Blayne’s Third Design Dilemma
We were super excited when one of our favorite clients Blayne came back for another mood board with us (she should be your favorite too- she sent after pics for both of the rooms we already did for her: her bedroom and her living room). And this time she needs a nursery! Good thing we have babies on the brain these days. Here’s her letter:
It’s official… we need a GIRL nursery! My husband has pretty much said “whatever you want,” so that makes my life easy. I’d like to see a room that’s cute, modern, bold, and both kid and adult friendly. I don’t want it to be super baby-ish or theme-y, and I don’t want to see a ton of pink. Colors I would like to see are turquoise, lime green, and orange (pink is good too, just not too much!). I don’t want to give you too much direction, because I really want to see what you come up with, but there are three bedding sets we like (this one, this one, and this one). They’re all very different, and I’m open to other suggestions as well. We’re leaning towards this crib (it comes in a number of finishes). Of course, we’re on a budget, but we have some family helping us buy the furniture so we would like to get some good quality pieces that last. As for the items already in the room, anything can stay, and anything can go (except the carpet must stay). It’s pretty much a blank slate! We have the Poang chair from Ikea that I was thinking about getting recovered. I can’t wait to see what you come up with! – Blayne
This space is primed for a major pop of vibrant and modern fun- in fact it’ll be totally unrecognizable afterwards. Here’s the plan:
And now for the mood board breakdown.
1. Our color palette was pulled from the bedding that Blayne loved, and the cheerful tangerine, turquoise, lime, soft aqua and white hues will come together to create a happy and exhilarating space fit for one lucky little girl. We’ll also bring in interest with a patterned rug, a tone on tone wall stencil idea, fun mixed and matched drawer knobs, and even a painted chandelier to create a room that meets all of Blayne’s requests: modern, inviting, functional, bold and stimulating.
As for the floor plan, we’d love to see the crib (any simple white one will do, just like this one that Blayne already had her eye on) centered along the window wall (pulled out a bit, around 18-24″, so it’s not too close to the curtains she’ll hang there just to be safe) while the dresser that will serve as a changing table is placed where the large wooden armoire currently resides. This will leave room for the painted and recovered Poang chair from Ikea to be placed on the wall across from the changing table (angled in a bit towards the crib with a small side table next to it). A graphic rug will tie everything together and add tons of interest. Voila, a nursery fit for a queen- er, princess?
2. Once Blayne places the dresser/changing table on the left wall (where the armoire currently resides) and the existing Poang chair (that we’ll totally reinvent) on the right wall angled in towards the crib with a nice little side table- she’ll need some art for the walls. We’d love to see these cool letters (on sale!) hanging above the changing table area with colorful cards and ribbons tucked inside of them while the totally functional and eye-pleasing book rack is hung behind the chair and the side table across the room to complete the little reading zone.
3. Probably our favorite dash of personality and fun in this space will begin with this boring chandelier that we found for just $60. The blah bronze finish will come to life with a few thin and even coats of no-VOC spray paint (or no-VOC latex paint) in a punchy turquoise color that’s similar to the trim color in the bedding (for example, try Benjamin Moore’s Natura Paint in Blue Marguerite).
4. Now we’re back to that Poang chair that we’ve mentioned completely reinventing. We’d love to see it sanded a bit and painted sleek white to tie in with the crib and the changing table for a modern and crisp look. Then it would look great recovered in a durable baby-friendly lime green microsuede fabric like this (on sale!) for a fresh and current look in a room full of happy color.
5. This is a similar paint treatment depicted on a floor that we’d love to see on Blayne’s nursery walls. The room will transform once the walls are painted with a no-VOC paint in a rich turquoise hue (for example, try Benjamin Moore’s Natura Paint in Blue Marguerite) and then we’d love to see these stencils in lighter blue periodically applied (just like the white ones on this floor) for a textured and fun tone-on-tone effect (try Benjamin Moore’s Natura Paint in Harbor Fog).
