In the Nursery with Alexandra Calame

Today we are touring the beautiful nursery of Alexandra Calame. Her daughter’s nursery is a calm, neutral space with just enough pops of pink. And if you love the design as much as we do, you’ll be happy to know that this is what Alexandra does for a living, and her expertise is available to you in a super accessible way. Her brand new company Inspired By…Designs is an online full service interior design company that helps you create a space that inspires you. They provide customized mood boards, 3D room renderings and full product lists to help you get the room of your dreams. Hear what Alexandra has to say about creating her own daughter’s beautiful nursery.

Tell us a little about you.
I was always interested in interior design, but it wasn’t until a few years after college that I realized it was what I wanted to do full time. By that time, I was already working for a small nonprofit doing their online marketing, as well as working on another online fashion tech startup. Finally, when my husband and I were in the process of purchasing our first home, I realized that I needed to take the leap and go back to school and start my career as an interior designer.

Crib | Rug

As an interior designer, I know it is important to create a space that both my daughter and my family would love spending time in. Most importantly, I wanted to design a room that would be a safe and comforting place for Addi to sleep, play and learn in.

Elephant Hamper | Dresser | Diaper Pail

Tell us about your design process. Did you start with one central item or idea that served as your inspiration?
The first thing I purchased for her room was the tiger print from The Animal Print Shop, and I suppose I picked out the rest of the furniture and accent pieces based on that print. At the time, I didn’t know if we were having a boy or a girl, but I liked that the safari animals could go either way. Once we did find out we were having a girl, I really wanted to make sure the room wasn’t overwhelmingly pink. Using pops of pink in her bedding and other textiles in the room, while keeping the rest of the colors neutral gave me the look I was going for.

What was the most important thing you wanted to achieve when creating this space?
When creating Addison’s room, I wanted to make sure it was a room that could grow with her. While it was important that it had features of a baby nursery, I wanted it to be easy for me to make small modifications here and there as she got older without having to do a total bedroom makeover.

Rocker | Ottoman

What is your favorite thing about the room?
My favorite part of her room is definitely her gallery wall. I love how all the prints and little sayings on the wall personalize the space and make it individual to her. I also know that as she gets a little older, I can switch the prints out with pictures from important milestones in her life.

Animal Prints | Addison Print

Elephant Hooks

What’s the first thing people notice when stepping foot into this room?
Most people notice the tassel mobile over her bed. It’s probably one of my favorite things in her room. I pretty much hated all the traditional mobiles I found, and when I came across this one on Etsy, I knew it would go perfectly in her room. I will probably have to move it to another spot in a few months when she is old enough to stand up in her crib (it will most likely go over her rocking chair), but in the meantime, she loves to stare at the colors and movement of the paper as she falls asleep.

Tassel Mobile | Butterfly Decals

Like most of the other rooms in our home, Addison’s room is pretty simple. Her walls are neutral, and her furniture is all one color. I used gold accents and small pops of pink throughout the room to tie everything together.

photography by Jackie Tobman Photography