Alexandra’s Safari Nursery

Description

A pair of first-time parents-to-be approached me with a simple task: design a nursery for their soon to arrive, sex unknown baby that would incorporate a) a stuffed giraffe and b) a photograph of a bicycle. Oh, and it had be easily adaptable as a nursery for the next child that came along. Piece of cake! Not. Luckily, these parents were super open to creative ideas and we were soon able to decide on a neutral palette with hints of bright yellow and turquoise, combined with a subtle safari subtext. (However, once the stuffed giraffe was joined by the HUGE stuffed elephant that "subtle" safari theme went out the window!)

Design Inspiration

I found the painting that now hangs over the crib in the couple's basement. Turns out, it was painted by the mother's best friend and was given to the couple as a wedding gift. We used that as the jumping off point for the room - it was the source of our color palette, as well as the inspiration behind the yellow bookshelves, and the painterly motif on the window treatment fabric and wallpaper.

Decorating Style

The client's style is very clean and crisp. She is drawn to bold shapes for large pieces, but does not shy away from whimsical accents (like the gorgeous floor lamp in the reading nook!).

Project Details

The wallpaper is Large Squares by Graham and Brown. The crib is the Mercer Crib by Pottery Barn Kids. The glider is the Grano model by Monte. The Pisa Leaning Shelves (color no longer available) and Bennet dresser are by Room and Board. The Dream Managerie Rug is by Anthropologie. The floor lamp is by Stray Dog Designs. The pendant is from Plantation Design (no longer available). The bedding was custom made by Carousel Designs.

Favorite Items

Hands down, my favorite item in the room is the white textured wallpaper. The square design is very subtle, but the best part about it is that it's tactile - it's incredibly squishy and spongey! Great for kids. The best part for parents, though, is that it's wipeable with soap and water - and paintable! So it was perfect for these parents who are looking to use this room for other children, down the line.

Advice

When designing a nursery, gather objects that you love and that have special meaning to you. Try to use those as your starting points. Here, we were able to incorporate artwork that was special to the parents, making that a focal point of the room. Even if these items were not "intended" for kids, it's usually possible to find a place for them. Just be creative!