6. Here’s the dresser that we dug up to serve as a great changing table (once you top it with a changing pad) and the best thing is that it’ll grow with Blayne’s child so she won’t be stuck with a piece of furniture that’s not as functional and adaptable as it could be. It’s just a bit of a snore with those boring drawer pulls so we thought switching them out for a series of gorgeous knobs from Anthropoligie (in pink, orange, turquoise, etc) would really add childlike fun and interest for around $30 or so (not bad for such charming details that will make the piece). And we’d also love to see this little side table next to the reinvented Poang chair across the room (also with a new Anthropoligie knob for personality) to create a little nursing and reading corner under the book rack that will hang on that wall. And to complete that little zone, this pink floor lamp (on sale!) will slip right in without taking up any space.
7. Here’s the bedding that Blane dug up which inspired our entire palette. We love all the punchy hues and patterns- especially because it’s bold and vibrant while most bedding for girls is softer and more subdued. It instantly adds fun and personality to the entire space (and it really set the tone for this mood board). We also love how it pairs with this equally graphic and cheerful 4 x 6 rug from Dash & Albert, and we know it’ll really help connect the three separate zones (changing area, nursing/reading area, crib area) so the entire room feels pulled together right under that fabulous blue chandelier.
8. And last but not least we’d love to see long breezy white curtains on that big picture window to let in lots of light and keep things feeling airy and sweet. You can’t beat Vivan panels from Ikea when it comes to price, and the fact that they’re available in extra long lengths is the icing on the cake. We love that although we’re introducing a lot of punchy color and pattern, the white furnishings and long breezy curtains will really balance everything out so it’s playful without feeling overwhelming and busy. Oh nurseries are so much fun. Sigh.
So there you have it. A space for a little girl that’s full of punchy modern style. We can’t wait to see what you guys think! And if anyone else out there is in need of a custom makeover of their very own, click here for some decorating advice on the double.
Note: Our mood boards are now posted at least three days after they’re sent to the client (so they have a chance to purchase everything before it sells out).
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Comments
Very cute! The lime green isn’t working for me (I’d lean more towards an orange like the knobs) but I like everything else.
Very pretty and cheerful. I like it!
I just wanted to mention something regarding the crib – have you heard the statement released the other day by Inez Tenenbaum, the head of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: “all drop-side cribs by any manufacturer are unsafe and parents should stop using them”
I see the crib in this moodboard is a drop-side one…
Oh, and one more thing (sorry!) – the bedding bumper… do I recall you guys saying something about bumpers causing risk of suffocation?
Hey Ficopresley,
Good questions! We have heard of that recent crib recall (we actually whipped up this mood board last week and sent it off before those came out) but any simple white crib will do so there’s no need for it to be drop-side. The one Blayne was leaning towards (linked to above but not pictured) is actually not a drop-side one so that’s also great news (the one in the mood board is just to show the bedding). As for bumpers, they have also recently been called a suffocation hazard by experts so going without the bumper altogether (but using the fitted sheet and skirt) would easily eliminate that risk if Blayne wants to err on the safe side. There are also manufacturers who are now making “breathable bumpers” that are less dense and therefore should pose less of a suffocation risk so the other option is to snag one of those in one of the colors of our palette to soften things up if Blayne would like to go that route. Thanks so much for the safety reminders! It’s the most important thing in a nursery and of course we want nothing but the best for Blayne and her little bambino!
xo,
s
I LOVE THIS!! That bedding is exactly what I would want in a little girls room!! Would it be bad luck to order it even though I’m not expecting? LOL!! @Blayne: My son’s baby furniture is by Baby Dream…great choice and great quality. Can’t wait for the after shots.
Great mood board! Looks like a fresh & fabulous space for a little girl. Did you know Olympic Paint also offers a Zero VOC, low-odor, eco-preferred paint? We’ve got some great colors that might compliment your idea! Try Aqua Bay or South Pacific. http://www.olympic.com/paint_products/color_and_inspiration/index.htm Good luck and congratulations!
Sherry – Thanks for your response :) You & John always do a fantastic job and are always so thoughtful with your designs (and considerate of safety precautions). I just wanted to be sure that Blayne at least knew about the bumpers & drop-sides.
Cheers to another fab mood-board!
amazing – i think Blayne will be very happpy. Gotta say those letters you suggested she use over the change table – love them! A different take on the typical wood block letters you see in many nurserys. Love the white with the pop of bright colours too – i think this concept could work for any nursery! And very interested to see what you and John come up with for your little one.
