In the Nursery with Natasha Lawler

Welcome to our brand new interview series where we bring you the nurseries of successful designers, entrepreneurs and moms. Through this series, our featured guests will divulge some of their design secrets and share stories of how their nurseries came to be.

We thought we’d kick things off with our favorite Hong Kong Housewife, Natasha Lawler. Natasha not only blogs about her experiences as a wife and new mom overseas, but she is also the Director of Public Relations and Partnership Marketing at one of our favorite online paper good and printing stores, Minted. You’re probably already familiar with their super-thick luxe birth announcements, nursery art and holiday cards.

May we also mention that Natasha puts her creativity to use helping others? Earlier this year, she co-captained an initiative to help refugee women in Sai Ying Poon earn income by teaching them to knit and crochet. Read what this big-hearted design mama has to say about her son Francis Xavier’s nursery below.

We love how calming yet interesting Francis Xavier’s nursery is. Did you start with one central item or idea that served as your inspiration?

I wanted it to be both a happy and calm place. Although I know he will one day do a lot of playing in his nursery, for now he mostly sleeps and eats in this room so I didn’t want it to be overstimulating. I started with my wedding colors—blue and yellow. I found the Clarke & Clarke Globetrotters wallpaper, and I instantly fell in love. The wallpaper showcases so many places that are important to us. The Golden Gate Bridge represents my hometown, San Francisco, where I met my husband. The Coliseum in Rome is where we honeymooned. The Great Wall of China is Francis Xavier’s birthplace and home. Then there’s the Empire State Building, which gives a little love to the Big Apple where we’ve spent so much time working and hanging out with great friends.

What did you enjoy most about the design process?

For me the nursery was a really important step in my pregnancy because it made our new arrival so much more real and concrete. It really helped me get ready mentally and emotionally for Francis to enter our home and lives! Although I do think it’s really important to plan it out, you also have to let a project grow organically. I would suggest not buying everything at once. Over the first eight months of my pregnancy, a lot of crazy nursery ideas came and went. I was glad I didn’t rush into committing to any of those as I eventually settled quite naturally on this theme.

The Mommy and Daddy Loves You art is so much fun! Speaking of growing organically, what’s next for the room?

Those are hand-painted silhouettes my friend Kim gave me at my shower. I’m looking forward to adding some photographs of Francis Xavier with loved ones and his framed birth announcement from Minted.

Is there anything you learned when designing this nursery that will help you with your next room update? 

I learned that it’s good to let your inspiration board and your plans for a room evolve and change. It will naturally work itself out, and you’ll be thankful that you didn’t rush your decisions and make any big mistakes!

photographs by Becky Benians