If you’re a reality TV junkie like me, home-makeover shows are in your queue more often than not. I can’t help it, I’m obsessed. They give me so much inspiration and all these beautiful ideas. My reality however, is that I don’t ever know how to execute these amazing design desires. My husband and I have lived in our home for a year and truthfully, I don’t have half the decor I had envisioned when we first moved in.
As many of us know motherhood, jobs, obligations, etc. tend to take priority over making your home your own. That was especially the case for Elia’s playroom. I just honestly had zero idea how to organize it, decorate it, make it a functioning room. I wanted the perfect space for her to play, but I was also trying to be realistic that spending a bunch of money isn’t an option since I plan to make that room her bedroom when baby #2 comes along (which is still at least a year away, so don’t get excited).
After too much mulling over what to do and how to approach the space, I was lost. Take a look at the before:
Then, Emily walked into my life.
I was introduced to Emily Mackie of Inspired interiors through a mutual friend who was also using her to help her create a few spaces in her new home. I had always been hesitant about using an interior designer (mostly fearing the high costs and being stifled by my “I can just do it myself” mentality). In this case, I admitted defeat and hired Emily.
With-in seconds of seeing my playroom, I noticed Emily get lost in her own mind for a minute. I could see the gears ticking away. She asked me a easy aesthetic questions and off she went.
To be honest, I only told her three things:
1) She couldn’t spend a lot of money because I needed my space to work as a bedroom sometime
2) This also meant the space would need to be easily converted into Elia’s bedroom when the time came
3) I love Lisa Frank. (if you’re too young to know what that is, google it)
While Emily typically works with a more luxury cliental, she was completely up to this challenge! As a fellow-mom, she gets what it’s like to work on a budget and knew she could help me out!
And that was it. Off she went! Emily quickly took photos and with-in a day, she e-mailed me with a drawing of what she was envisioning.
I haven’t even mentioned the best part of this whole experience. A big part of why I put off this project for so long was because I honestly don’t have a lot of time. After giving Emily my budget and approval over the drawing, she and her team did EVERYTHING else (and I mean everything). All the shopping, all the retuning and every ounce of handy work that the project would require.
What really struck me was how money conscious she was on my behalf. Yes, she has a designing fee, but the money she saved me on the playroom more than covered that. She did everything from buying things second hand to finding gems at low-budget stores.
I was completely shocked to find she actually only had to hit a few stores to make this room come to life. Just look at what she did!
Now for the details!
The Little Baker’s kitchen and Little Tikes 1st Slide both came from Target.
Next, Emily visited HomeGoods for the rocking horse, pop of color rug, toy bin, gold shelf, and canvas photo.
Oh, and those perfectly sized bookshelves? They were thrifted pieces costing only $40 total! (I told you she is a budgeting queen). She bought some pink tape from Party City and went along the edges to make it pop!
Emily didn’t stop at the pink tape when she was at Party City. In leu of painting, she decided to get a whole bunch of cool party paper and create a circus top ceiling.
All those bins AND all toys you see inside of them came from the dollar store. She created (and filled) all those bins for less than $100.
The biggest splurge of the entire room is Elia’s new craft table from Pottery barn kids which is still less than $200.
Elia’s play room turned out to be everything I could dream of and more. I had told Emily I wanted a Lisa Frank vibe and that is exactly what she gave me. The room is more functional than ever and she made sure to keep in mind that eventually this would become Elia’s bedroom. She even perfectly spaced the bookshelves so that we could remove the craft table and slide in a toddler bed seamlessly.
This was a room that was always behind closed doors and now, it’s a room I want on display always. Not to mention, Elia couldn’t be more in love with it. I’m pretty sure she’s gone down the slide at least a 100 times (today) and has so much fun exploring all the room has to offer.
The changes she made have been like a breath of fresh air. Making your home yours really does change your headspace and your life. I immediately felt more at ease and felt like Elia was getting everything she deserved. I can’t wait for the next project with Emily, because I have no doubt she will rock it.
Check out some of her other work and I guarantee you’ll be wanting to bring her in ASAP.
Love always,
Erica