OMG I love it. I love little girls rooms. Love all the great colors and that bedding is just so cute. That is going to be one very happy cheery baby.
OMG! Wish I was having a baby girl. I LOVE this nursery! I am tempted to go buy that bedding just in case.
This looks great! I had one baby/nursery related question. In your nursery design searches, have you seen any baby gates that are simple and modern? I’m having a really hard time finding ones that aren’t really ugly/expensive.
Hey Karah,
So sorry but we’re just not there yet! We’re still wrapping our mind around the fact that we’ll have a little one around and picking paint swatches but baby gates aren’t on our radar yet. Anyone else have any suggestions for Karah?
xo,
s
I don’t want to critize but is anyone concerned about the crib being in from of the window with long curtains and blinds? I can only speak for my son but he would pull those curtains and blinds down…of course he is much older and this may not be an issue for a new born. Just a concern…maybe place the changing table in front of the window since the child would always be supervised while on it?
Love this room! I’ve got two boys who both used the same nursery (since we didn’t want to take down the crib we just moved the toddler to a bigger room to make room for baby) so I haven’t ever had the chance to do anything quite so pretty. Just a reminder that you’ll want to either eliminate blinds for a roller shade or move the crib before baby can get into those nasty blinds that are a strangulation hazard. I don’t know if there are any blinds that are safe or not but better safe than sorry! :)
Beautiful stuff…and no, I can’t wait to see her reveal! Congratulations!
This is so cute, I almost wish I had a reason to do another nursery! Anyway, it may go without saying, but I thought I’d chime in with my thoughts about window treatments in a nursery. 1) You probably want to have the option to block out more light than the white curtains can alone, so it would be great to leave the white blinds up behind the curtains. 2) However, with the crib on that wall, you’ll have to be very careful that any cords are completely out of reach of a standing baby in the crib. Our cheap alternative to blinds with cords is a blackout roller shade in the nursery. When it’s up, it is nearly invisible behind the curtains or valance.
Hey Alicia, Melissa and Renae,
Great point! We actually mentioned that the crib should be pulled away from the window (about 18″) so it isn’t right up against the curtains so little baby fingers can’t grab anything through or over the bars once she gets old enough. But Blayne can definitely avoid more of the safety hazard by completely eliminating the blinds (since the cords are a strangulation hazard when Blayne’s little one gets a bit more agile) and even moving the crib even further away from the window (24″ or so should make it well beyond any baby’s reach) would totally solve the issue. Safety first! And we happen to love the look of a crib that floats a bit out from the wall instead of being squashed against the curtains anyway. It’s win-win. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Love it!!! Can’t wait for the after pic’s that I’m sure Blane will send!!!! And congrats to Blane and her family on the new addition :)
Our girl nursery is turquoise (white crib as well!), and I have some great suggestions for turquoise paint for those floors (which are TO DIE FOR)! I think I might have tested 20 different paint samples looking for that perfect turquoise that wasn’t too blue or too green.
We ended up going with Ace Hardware’s “Forgotten Secret” for the walls, but other options we tried were:
Behr’s Mermaid Treasure, Gem Turquoise, or Embellished Blue.
Valspar’s Rapids, Rushing Stream, or Turquoise Tint.
Hey Meredith,
Thanks so much for the paint suggestion! You’re definitely the turquoise expert!
xo,
Sherry
Smith and Hawking has great cordless blinds that truly are cordless – they are expensive but we didn’t want to risk anything else in our son’s nursery. Also, be careful about putting the crib near the big window. I don’t know if this room is on a second floor, but I know that windows are a safety hazard near cribs (we were going to put our crib near a window at first). I do think they sell protection to make a window safer so that a baby can’t fall through.
Overall, beautiful mood board! I would do every one of Sherry’s suggestions!
Hey Julia,
Great idea about the cordless blinds and the extra window safety precautions! Smart!
xo,
s
This baby gate is the bomb!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lindam-Premium-Extending-Wooden-Safety/dp/B001E19KQE
Ships from UK, so no idea what the shipping would run…
I love that this is for a little girl and it’s not themey! It looks like a room that Blayne’s little one can enjoy for years. Can’t wait to see the after pics!
