Ever wondered what it would be like to hire an interior designer? Well, Melisa Russo of the happy blog Lil Bee knows all about it. Last spring, she was lucky enough to win free interior design services by Michele Krantzow of Lavender + Plum.
When she won the prize, Melisa knew exactly what she wanted to focus on: her baby Devon's nursery. She said, "The challenge was simple — I had next to nothing to spend on a nursery, and so we'd have to be really creative."
Read more about her experience — and find lots of her sources — below.
Over the next several months, Michele and Melisa collaborated on the decor. Melisa described what she wanted with words like pink, yellow, elephants and modern. Melisa says, "I quickly discovered that Michele was the perfect designer for my aesthetic. From pompoms on the window shades to a candy pink miniature door, she took every idea to the next level. And when I found out that Michele's middle name is Devon? Well, that just solidified the fact that this girl was beyond awesome."
Keeping Melisa's budget in mind, they used a combination of smart repurposing and gifts from family and friends to bring it all together.
The flourished mirror above was originally a gaudy gold frame. The bookcase was originally dark wood. Both were garage sale finds by Melisa's inlaws. She spray painted them white, then added a mirror to the frame. Total cost: under $40.
The sconce is by Velocity. Melisa says it was her "one big splurge". She also displays a framed copy of the words to The Beatles' LOVE, from our wedding program. So sweet! The yellow vase and lamp were both flea market finds from Melisa's mom.
The crib is by Oeuf, it was a gift from her in-laws. The dresser was hers as a child. She affixed a changing top to it. The adorable bedding by Dwell Studio was also a gift. Melisa says it was the very first thing she picked out for the space.
There was a funny little doorway leading to a space behind the toilet in the next room. They decided to highlight it by painting it watermelon and canary yellow with scalloped edges.
The wall hanging is from Design Public. The yellow striped chair was before and after project. The clear acrylic chair is a Lou Lou Ghost Chair that Melisa scored in a giveaway.
The simply wooden table was a flea market find from Melisa's mom.
For the windows, Melisa lucked out and realized she had sheer curtains in her linen stash. The pom-poms were Michele's brilliant idea and totally made the room come together. The floor lamp and roman shade are by Pottery Barn Kids.
The stripey rug was found by Michele at RugsUSA. Before buying it, Melisa googled coupon codes and found one for 20 percent off. Score! The chair and ottoman were found at Babies R Us.
Last but not least, if you're curious about the paint color, it went from Sunkist orange to Yolk to Butter!
The nursery turned out so wonderfully. A big thank you to Melisa for sharing it with us. I love learning about the collaboration and I think it's so neat that the grandparents helped out so much. What a fun project for everybody involved.
What about you? Have you ever worked with an interior designer to put together a room in your house? Would you want to?
Images by Bentley Waters.
