Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Favorite Room Feature: Gus and Lula

We started following Britt's blog Gus and Lula not long ago, and ever since, we have been HOOKED! Britt is insanely talented, not only with interior design and DIY's, but she also makes beautiful graphic art. Not to mention she is busy with her twin babies (boy and girl). We. Don't. Know. How. She. Does. It. All. We bow down to you Britt. We can't wait for you to show our readers your favorite space. Thanks for being here! 

Hi! I am Britt from Gus and Lula and I am honored to have the opportunity to share one of my favorite rooms: the nursery that now belongs to my babies, Gus and Lula.  
My husband, Keith, and I decorated the room as we waited to bring our babies home from Ethiopia.  Preparing the space for them was therapeutic as we struggled through the long months of waiting and paperwork.  Here's how it started: 

{It did have carpet by the time we moved in, but otherwise, this was about it - a blank slate.}

The room sat empty and neglected for months and months, but as soon as we signed those first adoption papers and knew that there were two babies waiting for us halfway around the world, there was no time to lose.  We got started painting, sewing, and building right away.  


Though we hoped we would be matched to both a boy and a girl, we couldn't know for sure until we received our referral (the photos and information that comes when an adoptive family is matched to their children).  We had to plan for any scenario, so an over-the-top girly or boyish nursery was out.  This photo of a corner of a Ruthie Sommers room became the inspiration for the gender-neutral color scheme:


We painted the walls a cheery blue and added in pops of yellow and green.  After we got our referral in December 2010 for a little boy and a little girl, we were able to add some pink as well.  My mom and sister helped make the sweet bunting blankets for the cribs, and matching wall bunting, wall art, and homemade pinwheel mobiles rounded out the new color scheme.




One of the coolest pieces in the room is this dresser that we found thrifting and painted bright yellow:
We found the lucite hardware at a yard sale of all places, and knew that it was perfect for this piece.


All of the artwork in the room was created by me, like the canvas above.  Jeremiah 29:11 was a very important verse to us throughout the adoption process, and we have a very subtle pear theme in the room (for our pair of babies - genius, I know), so I combined the two to create the painting.
Some rain gutter shelves made by my handy husband added some much-needed book storage.  


One of the biggest splurges, but also one of my favorite pieces in the whole room, is the vintage tole chandelier.
It was originally gold, but a quick coat of paint made it fit with the color scheme of the room.  You just can't find new lighting with that much personality.    


One of our biggest ah-ha! moments in the room was when we rediscovered something we already had: the vintage green velvet sofa.  We had used it in the living room of our previous house and didn't know quite what to do with it.  It just happened to fit in with the color scheme of the room, and it fit perfectly in the window niche.  It's been great for reading stories to Gus and Lula at bedtime and for getting them dressed in the morning - much more functional than a rocking chair for a nursery for two.
We hope that as Gus and Lula grow up, they will be able to look back on their first room and see the love and excited anticipation that we felt as we decorated and waited for them to come home.


Thanks so much, Lindsay and Lindsay for letting me share!

8 comments:

  1. Wow Gus and Lula (love the names too) are lucky tots...absolutely stunning room!!!!!!! Love all your color choices, really talented!!

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  2. This room is so beautiful, if I didn't see cribs I wouldn't think it was a nursery! Heading over to Gus and Lula to read more!

    Tiffany {Living Savvy}

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  3. What an absolutely beautiful nursery! I am in love with/ jealous of the creative artwork that Mom did. Thanks, ladies, for sharing!

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  4. That nursery is gorgeous! I love that color palette. I awarded you ladies a little something something on my blog if you want to stop by.

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  5. Aw! Those babies and their nursery are absolutely adorable! What a wonderful story!! Love the velvet green sofa, funky green printed crib skirts and painted yellow dresser:)

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  6. Great job. the lights totally make the room!
    I have a website about nursery chandelier

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  7. I love the fabric on the bed skirts. Do you happen to know what it is called?

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You are the best, the most, the everything.