Wildly Inspired Nurseries

Every so often I have parents who are looking to introduce some wildlife-themed décor into their child’s nursery or bedroom. Kids love that flora and fauna feeling, and you’ll appreciate what a fun learning tool it can be!

I find that mixing subtle jungle accents with bold animal patterns offers a pleasant balance without taking over the room. The animals rule the land in this picture below, from Susanna Salk‘s book Room for Children. I love the gentle, flowing white canopies in the background; they lend a cozy and welcoming atmosphere to this fearsome décor.

Mixing this theme with the vibrant bohemian hues of turquoise and ruby can be a whimsical treat. The bohemian-inspired nursery below is also from Susanna Salk’s Room for Children. The gorgeous white shag rug gives it an untamed and eclectic feel. These mini poofs below, from Zid Zid, would be another fantastic addition to the room.

Before embarking on the journey of designing a nursery, I have always said that storyboards are the best way to gather and organize your ideas and inspirations. This one below, from Custom Nursery Art, is an excellent example of that planning stage. Gathering ideas that are grounded in a soft creme background is another way to soften the animal accents. Contrary to popular fashion belief, animal prints such as zebra, giraffe and leopard can often play the role of neutrals. Zebra print rugs and wild wall décor can convey a ‘king of the jungle’ feel without taking over the room.

Again, from Room for Children, Susanna Salk demonstrates the beauty of wild wall decals. If the jungle is not what you’re looking for, try the forest for friendly creatures that add a breath of fresh air to the room. Wall décor is a great way to add woodland animals like deer, birds and squirrels to your menagerie of friends.

These wildlife-inspired wall decals are a great way to bring a touch of nature into the nursery, without committing to a bearskin rug or zebra print chair. For a personalized touch, our friends over at Oopsy Daisy used pastel animal wall decals to incorporate names into the wall décor.

Oopsy Daisy has a gorgeous collection of animal and nature inspired wall prints for children. I love these unique prints below, and any alphabet prints are always welcomed in the nursery in my book.

Cocoon Couture also has some fabulous nature-themed accessories for the nursery or child’s room. From the Early Bird Book Ends and Sleepy Owl Wall Hook, perfect for the nursery, to the Enchanted Tree Hanging Rack and Jungle Critters Height Chart, ideal for the transition from nursery to room, Cocoon Couture has decor for children of all ages. Including an adorable collection of wall art, like the Tiger picture below…

Could you use any of these accessories in your child’s room or nursery? Would they fit in with another theme? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Annette Tatum

Annette Tatum

Santa Monica, CA based Annette is the creator of the interior decor lines, House, Little House and Annette Tatum Collections. She is also the author of The Well-Dressed Home, which features her universal style guide for translating your sense of fashion into home design.

Comments

  1. Mindy

    February 25, 2011

    WOW thank you for these. I guess that wall decals are still the easiest way to get a wildlife themed nursery going for you. I love etsy for the exact same reason. I also love those prints from oopsy daisy, as well as the accessories you featured. This just proves that you don’t really have to overpower a nursery with fearsome looking creatures just to have a wildlife theme. Thank you for the inspiration!

  2. Nellie Atwood

    March 3, 2011

    I so love what you suggest here. My Lisa is now 8 and thankfully, she is a gifted artist. I find that I can frame some of her works, including animal art very similar to the ones you have here from Oopsy Daisy. Then I could just buy the accessories, the mini-poufs and the other stuff you suggested here to make her room look great.

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