Image via A House in the Hills
One of my most asked questions after we announced that LR was on the way was, “what are you thinking for nursery design?!”
So today, we’re diving into nursery inspiration! I covered in this post that we’ll be bringing her home to our current condo (no move planned–#makeitwork), and transforming our guest room into LR’s nursery! I’m very excited to design the space and share my vision!
To be honest, I’ve always preferred “non-nursery” nurseries. ???? (My mom thinks I’m NUTS.) That is, nurseries that look more like an extension of the home in terms of style (think, “not babyish”). You know, gender-neutral nurseries that still include all the necessities for baby, but decorated like a room I would normally hang out in. ????
While traditional nurseries are beautiful, small space city living inspires making the most of every square inch, investing in special pieces that will grow with her (or can be shifted to other areas of the house whenever we eventually move to a bigger space), and making sure everything serves a purpose (or multiple!) Thus, I’m taking more of a “modern nursery” approach.
Modern Nursery Inspiration
Designing a nursery is a lot of fun, but admittedly it’s VERY overwhelming for me–I don’t love big projects, especially those with looming deadlines. ???? I just wish I could snap my fingers and have everything be done–so I knew I needed some expert help to bring my vision to life!
To say I’m thrilled to be working with Meg on the design is an understatement. (You know her company MegMade is my go-to for beautiful, one-of-a-kind customized vintage furniture–but did you know she offers interior design services too?! You can see her packages here.) I had an initial consultation chat with her team last week to kick things off, and today, I’m sharing my vision here!
I’ll definitely be documenting our progress and updates here along the way (her team is working on some mock-ups based on my initial vision as we speak), but below you’ll find a little taste of what we’re going for!
Crib
Image via Hutchinson House
Image via Domino
First up and most important — the crib! I love modern cribs that are simple with clean lines. I originally wanted the Stokke crib (second image above) because I love the unique Scandinavian design and how it can grow with baby, but I think we’re going to end up going with this minimalistic IKEA crib (which I think is the one pictured above in the first photo, or it’s very similar! A huge plus, it’s $79, allowing me to be able to splurge on other items!) I also love black and white colors for cribs. But have finally narrowed down that natural wood is the way I want to go.
Dresser
Image via Pinterest
Next — the dresser! I love the idea of sourcing a vintage piece that can grow with LR, so I’ve always known I would get a dresser from MegMade. She specializes in finding amazing vintage pieces and refinishing them to suit your own style! If you live in Chicago, you MUST visit her store and warehouse. There are endless rows of gorgeous vintage pieces just waiting to be customized!
I love mixing different textures and shapes for a lived-in, cozy look. The contrast of old and new is something I strive for in the rest of the house, too. So the cohesiveness will work well in the nursery. For our space, I’ll want a shorter, longer dresser that I can also use as a changing table. I’m thinking something like this, or this one is really cool!
Not sure if we’ll keep it natural wood (or maybe stain?) or paint it a color. But she will help me decide! TBD on that one.
Rug
Image via Hunter Premo
A key element to any room — and especially a nursery — is a good rug. Between spending time on the ground playing, snuggling up reading books and all the time we’ll spend in there, the rug must be soft and comfortable but durable at the same time–and something that won’t show dirt or stains easily. I love vintage rugs the most because they check all of the above boxes and look so chic (and not traditional nursery-ish)–like this one or this one! This shop as well as this one (both on Etsy!) seem to have an awesome selection of vintage rugs at decent prices!
Rocker/Glider
Image via The Everymom
I’ve heard from all my friends that a comfortable rocker is well worth the investment! Between late-night feedings and bed-time stories, I know we’ll spend a lot of time in there together.
I know there are cuter (less expensive) chairs in the world, but the Babyletto Kiwi Power Recliner/Glider has come recommended to me SO many times, so that’s what we’re going with. It functions as a rocker but also fully reclines which I’ve been told is a godsend for late nights. (It even has a built-in USB charger, which I know isn’t necessary. But SO HELPFUL because you can’t be waking a sleeping baby to get up to get your phone charger.)
My friend’s husband has said that when their daughter gets older, he’s moving the chair to the basement to be HIS chair because that’s how comfortable it is. ????
I love the cream color and the fact that its performance fabric means it’s super durable and you don’t have to worry about spills or stains!
Art, Decor + Walls
Image via Danielle Moss
One of my favorite parts, but arguably, the hardest for me to ever make a decision on–art! Decor and art go a long way in pulling a room together and adding special, unique touches. I love the idea of oil paintings on the wall–like my friend Danielle did for her daughter Kate’s nursery. I’ve also collected some vintage posters over the years that I think would be cool to frame too!
I knew I wanted sage green to be woven into the room somewhere, paired with creams and neutrals. Talking to Meg, she made the suggestion to keep the walls a neutral white and paint the ceiling a sage green (thinking maybe Farrow & Ball’s Vert de Terre?) which I NEVER would’ve come up with on my own but I love because it leaves the walls as a blank canvas and still acts as somewhat of an accent wall!
Lighting
A lighting statement piece goes a long way to tie the whole baby room together! I noticed all the inspiration photos I was pulling had bold lighting of some kind. So clearly that’s something I’m very drawn to! Although I’m not sure if I want to go the more boho route or maybe a more modern or vintage or sculptural piece perhaps? (I actually love the vintage-inspired elements of this one!) I will lean on Meg for her help there!
My favorite spot for light fixtures is West Elm because they have a great selection that is surprisingly affordable, so I’ve been perusing their selection! Etsy also has some really cool woven light fixtures as well!
