Owl-Themed Nursery: Getting Started

Ready for one of my deepest, darkest secrets? Something that always leaves me thinking, "Maybe I should have done that with my life instead"….

No, it's not being a Rock Star. Though that is another secret wish of mine, haha.

I'm a wanna-be interior designer, with my own HGTV show and all! I can just see it now…"Designing Fabulous with Marci" And yes, that will be the name of my series. Just you wait! 

Excuse me for a moment while I take a call from HGTV…ha!

Now, please let me assure you that I realistically know nothing about interior design. I pick up ideas from here and there…and then just sort of throw it together. I have no formal training and just do what my eye approves of :)

But really. I know a lot of you are like me. We see pretty homes on television or those gorgeous knick-knacks while roaming the isles of our favorite store. And we wonder how on earth we could ever incorporate an item into our home or even perhaps start from scratch!

How do you start? Where do you start?

For me, the process usually starts with one piece. I wait for an item to "sing" to me. Cheesy and lame, I know. Some of you are rolling your eyes and clicking away to check the weather.  But it's true.

Example? For our baby nursery I found a quilt pattern that I liked online (on the left) and while perusing the mounds of fabric in various stores I fell in love with the gray fabric sporting blue, green, brown, and white polka-dots (on the right) that would work perfectly! And everything just sort of feel into place after that.

"Zoo Dweller" quilt pattern by Andy Knowlton

Free pattern and tutorial can be found at Riley Blake Designs.

I pieced together the quilt and then took it to a local quilting shop where I paid someone else to do the hard stuff :) And I just love how it turned out! I used leftover fabric to make a crib skirt as well.

The starting point for the baby nursery was done!!!

Along with the quilt, I knew I wanted to use owls. I know, I know. Following the trend are we? I just think they are so cute. Plus with the million wonderful tutorials and free patterns online, I found so many ways to incorporate the cute little creatures in the room at little or no cost.

I made an owl mobile, pillow, door hanger, etc!
And I'll be back to share more about that mobile…one of my favorite little pieces!

Left Owl: Purchased from Wood Creations and I painted it.

Top Right: Owl mobile. Owl pattern from Juicy Bits and I just used my scrap pile.

Middle Right: Wood owls purchased from The Wood Connection and painted by me :)

Bottom Right: Owl pillow pattern from Make It & Love It. Again, used my scrap pile.

So if you're decorating/re-decorating/designing/etc. a room, what piece sings to you? Is there a theme you like? Is there a color? Find something FABULOUS that you love and go for it!

And join me next for the basics of this nursery including the DIY furniture!