Last Updated on August 24, 2012

What better way to welcome a new little bundle of joy into the world than with a state-of-the-art, custom-designed nursery?

On top of preparing yourself for parenting, it can also make caring for a new baby easier when you take the time to prepare a user-friendly, stylish nursery that you can enjoy for years to come.

The best of the best in expert nursery design is both fashionable and functional. Check out these trending decor ideas from top interior design professionals that you can use when designing your baby’s nursery for the first, second, and even third time:

• Antique White for Girls: You can thank celebrity Bethenny Frankel for the trend of using vintage, sophisticated antique white when decorating her daughter’s nursery several years ago.

• Antique White for Girls: You can thank celebrity Bethenny Frankel for the trend of using vintage, sophisticated antique white when decorating her daughter’s nursery several years ago.

While most girls’ nurseries are automatically decorated in pink, using antique white is just as feminine and will pair well with a number of other gender neutral colors like yellow, green, and brown.

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• Gender Neutral Themes: If you’re waiting to find out the sex of your baby or don’t want to go with traditional blue or pink, you can try a gender neutral theme instead.

The benefit to using a gender neutral theme with cartoon characters or animals is that it can be used for multiple children. Ashlee Simpson was one celebrity to decorate in a custom, gender neutral style using a Disney wall mural for her newborn son’s nursery.

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• Realistic Recreations: If you can’t decide on a favorite animal, cartoon character, or even color, you can create a soothing nursery with a natural, scenic backdrop.

For example, a nursery painted with clouds and a blue sky can be accessorized with hanging birds, trees painted on the wall, and nature-themed bedding. This nursery trend is ideal since the sky is the limit, so to speak. You can paint a bright blue afternoon sky or a dark night sky with foliage, birds, and natural colors to match.
When in doubt, make your nursery as personalized as possible. This is your opportunity to create a room that you will love and spend hours of time in as you bond with your new son or daughter. If you don’t have the time or the budget to custom-design your nursery, hanging a large pregnancy portrait above the crib is an excellent starting point.
From there, you can adapt the nursery as you get to know your new baby by changing the colors, styles, and accessories to match your little one’s taste!

Bethany Ramos is a full-time freelance writer and coffee lover that co-owns her own e-commerce website, The Coffee Bump.

Last Updated on August 8, 2012

Franchises all across North America have long recognized that military veterans–with their leadership skills, dedication and ability to work within a strict system–make ideal business owners. The International Franchise Association (IFA) estimates that more than 66,000 franchises are owned and operated by veterans and are currently making strides to further increase those numbers through the IFA VetFran program.

Granite Transformations believes that veterans make ideal Granite Transformations’ franchisees. Veterans are motivated by success, are hardworking individuals, and have proven themselves in the toughest situations imaginable. To honor these military vets all year round, Granite Transformations offers service members 50 percent off the initial franchise fee, allowing veterans to use their training and operational skills in a new civilian career. In addition to the discount, potential veteran franchisees can finance the other half of the franchise fee within a 12 month timeframe.

If you or someone you know is a veteran and interested in owning their own business, please contact martham@gt-mail.com for more details.

Last Updated on August 8, 2012

This month, our featured remodel comes from Trevelino/Keller, a public relations firm headquartered in Atlanta.  The Atlanta showroom worked with Trevelino/Keller on updating its kitchen and bathrooms, making the space feel more modern and updated.  As you can see by the before and after photography, it was quite the transformation.

Trevelino/Keller's Bathroom (Before)

Trevelino/Keller's Bathrooms (After)

Trevelino/Keller's Updated Kitchen

Last Updated on August 8, 2012

Granite Transformations recently named Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, IA franchise owners Tom and Teresa Egli as the 2012 Franchisees of the Year at the Granite Transformations’ Annual Convention in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The Granite Transformations Franchisee of the Year designation is awarded to the franchise owner who exemplifies outstanding sales results for the year as well as mastering the Granite Transformations’ franchise system.  In addition to the Franchisee of the Year award, Tom and Teresa Egli were also awarded the President’s Club Award.

Congratulations Tom and Teresa!

Last Updated on February 11, 2020

Recipe of the Month Tips: Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Each month, Granite Transformations’ newsletter features a recipe from its “My Table” cookbook, a collection of delicious recipes from around the world.  This month we showcase our recipe for Polpette alla Villa Di Fiuseppe.  A crowd pleaser, this savory meatball dish is accompanied by glazed onions and a sauce that is sure to make mouths water.

Misplaced a past recipe from our newsletter? Check out our Pinterest page. We continuously add recipes onto our Recipes board.