J&S – I also can’t wait to see what you come up with for your little one!
I love this! I did my daughter’s nursery in a similar, non themy color scheme and Mckinley put these on her Christmas list to her grandparents :)(you know, 6 month olds are very prone to picking out their own fabulous artwork) http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34728401 and http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=34704825.
I actually painted the floor of my family room and it looks just like the picture you used! Same colors anyway. We had to rip up the carpet and didn’t want to spend a ton of money – took forever but totally worth it
The room looks great, and that wall bookcase for babies is super cute. But… having 2 kids myself, it’s not very functional long-term. I’d invest in a proper bookcase now and put it in the room. Keep the cute floating one to show off books, but you’ll need more book space so quickly. It doesn’t make sense to not factor it in now from the beginning. Within months, after showers and book sales you’ll have a big collection of books and there will be no room for them. Gotta think long-term in planning a kids’ room or you’ll get it perfect now only to have to factor in the additional furniture later. As for the whole curtain/crib issue, I doubt your room is big enough for the whole mid-room crib idea (but who knows…) so I’d just move it to a different wall. You can’t be too safe.
The bedding is awesome – great mood board – one of the best ones you’ve done, IMO :o)
So glad you went with the Cotton Tale Bedding…that was by far my favorite of the beddings Blayne had picked out. Awesome colors and patterns…can’t wait to see how this nursery turns out!
I have that chandelier too. You can find them at the thrift store for like $5 – $10 in a tacky brass color. I took mine down and spray painted and it looks lovely now.
I like it! I especially love that you thought of doing the dresser/changing table combo. That is exactly what we did for both kids and it works out great. Perfect height and the top drawers hold the diapers/wipes/etc needed for changing while the lower drawers hold the clothes.
And…remember to secure the dresser to the wall. Luckily ours was light so when dear daughter pulled it over onto herself (by opening all the drawers), she wasn’t seriously injured. (We did strap it to the wall after that)
Great tip Lynnor! Always remember to anchor all pieces of furniture that can topple down before your little one is mobile!
xo,
s
Blayne’s living room is one of my ALL-TIME favorite mood boards and gotta give her major kudos for sending in her after pics. This nursery is so cool! Blayne is a girl after my own heart to go with modern and fun rather than themey and babyish. Can’t wait to see the final outcome.
Great job! I love the color combo (I did my daugther’s nursery in turquoise and orange – see http://www.roomzaar.com/rate-my-space/Nurseries/Bright–Cheerful-Nursery-for-Baby-Girl/detail.esi?oid=6655577). Also loving the paint treatment idea and the anthro knobs. It’s fun to see others inspired by punchy fun colors for a girl’s nursery.
Always enjoy your blog… congrats on your good news!
This is so flippin cute! I can’t wait to see the “after” shots from Blayne. Sherry, I’m sure this was particularly fun for you since you have your own little one on the way. I can’t wait to see what you come up with for Burger’s little sibling!
i love that flooring treatment you are recommending! i hope they do it!
Very Cute! It’s so refreshing to see that a room can be sweet & girly without too much pink!
Totally cute. With very few changes (bed skirts, bumpers, etc) it can easily be transformed into a boy’s nursery – should the need arise in the future!
…I’m just sayin’…
that color palette is ridiculously cute! bright but not obnoxious, girly but not overly pink. congrats on another bulls-eye!
Thanks for all of the great comments! I love love love the mood board and I have already picked up a few items. I can’t wait to put it all together. To those who are concerned about the crib – the concern is about cribs with 3 fixed sides and one moveable side. The crib we are getting just has a small portion of the fourth side that folds down to make it easier to reach the baby. This is actually one of the things we like about it.
Karah – we have this gate, its not gorgeous, but its one of the best I have seen and it is available at Target:
http://www.amazon.com/First-Years-Home-D%C3%A9cor-Wood/dp/B001OBDKJW/ref=cm_cr-mr-title
Hey Blayne,
That’s great news about the crib! And we’re so excited to hear that you’re already ordering things and making headway. Can’t wait to see how it all turns out!
xo,
s
You can get the same bedding at overstock.com for about $50 less. http://www.overstock.com/Baby/Cotton-Tale-Lizzie-4-piece-Crib-Bedding-Set/3816668/product.html
Fabulous! Love the color scheme, the paint treatment and everything else too. :-)
My niece has this same bedding in her room. It’s so much cuter in real life. Can’t wait to see the final pictures!
