Nursery Know-How

Last Friday, I posted some of my favorite nurseries and promised to share the resources with you, so that you can pull some of those looks together.  First up, a favorite from the March 2007 issue of Domino magazine.  I'll provide all the links to those exact products. Then, I couldn't resist having some fun of my own, using the Serena and Lily houndstooth crib sheet and green and turquoise color palette to inspire my design.

This room is totally baby-safe and easy to care for, with no-VOC paint from Olympic (Faint Flicker #D64-1), organic materials, and sensible selections like the carpet tiles ("Toy Poodle" from Flor) that allow you to simply replace individual tiles, instead of the whole rug, when stains happen.

Sustainable-wood 'Sam' crib and stool from Duc Duc, Ceramic-earthenware 'Early Bird' pendant from Perch Design, 'Butterfly Jubilee' fabric for roman shade from Mod Green Pod, 'Natural Lee' chair from Lee Industries, Organic-cotton 'Ticking Stripe' from Mod Green Pod, Collapsible jute basket at 2KH, Vintage wallpaper giraffe from Inke Heiland at Romp Store.  'Mini Library' storage unit from Oeuf, 'Eco-Sheepskin' rug from Kaiser can be purchased from Child Organics.

For my design, I wanted a space that would easily grow with the child.  A convertible crib and sophisticated storage were a must and I wanted a unique color palette that didn't revolve around traditional nursery colors.

Take the turquoise and celadon from the inspiration photo above and add a twist, using black as an accent throughout the room.  Paint the entire room a soft celadon and save the bold turquoise for a surprise splash of color inside the closet or paint the back panel of a white bookcase to add depth.  Pull the turquoise into the rest of the room through accessories like the adorable owl pillow.  Add an orange rug for an unexpected pop of color and position the mother and her ducklings waddling across the wall above the changing table.  Use the black and white fabric for floor pillows that offer a soft place to sit during playtime.  The bentwood wall sconce casts a soft glow that is comforting to baby and adds just enough light to navigate the room during those late nights.

Clockwise, from top left: Offi 'Nest' Crib, Not Neutral 'Seasons' rug, Dwell Studio 'Owls' pillow, 'Habibi' fabric from Rubie Green, LZF Orbit Sconce, Blu Dot 'Modulicious' Storage, Dvider ducks wall decal, Serena and Lily's 'Rory' Bedding, Dunn-Edwards Paint (DE5829 Frozen Wave) and Serena and Lily paint in 'Sprout', Luca Glider by Monte

Oh Baby!

With so many new parents in my circle of friends, I thought it would be helpful to round up my favorite nurseries.  What do all these inspiration rooms have in common?  Fun patterns and colors, furniture that children can grow with, and they don't go over the top with a theme.  Skip the theme!

Expecting a little girl?  Don't be afraid of pink!  Just use it on more grown-up pieces like the chinoiserie-inspired screen featured in this Serena and Lily room or choose an unexpected shade, such as....

In this example from Domino magazine, pale blue walls are soothing,

while a hot pink rug captures baby's attention at playtime

Hot pink pops up again in this Duc Duc nursery

Want to steer clear of pink and blue?  Green is a great option, that's also gender neutral.  This Domino nursery is the perfect shade of soft green.  Try Perfect Pear (DE5519) from Dunn- Edwards.  Also, notice the storage shelf under the crib.  This Netto Collection design makes the most of usually under-utilized space.  Brilliant!

Is it a crib?  Is it a toddler bed?  It's both!

This is another smart and stylish solution from the Netto Collection

Here's a fresh color combo from Serena and Lily.

I'm loving that green houndstooth crib sheet!

Baby spends a lot of time staring at the ceiling, so paint something inspiring like these yellow stripes.  This is another great nursery from the pages of Domino magazine.  (Oh, how I miss Domino!)

A beautiful focal wall in this room from Duc Duc offers an unexpected pattern for a nursery and the yellow and white color combo steers clear of being dainty, by adding black to the palette (just as in the Domino nursery with the yellow stripes).

This orange Eames rocker is perfectly placed in

 this polka-dotted nursery from Design Sponge

The Apartment delivers a creative space in this nursery.  A stencil was used to achieve the border and what makes this room even more fun is that the lower portion of the wall is chalkboard paint!

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Here's another creative space from Style Files 

that allows the little ones to sprout into artists

Hope this inspiration helps you create the perfect nest for your new addition!  Which room was your favorite?  Please, leave your comments and I'll pick one room next week, break down the design, and give you resources to pull the look together!  (Just like I did with this week's post about the rock 'n roll bachelor pad)  Have a great weekend everyone!