Bridget’s Nursery: Creating a Lovely Space

I’ve had the great fortune to be a part of creating a lot of different nurseries and it still remains one of my favorite things to do. The time and care that goes into creating this sanctuary for the arrival of your baby and for you is a truly special time and the process should be enjoyed almost as much as the end product. I always know the success of a nursery when I’m sitting in the rocker, holding my baby, and looking around at all the surfaces and pieces. They make me feel so calm and able to totally focus on the beautiful bundle of joy in my arms. Unlike future kids rooms, the nursery is as much for you as it is your baby. You will spend countless hours in there feeding, bonding, and playing that you really need to love it too.

Our house is a wild and crazy place full of fun and little ones running everywhere! I wanted to make sure Bridget’s nursery was not over stimulating but instead a quiet, calming and serene place that we could both go to for those small pockets during the day when we need some quiet. As much as I love playing pirates, I had a hunch that she will eventually be bored of me feeding her while her siblings waved foam swords around her head! Although I wanted it to be serene, I always like to have some elements that inspire the imagination. It is after all a place I hope she will dream of adventures and fantastical journeys. I had the great fortune to work with Vanessa Antonelli on this nursery and I’d love to take you inside of it.

The Golden Unicorn Bust from Pottery Barn: Besides from my other kids loving the idea of having a unicorn in the house, I love the fantasy of it and I know it will inspire many a bedtime story in years to come. It also gives us something fun and entertaining to do when I’m changing her. As she gets older and starts to squirm on the changing table, I can pretend to feed the unicorn, name it and so on to keep her entertained. Plus, it allowed me to tie in my love of gold; which is often a tough color to incorporate into a nursery without being gaudy.

Duc Duc Changing Table and Matching Crib: By using gold hardware and a subtle washed gold paint, these pieces are so pretty but also uniquely modern it will suit her even as she transitions to a big girl bedroom. I love that when you open the drawers you get a surprise pop of pink, which is less traditional than using pink elsewhere but equally as girly! Little elements, like drawer interior painting, can really make a nursery have dimension and add little thoughtful surprises that make you smile.  Also, as her tastes change with age, we can easily change this to a different pop color or even a print!

Oilo Leather Piped Chair: Having been part of many a nursery creations, I am all too familiar with the best fabrics for stain resistance and are easy to clean. Believe it or not, leather or faux leather is one of the best choices; I chose white leather with pink piping for Bridget’s room. The leather is so unique and sleek for a nursery and can grow with Bridget as her tastes mature! I also love a glider with a winged back so I have somewhere to put my head if I should manage to catch a quick catnap in the middle of a nighttime feeding!

Wall Tiles from Inhabit Living: We live in a beautiful old house and with it comes some rather wonky walls making wallpapering difficult. These wall tiles are amazing and give an entirely contemporary feel to an old wall. They come in many patterns and you simply paint them with VOC free paint to completely transform a room when wallpaper isn’t possible.

Something Soft Underfoot from Jaipur Rugs: I love Something Soft Underfoot for babies’ tootsies and tummy time. Rugs are a great way to incorporate playful prints into a nursery. With a color scheme of white, gold, and pink, I added a subtle animal print for the rug giving the room a little spice!