Charlotte's Lovely Lady Loft

Since I can't participate in Raechel's Way Back Whensday today (no photos, no scanner, feel free to feel very sorry for me), I thought I'd give myself a pat on the back by posting some photos featuring Charlotte's almost finished bedroom.

*Pat.*

First I'll share a photo of what it looked like shortly after we moved in:

So very, very peach! And you can't even see the lacy, wimpy beige valances on the windows. They made me shudder and puke simultaneously.

The room is a little crowded in this picture because my folks lived with us for a few months shortly after we purchased this house. They purchased their home in September, so shortly after they moved out of this room we started working to make it Charlotte's. You're smart people, you can calculate figures. I won't insult your intelligence by leading you to believe that we had this room finished in time for Charlotte to move in as a newborn. People, she was born in August. Before my parents moved out. She is almost 8 months old, and we are just now finishing her room.

This is just how life happens sometimes, I suppose. But really, this room has been an albatross around my neck (does that silly saying apply here?) for a while now, and I'm glad to have it nearly completed. It's completed enough to share, so here goes!

First, though, a picture of Charlotte, happy in her crib this morning:

And then Charlotte, happy on her changing table this morning:

(I like her a lot.)

Okay, the room. A view from the doorway:

Look very closely in the upper right-hand corner of that picture. We found that lamp shade at Ikea, and it matches her crib bedding just perfectly. It was cheap, too, and so we had Stephen's dad hardwire it into the ceiling light fixture. Oh, and in case you didn't know, the crib and changing table were both the boys' until they transitioned to beds a couple months ago.

This is the corner to the right of the door, if you're looking from inside the room:

The shelf used to be the boys. It is adorned with a pair of pink boots and a pair of pink Chuck Taylors that various relatives have found for Charlotte. Never mind that they both are too large for her now. What's important is that she has them for the future. I found the frames at Target on clearance, and the lamp is also from Target, specifically from their Shabby Chic line. I used to store the boys' toiletries (diaper paste, thermometer, etc.) in that glass jar, and for Charlotte's room I simply popped the heads off of a couple fake hydrangeas and stuffed them in there, along with a few fake leaves for color.

Do you recognize that chest of drawers at all? If not, go to this post and glance at the second picture. That chest, as well as its matching night stand, has been my furniture since I was a newborn. My mom bought them for me before I was born, and I inherited them for good when the boys were born. I decided they were a little too girly for the boys, so they've been Charlotte's since she arrived on the scene. I also decided I was sick of the honey oak color, so I did a little research on how I could paint them and make them look shabby chic. Lo and behold, it's easy! This gal has some great articles on making one's furniture look old, and I simply followed her painting and sanding instructions: two coats of white primer, two coats of creamy, off-white paint, and then sand that sucker down. Let me tell you, after working so hard to paint them (I did the night stand at the same time, although it's not in her room right now), it was hard to sand them, but it ended up looking fabulous. I'm really proud of this.

And the icing on the cake is that I was able to use the original hardware! I had thought I'd need to buy new hardware, as the old stuff had these old, outdated white plastic rings on the handles, but then I realized that, once the white rings were gone, the aged brass handles actually fit really well. I spent approximately $20 to make this dresser look awesome.

(Raises clasped hands over head in a victorious gesture. Waves to imaginary screaming fans.)

Moving on. The alcove:

The child-sized rocking chair with its matching homemade cushions was a present for Charlotte from my parents at Christmas. The shelf was left by the previous owners of my parents' house, and it looked as good as new once I used a fresh coat of the same off-white paint from the dresser. I painted the stripes on the walls using some white paint we had on hand. I had originally intended to buy some chair rail to border the stripes at their tops, but then I decided I liked them as is. They kind of look like a picket fence. The chair is, obviously, temporary. (That's the awful club chair that Mrs. Dorothy left us with the home. It matches the Roman shades from the sun room, as in, the dreaded orange/olive green/cream color combo. Shudder.) I have my eye on a used wicker rocking chair at a consignment shop here in town. The wall hooks, which feature very princessy crowns, were presents from my sister and her husband, and the dress was the dress Charlotte wore for her baptism. I have had those random frames for a long time, and I took out the glass and stretched the remnant fabric from the rocking chair pad behind them.

You can see the other wall of the alcove in the first full bedroom shot. Just think feminine flowers that coordinate with her bedding.

Next, the little space next to the double windows:

I have been looking for a spot for Pinkie for some time now, and this seemed perfect. (Blue Boy is in the basement, awaiting final judgment.) I've had that star hook since we were first married, and it didn't really fit into my decor anymore. So I painted it white and it serves admirably as a hook for Charlotte's cloth diaper keeper. And I found those curtains some time ago at Penney's, I think. The are lined and light blocking, which is great for this south-facing room with original (read: 60-year-old) windows.

Finally, the crib and changing table area, beneath and to the right of the double windows:

We found that pink flower at a craft fair last summer. It matches her Migi Sweet bedding nicely. I plan on putting Charlotte's name in white above her crib. Once I finish that and find a new chair, I think I can call this room officially done.

Hope you enjoyed that tour of Charlotte's little room! I like to go in there and just soak in the girliness. It especially helps after a boy-filled day of bugs, mud, and sticks.