Immersion in Nature

Description

Birds, hatching, nesting... I have long yearned for this little one! In my research, I study how the environment affects babies (and all ages), and thus have been planning this nursery for the last 10 years. It is exciting to finally make it a reality! We want baby Rem to cultivate a relationship with nature and grow in a serene and peaceful setting. My dad (Thomas) and I had so much fun building the DIY pieces.

Design Inspiration

We are renters, so were not able to paint the walls or perform any major renovations. We opted for removable wall decals and three dimensional sculptural pieces like the aspen trees and mobiles to add depth.

I tried to ground the design in research evidence... contrast (such as stripe patterns) is appealing to babies, and the aspen decals mimic those patterns. The closest colors to the sky are said to help regulate circadian rhythms, so I chose light blue for that reason. The plants offer healthful benefits such as humidity and air filtration. They are a sign of life! The bookshelf is low, Montessori style, promoting independence to reach his own books and toys.

Decorating Style

Rustic
Simple
Nature-inspired

Project Details

Crib - Oeuf Rhea in Walnut
Dresser - Magnussen Bailey
Rug - Ikea
Bookshelf - Ikea
Glider - Babyletto Madison
Mobile - Moon-Lily Silk Mobiles http://www.etsy.com/shop/MoonLilyMobiles
Aspen decals - www.wallums.com
Changing Tray, DIY - http://pinterest.com/pin/354377064399167639/
Bird Painting - Artist Brian Boner, http://brianboner.com
Bird Print - Children Inspire Design,  www.childreninspiredesign.com

 

Favorite Items

The bird nest on the branch was put up on a whim. We had the branch laying around in the garage from a project we built last summer (a wolf inspired room for our 8 year old).

Advice

I contacted a local tree removal service for the trees. They were very kind and helpful.

The hardest part of the project was finding furniture made of wood with a more natural finish - I didn't want a white or ebony crib/dresser, and there were not many options that fell in between. I hope that furniture manufacturers will start adding more natural wood tones and textures that are affordable.