Whew! Busy day. Just checked in to see your second post of the day – love, love, LOVE the colors!!! And the rug, and the bedding, and the knobs, and oh, everything!!
I LOVE the look of the breezy curtains to let light in, BUT. Having 2 kiddos myself, I have to say this: Nap time is going to be rough. Maybe you could layer the curtains in the room withe something lovely over top of the blackout curtains (shades). I can’t tell you how much of a difference those blackout curtains make when it’s nap time at our house! Just sayin. You could always pull the curtains back during the day to let the sun in, but you’ll have the light blockers for practicality’s sake.
Oh, what yummy cheerful girl’s room! I totally like your choice of colors.
The only thing that didn’t “sit” with me was the position of the crib in front of the window (no matter how much you move it away from the window). See, while we were expecting our first child, we were considering putting the crib in our master bedroom between our bed and the window, and a friend of ours said it’s a big NO-NO! (He joked and said he would call The society for animal protection :)) The concern is that right next to the window is not a good place, because of the possible draughts (plus, we like to sleep with the window ajar one inch, to breathe the fresh air during the night). The crib is now on the furthest wall opposite the window, and it’s a good place.
Another tip – after the baby starts crawling (around 6th month), you might need at least two bookshelves like those that Alicia G. put in her nursery for all the toys and things of interest for the little girl to explore on her own. You might also need some high shelves for the things you want to keep in the nursery but out of reach of the little one :)
Like always, I can’t wait to see the after photos, but this time it soothes me to know that it’s Blayne, who actually does send them :))
Hey Shooks & Mribaro,
Yup, we’ve definitely heard that blackout curtains can be a mom’s saving grace (although some parenting approaches like babies to sleep in light during the day so they sleep more soundly in darkness at night and can differentiate the difference between day sleep and night sleep) so if Blayne would like to line her white curtains or slip some blackout curtains behind the billowy white ones that’s totally an option. Our mood boards are always just starting points so if Blayne wants to add a bookcase here or move the crib to a different wall we totally understand- our design ideas are meant to be flexible!
xo,
s
Normally I snooze over nursery designs, but this is freaking adorable! Love it!
I love this punchy room! And those knobs are incredible. I just love Anthro knobs. Just an FYI: You can get a pair of sheer white curtains at Target for $10 as well. That’s where I grabbed mine at! (and it’s much closer to home for us Richmond folks!)
Also, I helped my friend with her bedroom recently. Although she doesn’t have a kid, I made her a reading nook in a corner of her bedroom. I placed bookshelves on one wall in the corner, and a chair in front, with a side table and reading lamp next to it. That way there’s easy access to the books and toys on the shelves while holding baby. My sister in law had a similar setup in her nursery, and it made it super easy to sit with my neice and THEN grab a book. If she gets fussy, just reach over for a toy. I’m glad you picked a side table with a drawer too. Good for holding passies and burp cloths in the drawer, and bottles sit on top while you situate baby. All right there at your disposal!
It’s hard to think of everything you’ll need in a nursery until you truly NEED the function. I’m no parent, I don’t know safety, but I need a functional layout when I have a baby in my arms and need an arm ful of things to work with at one time! I can’t wait to see your nursery for Baby Petersik (#2, since Burger is #1!).
Love this fab mood board with all the bright, modern colors and fun girly touches. If Blayne does not sew, she could order a new cover for the Poang chair from this site that has ready-made ones in a bunch of cute fabrics (melon dapper has all the colors of this room, but is a stripe very similar to the rug). Here’s the website: http://www.jcarolinehome.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=JH&Product_Code=poang_chair&Category_Code=30. Website also has directions on how to make your own cover. The ready-made covers seem a bit pricey at $75, but look very nice. Can’t wait to see the after photos of this room!
