Ava’s Eclectic Nursery

Description

I wanted to give our youngest a room that could grow with her, and was not too frilly. Lavender was a big leap of faith for me, I tend to stay on the more earthy/neutral side of the color wheel. But my oldest daughter convinced me lavender was 'It"! This nursery was also done on a budget with lots of bargain hunting. I never settled for less than top quality, just waited for sales & steals!

Design Inspiration

A vintage baby quilt I purchased as a teenager was the inspiration for Ava's nursery. The tiny star patterned quilt draped over my grandmother's steamer trunk which sat at the foot of my bed while I lived at home. As an adult, it travelled with me to my new house, but was in storage without a place, until Ava came into being.  It now hangs happily in her room.

Decorating Style

I think my style would be classified as Traditional, Transitional, Vintage, Eclectic. I'm kinda' all over the board when it comes to the 'rules' of decorating. I really only subscribe to one~ "Have nothing in your home that is not useful, or that you do not believe to be truly beautiful." ~ William Morris 

We live in a 1916 Colonial Revival Foursquare Farmhouse, which for me bears some reverance. I try to decorate in keeping with my home's history, as well as my family's needs for function and storage. Which can certainly be a challenge with such small closets, but we make do!

Project Details

Ava's room is really a mish-mash of things we already had, and things that I HAD to have. The crib and dresser were hand-me-downs from her two older siblings, and the night stand came from our bedroom while the co-sleeper took up residence next to my side of the bed. The bedding is from Pottery Barn Kids,  It took me a while hunting it all down on ebay (I fell in love with a pattern, that had been discontinued). Her lavender gingham curtains, diaper stacker, alarm clock and hanging bird are also from PBK, and the great lamp is from their teen store, Pottery Barn Teen.   The storage bin, 'Acordian to Me' Peg Rack, Wall Letters, and many of her stuffed animals are from Land of Nod, my go-to place for all things fun & eco-friendly.

To me, the best things in the room,  are the vintage pieces. Like my great-grandmother's floral hand-hooked rug, the needlepoint rocker (which is deceptively comfortable) and the barley twist wash basin. I found the child-sized mission style rocker for a song at a local antique shop, and my little one loves to rock along side me while I read to her.

Favorite Items

Probably one of the more unique things in her room...an art print by Sara Jane Studios entitled "Read With Me". It's got such a great vintage vibe!

I also love the wall color, I used Sherwin Williams' NoVOC paint, and was able to paint the room while pregnant with out any worries!

Advice

Just do what you feel. I love dark wood, it's not traditionally used in a girl's nursery, but really think I made it work. Spend time getting to know your baby. Her room was not 100% complete on the day we brought Ava home from the hospital. Which seemed like the end of the world to me (at the time) but really gave me a chance to see what I did and did not need, and what things would really be of most benefit.

Some of the most helpful things in her room are the things you don't see, like the small fan we use for white noise, the video baby monitor that gives me enough peace of mind to finally get a good night's sleep, Violet the puppy from Leapster who plays all Ava's favorite lullabyes or the Mobi TykeLight that illuminates her room just enough, but not too much, and is practically indestructable.