Design Reveal: Cara Loren’s Nursery

Fashion and lifestyle blogger Cara Loren recently revealed her baby son Arrow’s nursery along with a fabulous giveaway (see details below), and we were lucky enough to get the scoop on the nursery design from Annalisa Thomas, founder and head designer of Oilo. We’re sure you are going to love this modern nursery space (make sure you keep your eyes open for our faux antlers from The Project Nursery Shop), and we thank Annalisa for giving us all the details below!

Stokke Sleepi, Berkeley Chandelier, Rug

Tell us about your design process. Did you start with one central item or idea that served as your inspiration?

We definitely start with Pinterest. We want to see what the client’s style is. What colors does she like? What is she pinning without really thinking about an exact space? This alone can tell us a lot about a person’s style. Once we’ve dissected a client’s style, we’ll start looking at color boards and furniture.

We always start with the crib and bedding, dresser and glider. They are the biggest pieces in the room. By finalizing these items, you’ll get a good sense of what the room is going to look like. The next big piece is paint and/or wallpaper and a rug. We pick these second because there are a lot more options so we can use them to tie in our whole color theme. Once you have those five main pieces, everything starts to come together—art, accessories, pillows, lighting, etc. As long as you are always connecting everything back to those five pieces, your room will come together beautifully.

Sharon Montrose Animal Prints

What was the most important thing you wanted to achieve when creating this space?

We want the nursery to be a place mom can relax and enjoy with their baby. That is our main goal. The outside world is loud and disruptive. We want this to be your sanctuary for just you and your little one.

What is your favorite thing about the room?

There are so many great pieces in this room. I love the light. I love the hexagon shelves. I love the mobile. We brought together some very talented companies that have great style, and together they created this amazing room.

Oilo Penelope Glider, Hexagon Shelves, Side Table, Lamp

Did you have any unexpected obstacles when creating this room?

We had such a hard time finding someone to make the hexagon shelves. We knew we wanted them. We’d seen them around, but they were so hard to find. Once we found the right etsy shop, she turned them around in just a couple days (just in time for our photo shoot), and she did a great job. They are amazing.

What’s the first thing people notice when stepping foot into this room?

We always get comments on Stokke’s Sleepi oval crib. People are still amazed that cribs can be oval. It’s also so versatile since it can go from a bassinet all the way to a toddler bed.

Oilo Finn Crib Bedding, Blabla Stuffed Toys

Dresser, Mirror, Diaper Pail

Do you have any words of advice for other designers and parents?

People always want to know where to start. That’s why I always recommend pinterest. Look to see what is trending on your own boards. A lot of times people have a style they are drawn to, they just don’t know it until they really look. Then focus on the first three pieces of furniture I talked about above—crib and bedding, dresser, and glider.

Faux Antlers, Babyhome So-Ro Cradle, House Shelf

What did you enjoy most about the design process?

I loved working with Cara. She’s seriously just as beautiful in person as she is in her pictures, and she’s the nicest person you’ll ever meet. She’s a super hard worker too. When we did the install she was right there with us getting down and dirty.

This room is an extension of Cara’s home decor style. She love pieces and color that reflect nature with an urban twist. It’s very cool.

Dreamcatcher Mobile

Cara Loren is hosting a giveaway valued at over $3500, featuring many of the products and brands seen in her son’s nursery. A gift card to The Project Nursery Shop is included in the prize package! Be sure to enter below soon because the giveaway ends Sunday night.

Photography by Britt Anderson Photo

Arrow’s Nursery Giveaway!