My super stylish friend Windy sent me this image…we love it and have dissected and discussed..so fun! It is from talented designer Amie Corley.

We are excited because we hear she will have a blog soon. Amie is based out of St. Louis, MO..talk about Midwest Modern!  She is so talented and got her start via a contest at Elle Decor. Click here to see what Jonathan Adler has to say about her happy style!

So what do you think..does this room appear to be for a boy or girl???  Notice the chair is different in the various pictures..it is hard to find the perfect chair–I think these both look great. Windy tracked down the drapes at Anthropologie. We love the giraffe lamp. And of course the tree! and the monogrammed shams.

Be sure and watch for Amie Corley!

I’ve been working on several nursery projects lately and while shopping I’ve come across some yummy eye candy. Like the SOFT knit dolls above from blabla..they are so fun! And this crib, from Layla Grace.  I LOVE Jenny Lind cribs but I have to admit I like this too.

Or this fabric by Jennifer Paganelli at Sew Mama Sew!  Not your traditional nursery fabric but I love this print and think it would look great on drapes or a crib bumper.

Oh and this slide by IKEA…so cute.

What is your favorite item right now to use when decorating for kids?

Some people just have so much style and just pull things together and make it look so effortless.  Not pretentious, not too fancy, just interesting , unique and adorable! Meet Emily from Jones Design Company.  She is the mom to three adorable boys and when I first discovered her blog she was expecting a baby girl.  I was so anxious to see what she would do for a girl after being a “boy mom” (like me) for so long.  She did not disappoint. 

Love this vignette when you walk into the room…so sweet and serene…swoon over the paper.

Not a lot of pink but plenty of ruffles and LINEN.  Oh yes, you know she had me at “linen”…. and pearls! I love this arrangement.  She tells all about it on her blog–details are linked below.

And this wallpaper..wait to you hear about this..so smart!  I love it. Notice the galvanized, industrial looking bins on the changer shelf..love how they contrast with the florals and “cut the sweetness”..genius and so important in a girls room IF you don’t want it to be too princess-y.

What I love is the room is feminine and sweet but not so PINK it is frightening.  Not to offend all of you pink lovers..pink is fine and many love but I’m not a pink girl.  Emily isn’t either so I could really relate to the direction she was going.  Oh what the heck, a touch of pink is perfection with this pillow! And the blue stool.  I love blue in a girl’s room.

 {Oh my!  Pacis in a silver bowl..how sweet!}

To see more of this amazing room go here. Emily also did a post with information on how she completed various projects, paint colors, sources etc…click here for those details…You definitely want to look around her blog and past posts.  Thanks for letting me share this Emily..you are inspiring! God bless you, your family and that sweet baby girl!

{All images by Emily at Jones Design Company}

So when Mama “Yountens” emailed to say “should I order this Liberty of London crib bedding from Target?”

…I about jumped through my computer…”YES! ” Do I want to play with Liberty of London bedding and products for a baby girl?! “YES, I am in!”.. Sooo, while I of course don’t want this room to look like a Target commercial and we won’t use all of the patterned products below, this is a great jumping off point for this precious baby girl’s new room…
Ideas for the nursery include..

• use the Liberty platter as wall art and hang white plates around it??



• use a teapot/teatime theme..hello!… Liberty patterns, London, England, little girls….. we don’t have to use the PB decals shown..could make our own art or use teapots from the target collection or in mama’s collection..displayed on a shelf or dresser…



• use scrap paper to make teapot art using basic teapot silhouttes on painted canvas
• you know I am looking for the perfect etsy print. Will likely come from here..one of my faves!



{print from Sarah + Abraham}

• mom or sister’s vintage baby dress on hooks or vintage hangers OR a darling Liberty dress…they are sold out for the most part but don’t doubt if Auntie Holly sees one (or 2 or 3) at her Target she will be snatching up..i just wish they made the rain boots in toddler sizes!
• adding in a 1/2 a yard or less of additional ACCENT fabrics to keep it from being too
  “packaged”…

…simply add a pillow, basic quilt (with minky dot in one side) in an additional print to mix it up..a geometric will add some modern freshness..not using baby prints helps elevate the look so much…or simply decoupaging a piece to a canvas board for simple art and more pattern! we don’t want it all to be Liberty..just all girl!

God bless you baby girl and entire Yountens family.we love you!

Few things are more special or can be more of a blessing than preparing for a new life to enter your home. Whether it is a large room or a small corner, a baby space is special and can bring so much joy to the one making preparations and using the space once baby arrives! 

But this process can also be stressful because: 

• Pregnancy hormones are involved!
• Mama is tired (especially if their are older brothers and/or sisters to care for)
• There are so many decorating choices and ideas out there..it can be overwhelming!

 So, I encourage the moms I work with to do three things:

• Keep it simple
• Start planning and work early if possible
• Do something emotional! Don’t fight it, embrace your excitement.

When decorating 8 month old son Henry’s nursery I knew I wanted to keep much of the “bones”  from his brother’s room: white furniture (though we did add a comfy rocker this time), linen colored walls (Laura Ashley Stone 2 from Lowe’s), and white scalloped awnings. My theory is that when using non-juvenile fabrics like I chose, elements like the scalloped awnings lend a subtle baby feel so the room doesn’s seem too grown up. Big brother’s nursery was more vintage and red (click here and scroll to last page for a peek of Drew’s baby room in the June 2005 issue of Better Homes & Garden)..I wanted Henry’s room to have softer colors with a touch of a modern feel.  New fabrics and a few handmade items were all the room needed to totally change the look!

