In the Nursery with Lay Baby Lay

Designer and blogger, Joni Lay is a lot like us. She is immersed in baby products and children’s design on a daily basis with her site Lay Baby Lay just like we are. So you can imagine the fun she must have when designing a nursery for one of her own babies. We are pleased as punch to be sharing little Ellie James’ nursery, which is sweet, whimsical and just so much fun. Thank you, Joni, for allowing us this peek into your daughter’s space. We will let you take it from here!

I’m a stay at home mom, but I’m happiest when I have a project in my hands. When I’m not taking care of my kids, I’m usually working on creating something, and I’m especially passionate about kids’ spaces because anything goes as long as it’s fun! I love inspiring other moms to make their homes a joy-filled space that tells a story. It’s always fun to be able to incorporate many of the fun trends and products I come across into my own space.

Crib | Pom-Pom Curtains | Rainbow Bin

Design inspiration can come from anywhere—what inspired your nursery design?
I already had the wallpaper in place, so I was working with that. It’s a fun pattern, but I wanted the rest of the room to be really light, bright and calming. With a five-year-old and three-year-old in the house who both add a LOT of noise and activity, I wanted the baby’s room to feel calm and peaceful in the middle of all the big sister craziness!

Glider | Pouf | Side Table | Lamp

Did you have any unexpected obstacles when creating this room?
This room was formerly our dining room, and we turned it into a nursery when my second daughter was born. We didn’t want to completely close it in so we could keep our house layout flexible. Instead, we put French doors where there was formerly an arch. At first I loved them, but then it just felt like they took up a lot of wall space in an already small room, and they sort of overpowered the room. When I worked on Ellie’s space, I decided to try to use the doors, and we put wooden panels over the windows and added spice racks from IKEA so that now it serves as really cute and handy book storage rather than a large blank space.

Table | Chairs | Spice Rack Shelves

Star Garland | Light of Mine Print

What is that one thing that everyone mentions when they step into this space?
Everyone loves the wallpaper! As do I—it’s Albert Hadley’s Fireworks.

Vintage Dresser | Changing Pad Cover

If you had to choose one aspect of the design that is uniquely you, what would it be?
It’s a small thing, but the ceiling is a light aqua blue. I can’t seem to stay away from that color, no matter how much I try! I honestly wanted to paint the whole space blue, but my husband convinced me to restrain myself, and I just settled for the ceiling! Also, the vintage dresser used as a changing table is indicative of my style. I love using vintage pieces when I can—I love that they tell a story and add texture to a space!

Bunny Door Decal | Fawn Print

What is the one thing that you would tell other parents to consider when they’re starting their own nursery design projects?
I would advise that they consider the fact that they will be spending a lot of time in this space! It should be a room that makes them feel inspired and happy, as well as a room that baby will love to grow into. I had some serious baby blues after my first and second baby, and being in a room that made me feel uplifted made all the difference.

Honeycomb Shelf | XO Print | Hello Print

Crib Sheet | Cloud Mobile | Rug

Images by Joni Lay

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