider it one of my
We did not change the lighting right away. In fact, you will notice that we haven’t updated a lot of lighting around the whole house yet. I know people generally like to freshen what I refer to as “accessories” such as lighting, fixtures, cabinet pulls, etc., but there are two reasons why we chose to wait:
- Noah and I sort of work in ADHD tandem, where little things get done here and there, until one day we wake up and we’ve completed five different projects simultaneously. Lighting is no exception.
- I always change my mind. You will start to notice a pattern of me repeating projects and changing things around like it’s my literal job. I don’t want to commit to lighting until my vision of the room is at least almost fully realized. Then, like a cake, I like to add my details.
So long story long, the lighting did not change. But, the room got a little bit of an update otherwise. I found the tent bed at a rummage sale for $40. It is handmade and was built by a handy dad of three, who built it for one of his kids after having realized the sticker price of the factory made. This bed is so sturdy and gorgeous, and super easy to put together. I don’t remember his name, but I’m grateful for his creativity.
To play into the tent theme, I purchased some fake florals from goodwill and a set of lights. My mother-in-law stopped by while I was hanging it, and just so happened to have a mosquito net in her car that she normally used for camping. It fit perfectly and we had a good laugh about our spontaneous problem solving. This really pulled the bed together and gave the feeling of a childhood fort. I wanted her to feel like she was a fairy in a woodland area while keeping things basic enough for her little eyes to absorb as much as possible. We added an air purifier to our baby shower registry, and it came in clutch for this room. I highly recommend (especially if you’re moving into an older home or one with a body of water nearby like ours) having plenty of purifiers around the house if you can. You can tell the difference from room to room almost immediately.
We also purchased an owl sound machine from Target, which Scout liked. Looking back, I would probably have done something different, but it did the job, had a night light, and she seemed to like it enough. I no longer shop at Target as much as I can help it, so use the link below to find a more sustainable and cheaper option to try him out.
All in all, I was very happy with how her room turned out, and it was really nice to have one room completely done. It made us feel accomplished and like we might not have bitten off more than we could chew, which was our general state of mind at the time. I highly recommend Behr Marquee paint. We tried a few different kinds, and found this to be the best bang for our buck. We chose “Solid Opal” in eggshell, and we actually used that throughout the house. You can buy these in 5 gallon buckets, which we did and continue to do for ongoing projects. It provides great coverage and it looks clean without feeling too stark.
As an avid reader, it was very important to me for Scout to read books before going to bed. We had guests at our baby shower fill out books for Scout rather than cards, and I would suggest this to anyone. It has been so fun to see her react to each message, now that she knows the authors and can recognize who gave her what. I also attended a few Usborne book parties online, and eventually hosted one to snag a better deal on a larger purchase. And before you start, I am not an MLM enthusiast. Say what you want about Usborne though, fan or not, they make a great shelf-book. I prefer to purchase books from Facebook Marketplace or various little bookstores in Minneapolis and the surrounding areas, or thrift shops. Maybe one of these days I’ll make a list of my favorite spots. Why are books so fun to buy?
I centered her bookshelves to be both a focal point of the room and a functional activity that she could do by herself from a young age. I’ll never forget walking into her room one day and finding my beloved cat, Fox, who has now passed away, sitting next to Scout listening to her read Grumpy Cat. So stinkin ‘cute.
I was very happy with the initial result. I will admit that four years later it looks completely different, but you’ll have to stick around for the tea on that. This room will forever hold a place in our hearts as it was our baby’s first room. I will always remember the love that went into it and the hope that it brought us. It’s funny how sometimes it’s the simplest thing that sparks the most joy; and oh, how we enjoy it. – Ros
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