I’ve just finished a nursury for a new mom. She contacted me several months ago to get some help on her new nursury, but the catch was, she didn’t want to know if she was having a girl or a boy. Now back when I had my children, we didn’t have much of a choice to find out…there wasn’t a feasible way money wise to do that. Insurance didn’t cover the decision to find out the sex of the baby, so we were all surprised at the end. Nowadays, it is common place. Her friends were surprised she didn’t want to know…but I respect the mom’s right to find out her own way. There is just something awesome about the surprise at the end of all that labor!
I picked out fabrics for the sofa we had recovered in a neutral chamois solid, painted the walls in a gender neutral green, and helped her design some wall art by cutting pages from the book, “I”ll Love You Forever” and framing them….but she wanted the curtains to be specific to the sex of the baby. We chose draw panels in the room, with room darkening so the baby would sleep well.
Selecting fabrics for the draperies was a pleasure. I chose a beautiful plaid for the little boy, with a great trim going down the leading edge of the panels. For the little girl, I chose a luscious floral print. We decided we would add a beaded trim at the top of the pleats, then also picked a contemporary wave in the banding down the leading edge. She confessed, “I hope that I have a little girl….”
We agreed to work up a price, and then she would call me from the hospital and let me know which ones to begin production on in the workroom. Turns out the boys room would cost a little more than the girls, and I assured her that it would be the only time that having a girl would actually save her money!
But as the weeks progressed, the mom realized her friends were very concerned about the sex of the baby, and wanted to know what the panels/nursury would look like. To make it easy on her answer, I ordered her fabric samples of each. Then she could say, “if it is a boy, I’ll use these fabrics, and if it is a girl, I’ll use this fabric.” That seemed to help with the questions from friends and family.
Near the 8th month, the lovely mom-to-be decided that she didn’t want to wait the needed time for production of the panels after the baby was to be born, so allowed HER mom to know from the Dr which sex the child was. She still didn’t know….nor did her other family members. The new Grandma-to-be was given permission to call our studio and tell us the sex of the baby….”I’m so glad to finally be able to tell someone this secret”, she said.
We charged the higher amount of the deposit, so the new mom to be wouldn’t be able to figure it out from that and told her we would adjust it on the balance….and started production of the window treatments.
Baby came along soon after that. A C-section was neccessary to unwrap the cord around that beautiful baby girl, and she was born to a very delightful mom and dad! A few days later, we installed the finished girl’s room, with the lovely floral fabric by Robert Allen, and the modern sparkling trim by Kravet.
Hardware by Houseparts completed the draw panels and everyone, especially mom, is very content.
This is why I love interior design. I am priveledged to share in the lives of my clients, and count it an honor to participate in creating a home for their families.