Nurseries will alway be some of my favorite design projects. I think I could design a hundred of them and keep finding new ways to make a simple room special. One of my favorite parts about design is problem solving–finding ways to make a space work more efficiently for a client and their family. Two of the first things I ask a client is how they want a space to feel, and what the space’s most important functions are. And what could be more functional than a nursery?

While some people end up co-sleeping and using their nurseries as a glorified storage closet, I’ve found that using intention in designing a space like this can make what can be a challenging time (welcoming a new baby to the family) more peaceful. A nursery should feel like a retreat where you can change, nurse, and cuddle your baby. Let’s be clear–a beautiful nursery is mostly for the parents. (See my nursery here). The baby will be just fine sharing a room with parents or siblings, and really doesn’t care a bit that the wallpaper has bunnies or that the curtains are the perfect length. But if you’re anything like me, having a fully finished space feels very calming to your mind and soul, and preparing a space for your new little one can be a good way to prepare your heart for them, too.

This nursery was one I designed for a dear friend when she was pregnant with her first baby, a little boy, who now has the sweetest gummy baby smile. She wanted to include her favorite things along with her husband’s, and lucky for me they have a lot of overlap. They both love sports, and she’s been playing music her entire life, so we needed to include both athletics and arts into this room. When I asked if she had thought about a color palette, she said she wanted to keep the walls white to blend with the rest of their home, but loved the idea of a classic blue boy’s nursery.

I was excited to use vintage tennis rackets in an art installation, and when I presented the client with the idea, she was able to find a few in her parent’s garage, which made them all the more special. Because this room needs to function at times as a guest room, we included a comfortable hide-a-bed sofa. We wanted to make sure that every piece of furniture would be a long-term investment, not something the baby would outgrow too quickly. Having multi-functional furniture pieces allows a room to grow with a child, rather than needing to change the whole room frequently.

This room is filled with mementos from the baby’s parents’ babyhoods, including some of the art above the crib. The custom Titans jersey was another fun nod to the baby’s dad, who works for the Titans.

We specified a different rug for this space originally, but the client wanted a more functional playspace, and this comfortable foam tile rug has been a great space for her baby to learn to crawl and play with their dog.

Their dog, Mr. Darcy, is a great big brother, and conveniently went well with our light wood, white, and blues color palette. The rocker here is his adorable doppelgänger, and though the baby isn’t old enough yet to use it, I’m sure he’ll love it as he grows.

We did choose a gorgeous rocker for this space, but at the time we took photos, the clients were using it in another part of the house, as their son was still too little to be sleeping in his own room. A good glider/recliner/rocker is crucial though, in my opinion! I know I’ve logged countless hours in both the one I have in my own nursery and the one I have in our primary bedroom. The clients loved it so much they wanted to use it when their son was a newborn, and I don’t blame them!

I’m so happy these clients love this space, and I hope their son grows to love it and have many sweet childhood memories here.

If you’re interested in my design (or real estate) services, you can book a free discovery call with me here

xo,

Grace