And I love using fabric bins to add additional pattern to the room. I was gifted a collection of small gray and white ones which house toys and little baby gear (similar size and pattern here).  I use the larger size for a hamper.  Also, I can't underestimate the power of adding plants to a room.  Not only is it a boost for air quality, but it makes everything else come alive too.
Most importantly, Thomas really started to thrive in this little room and it has been a space of such sweet memories.

I've included as many of the sources as possible below, but as always, please feel free to email me questions or leave a comment below and I'll do my best to answer your questions.

Sources:

I can't believe I'm officially in the third trimester of this pregnancy as of tomorrow!  And I think a bit of nesting has kicked-in because this week, I felt compelled to pull together some nursery ideas for baby boy #2.  He won't be in the nursery right away, but it's so fun to start dreaming and collecting ideas for when he is.

The  radio scilence over here is attributed to figuring out this working mom thing. Hope you'll hang in there with  me!  Suffice to say, it's a work in progress... much like our sunroom.  Our sunroom sat neglected for a few years.  But this spring, we decided it was time to spruce it up a bit and create a space that would allow us to enjoy the extra square footage in our home.

My idea was to extend the feel of the adjacent interior rooms to this outdoor space while keeping in mind the functionality of dining for us and play for James Robert.  While it's not quite "done" {I use that term loosely now... because, when is it ever, really?!}, we are thrilled with the additional living area we've created.

Let's start from the beginning.  Here is square one.  Wood paneled walls on three sides and red cedar siding on a third.

Here's what we ended up with.

My initial inspiration for the nursery, which I shared here, evolved into a calming, meaningful space that has quickly become one of my favorite rooms in our home.  For fun, I shared James Robert's nursery over on Project Nursery and I'd love for you to head over and vote for us if you're so inclined!

Last month, you guys really helped me out with suggestions on how to fill in the blanks on my living room wall.  Thank you!  Today, this is what is looks like.

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Hoping to disguise the tree stump next to our patio, we created a planter for some annuals. I can't wait to see how this guy fills in. April showers bring May flowers, right?!

Tickled doesn't begin to describe how excited I was to receive a print from one of my favorite artists, Molly Wright.

I've featured her work before, but it was the addition of her new pieces featuring sheep that captured my heart.  The colors are beautiful and the subject matter reminds me of New Zealand.

I'm so happy to have her work in my home. Thank you to Molly!  Please check out her work here and keep your eye out for her art shows; I'll keep you posted if she is coming back to Charlotte. 

Building a home, I've discovered, is as much about the little victories as it is the big.  The newly mounted staghorn fern that resides in our sunroom testifies that trophies comes in all shapes and sizes.

With all the great advice I've received from readers over the years, I like to consider you part of my design team! Your expertise is appreciated on my latest design dilemma...

Remember the living room before?

Here  it is today.
I love the progress we've made so far.  But when we added the architectural print to the wall above the couch, I felt like something was missing. It's the design equivalent of fill in the blanks.... ideas? 

We've made a lot of progress in our living room. And while it isn't quite ready for an official before and after, I wanted to share some sneak peaks.

Today's feels like Christmas.  This fine lady is being delivered and I couldn't be more excited.

This morning I'm whipping up some easy-peazy green floor cleaner to make sure the room is ready for new furniture.  We ran out of Bona cleaner, so I'm going to refill with a mix of vinegar, water and essential oil.

Accessorizing the new sofa is the next step. And since shopping for throw pillows has become somewhat of a hobby, here's a collection of what I've been eyeing:

The last, but not least, room in our house to get some TLC is the living room. It has been sitting in despair for too long.  Not to mention, it is a large space that could be better utilized than to just store the piano.  I can't tell you how excited I am to create a space that we can entertain, relax and enjoy.

I inherited a cedar chest from my grandmother and wanted to incorporate it into our master bedroom for much needed storage and seating.  And while I appreciate pieces with history, the fabric just didn't fit our aesthetic.  So this weekend, after a trip to Mary Jo's, I used a yard of fabric to upcycle my family heirloom.
And because it is fun to look back and see where we came from to appreciate the progress made, this is a picture from shortly after we moved in.
And this is a similar shot of the room now.
I breath a sigh of relief looking at that second picture.  It makes me feel a sense of calm, the precise emotion I hoped to invoke.  Some of my favorite details are the pillows made with love by my mother in law, bits of vintage milk glass and favorite jewelry on a bedside table...
And a display of loved ones with my DIY lavender hurricanes.

The bench pulls it all together, don't you think? {p.s. taking pictures of the room was a bit tricky}