Max's Room

Oh my! I'm so excited about this. Jessica Kettle, of Jessica Kettle Photography, allowed us into her son, Max's room for a tour. Talk about inspiration! Such an adorable room. Jess also helped us learn more about the creative process by answering a few questions:

so jess, i love to decorate and i'm getting better at it the more i do it, but it seems like every time i have an idea about what i want the outcome to be, the room ends up looking completely different and i change my mind constantly. is this true for you too, or are you just gifted enough to pull it off in one shot? do you just make up your mind, choose paint colors, pictures, etc, and it all seems to work out? if so, give us your secret?

hmm. the thing is, i don't know that i really start out with a complete idea for a room and then carry it out. i'm like you, i have verrrrry eclectic taste and i change my mind constantly and have a hard time commiting to a certain look, so it's more about buying things that i like and making them all work together over time. i am always adding to my decor or swapping things out. also, i don't really decorate quickly so i never really give myself a chance to pull off a complete room at one time. max's room started with the crib, dresser, bedding and rug (all very neutral and versatile) and then i slowly added color, textures and different themes/accessories over time and as his personality developed. each new piece adds to the look and inspires subsequent pieces or color choices. i love that the result is a reflection of both of us and that i could also change the whole look very quickly if i wanted to. that's always the key for me: big or expensive pieces like beds, couches, etc are always classic and versatile and then i can use textiles, paint and accessories to create the look i like at the moment.

did you learn anything about the creative process as you finished max's room?

i think i learned that kids rooms are my favorite rooms to decorate. it comes so much more naturally to me than the rest of the house. i'm not sure why- maybe just because i love max so much and it's so much easier to work with color and take risks in a child's room where the whole idea is for it to be fun, playful and whimsical.

what would you say your personal style is, and do you think this room follows that style?

i would say that my style is modern vintage eclectic. i definitely think max's room reflects that- i think his room has classic furniture, plus a lot of vintage inspired touches like his crate book shelf, his toys, vintage camera, the carousel and some of his blankets. the colors and patterns are definitely more modern as well as the lamp, throw pillows and his little ikea chair. ultimately, my style is just a mix of a whoooole bunch of stuff i like, whatever that may be. and that's his room too.

did you have anything in mind when you decorated the room? any inspiration for certain pieces we see?

i was definitely inspired by the book where the wild things are (his NAME, the rug, the wild things stuffed animals), i love the old dick and jane books (his crib and bedding, the balloon art print, as well as the book shelf sorta has that classic/vintage vibe to me), and i am really into vintage circus/carnival stuff (the carousel, the animal wall hooks). i am OBSESSED with the magazine DOMINO. i wanted to cry when they stopped publishing. Also the book apartment therapy and the apartment therapy blog is amazing- both a.t. and domino were perfect examples of how to blend modern and vintage. i loved that!

if you were doing it all over again, is there anything you would have done differently?

i wish it would have come together faster, but then i don't know- maybe it would have come out really differently had i done it all at once. actually, it definitely would not have turned out the same. oh, and i sometimes wish that i would have gotten a jenny lind crib (davinci makes the best one). but basically i would keep it all the same.

what's your favorite thing about the room?

the color. i could not love that yellow any more! and i really love all the colors and patterns throughout.
when are we going to see the rest of the house, huh?

oh jeez. maybe when it's done! haha! like i said, it takes me a really long time to decorate. i don't have it all figured out just yet! i am working on choosing a paint color for my room so i can finally get it done, adding a huge photo gallery wall in my hallway, as well as adding a bit more color to my family room. plus a zillion other little things everywhere else... it never ends. plus i am reeeeeally bad at committing to a color scheme and choosing paint. it's a problem. thus the eclectic style. i can't commit! i like to say i am a decorating schizophrenic. i want everything to be white and vintage shabby chic one day and the next day i want to paint it all orange and fill it with eames chairs. haha!

i completely understand. i'm the same way. it's hard to commit when there are so many fantastic styles out there. i want them all.

thank you so much for letting us into your home, jess! your style is an inspiration and that's what we're about at PETUNIA+POPPY. and don't think i was joking about the rest of the house. you may be hearing from us again when you finish another room.

(for more on Max's room, go here. and check out jess's photography blog, too. AMAZING!!)

{all images courtesy of jessica kettle}