In the Nursery with Lauren Behfarin

Lauren Behfarin is no stranger to beautiful design—she started her career in the world of fashion, working for designer brands like Michael Kors and Alice + Olivia, before taking that leap of faith to start her own business. Combining a passion for interior design with her experience in fashion, she launched Lauren Behfarin Design, and with one beautiful space after another gracing her portfolio, she hasn’t looked back.

Not only is she a talented designer and entrepreneur, but Lauren is also mama to two littles, two-year-old Gemma and six-month-old Leo. With her knowledge of children’s design and her experience with her first-born to guide her, she recently completed Leo’s modern woodland nursery. Today she’s giving us a tour of the beautiful space, as well as sharing her nursery design advice for parents-to-be. Thanks, Lauren!

Design inspiration can come from anywhere—what inspired your nursery design?
From the moment I knew I was having a boy, I went right to my pile of wallpaper samples for this birch tree paper from Cole & Son and designed the entire room around it.

How did your design evolve when you transitioned from the planning phase to the execution of your vision?
When planning this room, I knew I wanted to keep a slight woodsy theme from the wallpaper, and I was going to use blues and turquoises to accent the black and white. But once I started to see it come together, there was some depth missing, and I ended up added yellow accents in the crib sheets and hamper to offset the blues.

Chalkboard Paint | Woods Wallpaper

Moda Crib | Wool Kilim Rug

Now that the room is complete, what was your favorite part of the process? And what do you love the most about the finished design?
I loved designing this room because it was for my second child, and I wasn’t as overwhelmed by all the baby necessities as I was with my first child. I had a lot more fun with the design this time around. We had a couple hand-me-down items from my daughter’s room that I wanted to use, like the glider and the pullout sofa. I had originally wanted to use her old rug too, but it wasn’t fitting with the design. I ended up buying a new West Elm rug, and I am so happy that I did because it ties in the entire space!

What is that one thing that everyone mentions when they step into this space?
Everyone loves the chalkboard wall, and that always makes me giggle because it is the easiest thing to replicate. Just buy a small jar of Benjamin Moore chalkboard paint, and do two coats on any wall in your house. It’s simple but easy to personalize, and coloring on it is a great rainy day activity for the kids.

Luca Glider

If you had to choose one aspect of the design that is uniquely you, what would it be?
I think the part of the nursery that is unique to my design aesthetic is that it doesn’t feel too much like a baby’s room. The colors are bold rather than the typical pastel, and the room can easily grow with my child.

What were your nursery must-haves when you started? Has that changed since you started using the space?
In every nursery I design, I must have a changing table that can easily be converted into a dresser. My daughter was recently potty trained and no longer needed her changing table, so all we had to do was unscrew the top, and she still has a beautiful dresser. This table is the same one! Once my son outgrows the changing table topper, we can remove it and it will still be an amazing dresser for a boy’s room.

Dresser and Changing Table Topper

Wall Color | Sleeper Sofa | Star Pillow

Now that the room is finished, what do you wish you had known when you started?
No regrets! You can always redecorate.

What is the one thing that you would tell other parents to consider when they’re starting their own nursery design projects?
I would tell parents to choose pieces that can grow with their child and things they won’t get bored of too quickly. I would also tell them not to overcrowd the space with toys and things that babies can’t even use yet. Open floor space is great for tummy time and imaginative play.

Photography by Charlie Juliet Photography