The fabrics in Henry’s nursery were a great bargain and came from fabric.com (Waverly trellis on drapes and stripe on bumper, actually indoor outdoor fabrics which wash up softer than you might think) and the organic leafy accent fabric is Dahlia from Calico Corner as is the linen dot on the crib skirt. I made the drapes and placed them inside the awnings with a shower rod!  I had the bedding made locally. If you are doing any of your own painting or sewing, plan on doing it early before your baby bump begins to get in the way!

And here is my point about the emotional element, it’s my belief you don’t have to be practical about every choice in a nursery. YOU ARE HAVING A BABY, it is a MIRACLE and very exciting.  Sure it is great to reuse cribs and other items so that the room can grow with the child and save money but I think it is okay to have one item or more that are just for the baby phase and pure visual bliss..whether it is a fabric (face it, little boys grow out of toile fast!) or a special print or painting, it is okay.  As the mama, you will spend HOURS in this room.  A beautiful, well thought out atmosphere will bless you in the wee hours and on days when you don’t get a shower.  It is worth the effort.  And as the saying goes, they are only a baby once and you can save the item as a keepsake or pass on to another baby. For me, that item was the dahlia fabric.  I knew Henry would outgrow that look fast but I wanted a fresh modern baby fabric in the mix so I just made one pillow and one side of the baby comforter out of that fabric. When he is one year or so I will remove those items from the room..use the pillow in a guest room and frankly the comforter is getting pretty worn anyway because I use it for his tummy time  on the floor and have washed often.  It will make a great picnic blanket.

The blue trellis drapes also will not last a little boy forever but I am thinking they might look great in my dining room down the road. For now they have created a sophisticated and soothing nursery for both of us to enjoy.  We can always add the cowboys later!

My five year old recently told me he wants a “sportsy room” …”you know with a basketball net and trophies”..so I rest my case, embrace the baby phase and your ability to make all of the decisions for their room as long as possible..Enjoy mamas!

[More sources: The tree above the crib is from Dali Decals, brown rug from Target, rocker and polka dot hamper from Pottery Barn Kids, white coat rack from Target, monogram canvas from Small Words, silhouette print over crib from Sarah + Abraham]

Feed the Soul is a really neat project. It was started with the notion that during these hard economic times, people should still be able to enjoy art that inspires. (This reminds me of  WPA art..not stylistically or even the same situation but it made me think of WPA murals which I adore..there is one in Hamilton, Texas, by the way!)

So ANYWAY, various artists have joined forces and put these images up on this site and they are available to print, for free. I love this. 

Many would be wonderful in a children’s space, really the possiblities are endless. Enjoy!

This is one to watch..bookmark this blog..i cant wait to see how this turns out…mama is SOO talented..love how she shares her thought process and the colors, oh the colors!  It is going to be elegant and chic!  Cant wait to see.

oh and Emily also makes cute things like this..love it!

{images courtesy of Jones Design Company}

…the linen, the applique work, those birds..i always love how they style their rooms (I mean really, those origami birds hanging from the branch!)..the even have a book now apparently..and not just baby things, they have bedding for all bed sizes (the patterns, oh the pattern!) and adorable play room things etc, even paint …..their new catalog is dangerous!

and no, they don’t pay me to say these things but they should!;

{image from the spring 2010 Serena and Lily catalog}

This is a good Monday @ Chez Mathis….I hope it is for you too.

OK so on with the Monday morning chat. Did you hear the buzz about THIS MOVIE and have you received your Traditional Home yet???? I laughed so hard because I was out running errands on Saturday and I saw the new TH and I nearly bought it right there at the expensive newstand price because (a) I could not remember if I renewed my subscription? and (B) I was dying to read about this new Nancy Meyers’s film. SO I get home and start checking my blogs and who has already written a thesis on the film and the interiors..YEP..Joni @ Cote de Texas. She is on the ball! Go read here, i am not even going to comment about it any more (until i see it) BUT I will just say I am not overly excited about seeing my favorite actress of all time Meryl Streep (Out of Africa totally influenced my design aesthetic..even more than Somethings Gotta Give, sorry Joni;;) in bed with Alec Baldwin…he is creepy (even on Thomas the tank videos) i am sorry to be negative and if his mother is reading this blog I apologize (I am sure he was a precious baby) but I just really dont feel good about seeing them together. Hopefully the kitchen will make the uncomfortable scenes worthwhile. (just check that cute little linen or burlap curtain in the left corner)

AND #2 on monday morning chat list (see how involved this gets, probably why some mondays i dont get much done)..I have pictures to share of Baby Girl Spencer.

isnt she adorable?? Remember she has FOUR brothers. wow!

oh and she sent me a text..she loves the toile drapes!; She really enjoys having a feminine space where she can get away from all of those rowdy boys.;;

please keep her in your prayers, she is having a little health issue, it is not terribly serious but her parents are hoping it will be resolved soon and as easily as possible. WE LOVE YOU BABY GIRL!

Ok last on the list (I have more but I need to stop and feed my child) I need to talk about the blog. Things are changing here at HMI, you will see some changes in ads and formats and I am giving lots of thought and prayer to content and other areas as well. I may even put up a little poll soon to see what topics you are interested in etc… so watch the sidebar and please leave comments. I know everyone is busy and dont expect everyone to leave comments each and every time but blogging is a lot of work (and that is ok because it is a part of my little business) BUT feedback is so encouraging.

Yall have a great Monday~ let me know what you have going on…

i just love felt.

at first i was not sure about the colors but now i love them…i am so in love with orange lately. we even got an orange stroller! the color brightens up the pale room just like his little smiley face!

notice his initials on the tree..how cute is that?!

from this great Etsy shop!