Hey Christine,
Great find! Love that website. Thanks so much for sharing it! And you’re right about the “melon dapper” cover. It’s perfect!
xo,
s
I love the cheerful design! However, I would hold off on the Poang chair makeover. It is a comfortable chair, but I found it impractical in our nursery. It’s too reclined for breastfeeding comfortably, or for getting out of with a sleeping baby in your arms. If I could have a do-over, I would have gotten a better chair or glider, given the looong nights we spent sitting there.
I want you to have a GIRL so that you can copy that room for yourselves! It’s really, really perfect.
I also switched out the knobs that came with our black Hemnes dresser/changing table with Anthro knobs in our own new bebe’s nursery. It adds SO much to the look in the room. Great call!
Hey Beth,
Thanks for the tip! The crib in the mood board is actually not the one Blayne will be picking up (we linked to the one she likes but showed that one in the mood board because it had the right bedding on it). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I love your baby room design – the bedding looks so fresh. Just a note about cribs with drop down sides – they are not recommended now. Storkcraft has just recalled over 2 million cribs with drop down sides so it is a good idea to check any cribs in use now. The manufacturers of cribs may soon not make any more with drop down sides. If installed incorrectly they can cause gaps between the mattress and the crib wall which can be fatal. Also your picture of bedding shows bumper pads and possibly a pillow in the crib and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death) groups do not recommend either of these items. I hate to be so negative but you want the safest environment for your present and future children.
All the best
Wendy
Hey Wendy,
Thanks so much for the tip! The crib that Blayne is leaning towards (which we linked to in the post) actually isn’t a drop down side crib (the one in the mood board is just there for the bedding, not the actual crib design). We also talked about how Blayne could forgo the bumper in the comments above since they’re no longer recommended due to the suffocation issue. You can read more about those discussions above. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
We have the round Anthropologie knobs in turqoise on my old toddler dresser that we repainted white. They look fantastic. They are a little wobbly because they don’t screw in prefectly. Also, our toddler loves to unscrew them because he can. He hasn’t taken one totally out, but theoretically the inner nut could be a choking hazard if the kiddo gets to it. I will probably be putting a little glue on to hold them in place. The dresser was just the unfinished pine type from the 70′s. An older dresser with thicker drawer fronts might work better. A cheap IKEA or particle board type might need the glue fix.
Just another tip: I love anthropologie knobs (and have bought a few in the past), but discovered that Hobby Lobby carries a large amount of the exact same glass and ceramic knobs for about $2 ea, instead of $8-$15 ea. If there is one in Blayne’s area, every little bit helps!
Great nursery design. We love to see such creative ideas, and we’re happy you have chosen our Baby’s Dream Ocean crib for the nursery. The white of the crib is a really high gloss white, similar to an Ipod, so I think it will go perfectly with the clean/transitional/contemporary design you laid out. Can’t wait to see final pics.
Also, glad to hear comments about crib safety and this is definitely top of mind in light of all the recalls recently. As a tip when shopping for baby products look for ones that are JPMA certified.
Hi Sherry!
I am obsessed with your blog and have a burning question for you! My daughter is almost two and our crib was recalled and now I can’t decide if I should do espresso or white…I have the Sophie bedding from pottery barn and I am looking at the Lauren crib by Graco in white or espresso. How do you feel about light and dark furniture? Does it depend on the sex? What are you guys doing for your baby girl? I am DYING to see your mood board for her. Is espresso more boy and white for girl? Most of the room is white with baby pink walls it’s not to matchy matchy but definitely ties into the bedding. Thanks Sherry! And congrats on your beautiful baby girl! I am biased but I think little girls are the best!!!!
Hey Steph,
We love it both and we think both finishes can work for either sex. Espresso and white furniture are like neutrals in a room, so you can add punchy accessories and bedding and art to take things from “gender-neutral” to boy or girl. In your case an espresso crib would bring drama and elegance to the light pink walls with white accents. If you went with white for the crib it would be a lighter and fluffier look since the darker wood would ground things and add a bit of contrast. Either way you can’t go wrong. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Um…HELLO!!!! I love it!!! Oh my gosh how stinking cute, I just can’t wait to see what you come up with for your own nursery. Not to be bias but I would love to see a little girl Petersik!