The title of my post is a complete contradiction, yet after discovering this charming inspiration board that uses Ikea accessories, retro chairs and vintage elephant framed art, it makes perfect sense!

Jenny created this beautiful inspiration board to inspire her dear friend Anna. Anna recently moved into a new home and needed to come up with a design for her children’s shared (boy/girl) nursery. Jenny must be a super friend because she even spied cool chairs from Anna’s local craigslist - mind you Anna lives in a different city! You can learn more about the gender-neutral details (from fabric to ricrac) and Jenny by visiting her darling decor blog Little Green Notebook.

Tags: Baby Nurseries, Design Boards, Gender Neutral, Twins

Mandy Ford’s “This Girl’s Life” just got a bit more complicated for the better on May 30th, 2008, with the arrival of twin boys Ben and Landon. 

Kudos to Mandy’s on her choice of dark paint for the nursery: ”Tree Branch” by Sherwin Williams. Mandy says she was going for ”a subtle nature theme with owl accessories…the main colors being, sage green and chocolate brown, with aqua blue accents”.

We have to admit that the crib bedding found at Walmart has impressed us lately. We knew they are affordable, but had no idea that they offered such a modern, good-looking selection.

It’s all in the details, otherwise known as great accessories! The owl theme makes a sweet statement with an owl lamp from Urban Outfitters, owl bank from Target and cool owl rub ons for their wooden letters. Splashes of color brightens the room with a green clock from Restoration Hardware and aqua suitcases from Hobby Lobby.

Cherished family details include a little green rocker that was Mandy’s Dad’s when he was a boy, an antique corner cabinet passed down from Mandy’s parents and curtains made by Mandy’s mother-in-law which are to include brown ric-rac on the bottom, eventually. You know, when Mandy has a free moment!

All the best to the Ford Family! Enjoy your boys and their new room. - PN

Tags: Baby Nurseries, Brown, DIY, Inspiration, Twins

Congratulations Project Nursery reader Johanna and her husband Gustaf on welcoming twins Casimir (8 lb / 20.5 Inches) and (Casper 7 lb 10 oz/ 20.5 inches) into the world this past Friday…WOW! The boys are very fortunate to be coming home to a most spectular nursery!

A “little less baby and a little more fun” was the route style-savvy parents took to create the nursery.  They did a wonderful job mixing family favorites with bright colors to create a room their boys could grow in. Johanna, shares with us all the yummy details…

“As they say double the fun…but also double the stuff! We had to ensure that we had enough storage so we could keep the room nice and tidy. Thus, my husband built the closet out with IKEA PAX. We complemented it with an IKEA HEMNES dresser which was made into a changing table. We also customized the dresser with specialty knobs from ANTHROPOLOGIE to give it a new spin.

We gave the boys each an IKEA BILLY bookcase. Since I collect model Fiat500s, I received these for each boy as gifts. I also bought them one each on our last trip to Rome. Instead of a rocker, we included a small loveseat (also IKEA-EKTORP) so both of us could feed the babies at the same time. The cribs were bought at GIGGLE. They are the OEUF SPARROW. The organic bedding is from GAP, and this is where we decided to incorporate the navy blue.

The paint color is SHERWIN-WILLIAMS, yellow twist (It’s HARMONY INTERIOR with low odor and low VOC, perfect for children’s rooms). We had the painter paint horizontal stripes to make the longest wall look longer, and also break up the yellow throughout the room. We found the rug at WEST ELM. It has a great repetitive pattern that freshens up the entire room.
Curtains and accent pillows are from POTTERY BARN. Both the waste basket and toy basket are from THE LAND OF NOD (Thank you Project Nursery!) including the airplane curtain rod that goes with their “boy” theme of airplanes (their grandfather is also a pilot!).

The frames over the cribs are my husbands from when he was a baby. They are 19th century Swedish Military portraits. We reframed them for a softer look. The mobile was actual a wedding gift to us that we decided to put in the boys room. The vintage airplanes are subtle and don’t have that plasticy look that many baby toys now have.”

So very fresh, fun and fascinating! We love absolutely everything about the twins “Lemon Twist Nursery”! Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us. We wish you and newest members of your family all best!

Tags: Baby Nurseries, Gender Neutral, Ikea, Inspiration, Twins, Yellow

…but Twice as Nice!

The crib bedding, wall art and changing pad cover were all purchased from the lovely online women and children’s boutique, Layla Grayce. Target’s “Simply Shabby Chic” bed linens beautifully compliment her designer crib duds.

Soft green walls are wonderful and neutral but finding the right green isn’t always easy. I recently learned this lesson while helping my friend choose a green for her little girl’s room. Next time I’ll take a cue from the twins room and suggest Behr’s Disney Paint Collection sold at Home Depot: Christopher Robin’s Swing, dc4a-30-2.

The rockers for mommy and babies are not only practical but give off that shabby chic vibe. The playful pink seating area for the twins gets plenty of use during story time. Besides, every room needs a personalized soft seat for their little one from Pottery Barn Kids (which makes a great baby gift).

And finally, a reminder that accessories do matter. Hanging sweet tutu’s, displaying customized plates, cuddly friends and pink piggy banks complete the room, making it perfect in every way!

Tags: Baby Nurseries, Bedding, DIY, Green, Inspiration, Pink, Shabby Chic, Twins