finola's room // an update!

Three years ago, when we found out at her birth, that Finola was a girl indeed, the nursery was very gender neutral. We had basically mimicked Cormac's nursery in our previous home, using all the same decor, crib bedding and furniture.   We even used the same pale gray wall color. You've gotta love the versatility of gray!
I figured I would add more girly details as time passed, and we got to know Finola personality a bit better.

Here was the post of the renovated nursery, way back then.   I can't believe how sparse and boring it looked.  You can certainly tell it had not been lived in by a sweet baby yet! So many cool memories have taken place in this room since she arrived.  Endless milestones, games, conversations and stories.

A lot has changed aesthetically, too! Since then a lot of pink, both pale and fuchsia, has been intermingled with the turquoise. The green was basically done away with. Some florals, glorious florals, were also worked into the space! I have a flower weakness.

Her room is basically a mish-mash of pieces - much more eclectic now.

She got a big girl bed (daybed from IKEA) - that is kinda awesome with it's storage drawers and ability to pull out to become king-sized!  I upcycled a crappy little bench I found at Goodwill for $10 and made it a window seat with a cushion.  I chalk-painted the little side table by the chair turquoise -- another "free" item!  The stool by her bed I acquired from my parents and painted/stained. We sold the white wardrobe on Craig's List and are in the middle of converting the closet into a real closet again.  (You'll notice there are no doors yet, and it needs more shelving.)  I've added art prints that are more feminine and reflective of Fin's personality : Bright!  Loud!  Full of life!

So there has been a lot of girlishness happening in Fin's room!  (Which is obviously no longer a "nursery" but a toddler girl room.)  I thought it might be fun to do before & after pics of her room from when she was first born, to now as a three-year-old...

Disclaimer : I did spend ten minutes picking up toys/books in the room prior to taking these pics, as well as making her bed (which I only remember to do half the time.) I did not dust or vacuum or sweep or go to any extraordinary lengths to "organize" her stuff, nor did I edit them the pics any way.  All that to say...usually it looks much messier...but not much"different." 

Here is then and now...

Then...barely used...

Now...more personality!

I have no idea why we originally put the changing table in the closet.  I get weird notions sometimes. You live, you learn!

I have no idea where to put the tent I made.

the frilly pink lampshade I put on the eiffel tower lamp is off-kilter...but that's okay. 

it's nice to no longer need to use this as a changing table!

p.s. that is not fin's afternoon coffee.  my kids don't need caffeine.

Then and now!

You'll notice in the below before and after we moved the dresser out of the closet so we can eventually put doors on and she can have a "real" closet.  Plus, there is much more LIGHT!  Since Fin's birth the magnolia tree outside her window was cut down.  Yes, very sad, as it was a beautiful tree...but I actually love the extra light!

I love how things have evolved in this space.  I love that we have lived in a home long enough to see things evolve!  Yes, we have officially lived in 'the dream home' for four years, making a record for us as a married couple in a home!

I hope we are here another fifty!

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How have things changed in your babies rooms as they transitioned from babe to toddler?