When HGTV's Leanne Ford agreed to design her niece's nursery, she was given the freedom to design it exactly how she wanted. She has one small caveat. The house was rented.
Fortunately, Ford is a veteran do-it-yourselfer. His experience ranges from his years as an interior designer to his time doing renovation work on popular shows like Restored with the Fords and Rock the Block. She knows how to do her DIY projects very well. In an exclusive interview about the adorable space she designed in partnership with Crate & Barrel and using Crate&kids furniture, she lets us in on all her secrets.
“Since this is a rental, I didn't intend to texture the walls or do anything interesting with them. So how do I bring warmth and character to the space? Two things. The first is It was about painting it,” Ford said of the idea for the nursery.
(Image credit: Crate + Barrel)
Ford's sister-in-law's only request was to paint the room in Behr's Vintage Charm, a sweet pink/mauve shade. However, its unique installation method was completely lean. She told Homes & Gardens magazine: Often people just don't paint their ceilings. It's like, “Who told everyone not to touch the ceiling?” Because it is a very important part of outer space. Painting the ceiling visually connects the entire space. ”
She continued, “We installed medallions that were easy to do.” We got the medallions from Amazon and painted them to match the ceiling. That brings another element to this very simple room. ”
It's all about the details. Ford added, “We also painted the inside of the closet, which makes a big difference.” When you open it up, it's filled with little cute things and it feels like there's additional space in the room. . ”
(Image credit: Crate + Barrel)
The second way Ford created visual interest in the space was through the use of simple drawings, such as wall decorations. She asked her “friend Alex Meyer-Greysik to do the charcoal making.” She's an amazing artist and jewelry designer, and I had her make some really beautiful simple charcoal. I did. I wanted it to feel like a little ode to French Parisian style rather than something silly. We did this really simple box trim and she came over and did it in an hour. ”
(Image credit: Crate + Barrel)
“The interesting thing about charcoal is that you can't make it perfect, it's impossible, so you don't try,” Ford said. I keep it simple, rough and imperfect and lean into it, and I love the way it looks. I think it's very sweet. ”
But Ford cautions that a balance between aesthetics and functionality is essential in this type of design. she says: “When the baby starts touching everything, I don't want him to rub all over the place, so I put a lot of fixative on the cup.”
The Throwdown: For the Love of Home
Leanne Ford's first design book will be released on October 1, 2024. This book delves into Ford's decorating philosophy, humor, and personal design advice. Available for pre-order now.
What is her overall advice for DIY enthusiasts who decide to paint a room? “Don't take it too seriously,” she told H&G. “I think the fun of painting is, at worst, painting over it. Charcoal is fun and easy, so I paint over it when I get home.”