Small Changes: A Tale of Two Corners

Today I’m showing you tiny changes around the house, because….well, because that’s all I’ve got!

Abe has a lot of books. He has his Ikea Ribba book ledges, his squid-enhanced shelf, a bunch of books downstairs, and an overflow area in his closet, and there are STILL usually books all over the floor (and stacked three deep on his book ledges). Eventually we’d like to install a more elaborate shelving system in his closet, but I decided we needed a short term solution.

So I headed over to Target and picked up three of these little white baskets to go under his book ledges. They were $9.99 each, which was a little more than I wanted to spend, but they’re cute and seem really sturdy. Also, they come in a pretty aqua color, but they were out of those in the size I needed. I’m dedicating one to library books and the other two to board books he likes to look through on his own, so they’ll be easy to get out and put away for him (although I just grabbed all the books that were on the floor and overflowing on the book ledges for now):

reading corner in nursery book baskets from Target ikea ribba book ledges + baskets

Then Abe came upstairs and was very excited by the changes. Those baskets look kind of like mummies, with the little gaps in the plastic. I’m just noticing. I think they’re supposed to look more handwoven, not so much like mummies. Either way is cool:

twocorners03s

And next up we have the corner of our library with the piano. It used to look like this:

 

It was always a work in progress, though. I used to think there was going to be a big gallery wall over the piano, but then I grew tired of that idea before I ever even did it. That can happen when you put things off long enough.

So, continuing this fun trend we have going where we actually hang things up on the walls in the places we have long planned to hang things up on the walls….we hung up this oceany oil painting I picked up at the thrift store awhile back. I love it, but I didn’t feel like it really fit in with the watery gallery wall in the sunroom; it’s just a bit too modern.

Anyway, here’s how things are looking now:

twocorners05s twocorners06s

This might be the most minimalist corner in my whole house. Ocean oil painting, brass crane, little glass bowl (it’s there to hold guitar picks). Oh, and the brass lamp from Urban Outfitters that used to be in Abe’s nursery. There’s no overhead light in this room. The only other light is a floor lamp by the loveseat, so this is a handy addition. I’m also not showing you that usually there are a ton of piano books and sheet music stacked on top there, because I haven’t come up with a good storage solution yet (the piano bench is already stuffed). The kids are all (well, not Abe) taking piano lesson now, so this corner is seeing an awful lot of use.

I used to want to paint the piano, but I think that urge has passed, and I’m liking it as is now. The bench is in sorry shape, so I’d like to either make a cushion for it or replace it with something else. Someday.

So there are my two little corners. Happy weekend, and here’s hoping for bigger projects next week!

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Comments

Small Changes: A Tale of Two Corners — 19 Comments

  1. Well, Abe is just the best. I’m surprised he didn’t immediately dump those books on the floor. “You know where this would look great, on the floor,” -Evelyn, about everything.

    And I’m really digging your piano corner. I really like the simplicity of it. The art above it is spot on. I have not shown the piano corner of our house yet because it is FRIGHTENING. In fact, there are a lot of rooms in our new house that have still yet to be seen on the blog haha. For good reason, too.

    • Wait–isn’t Evelyn a Capricorn, too? You should tell her that Capricorns are supposed to be very neat and organized! I think it’s probably pretty hard for Abe to put up with all our chaos sometimes 🙂

  2. I love that lamp. It looks so good with the piano. So classy. I really need to get some of those tubs for the kids books. They are really getting out of control.

    • Thanks, Corinna! I actually have most of the music in a few magazine holders from Ikea for now, but I moved them for the picture since I’m not thrilled with them. Do you mean along the side, on the floor? I’m leaning toward something on the floor to keep the top of the piano less cluttered…

  3. It looks awesome Gretchen!!! The piano is fantastic!! And love your little man’s room!!! I just picked some ledges up too! Wishing you a great new week ahead my friend! Nicole xo

  4. I love love love Abe’s book area. About 90 percent of Henry’s books are in storage, which pains me. But we still have lots under his platform bed and he doesn’t seem to mind.

    • Yeah, I read the same 4 books over and over again to Abe anyway, so I’m sure Henry will weather this reduced book period just fine 🙂

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