Flamingo Inspired Nursery

Description

A fun and modern mix of estate sale finds, DIY projects, and chic furnishings.

Design Inspiration

This room was inspired by a long standing family tradition of using lawn flamingos to celebrate big life events. I wanted to avoid using a predictable shade of pink in the nursery so I started with a neutral color palette of taupe, cream and white and then added pops of bright coral.

Decorating Style

My design style is deeply rooted in a love of many different styles. I am a big believer in affordable design and enjoy picking through flea markets and estate sales for hidden gems. I love taking an inspiration accessory or piece of furniture and finding a way to make it myself. My own home is an eclectic collection of flea market finds, modern and traditional furniture, and DIY projects.

Project Details

To help us stick to our budget, many of the items in the room are DIY projects and estate sale finds. One of my favorite DIYs in the room is the Ikea Hemnes dresser/changing table. I simply painted the drawer fronts white and then added gold corner brackets and hardware to create a campaign style inspired piece. On the wall above the changing table/dresser, I put up a collage of some DIY art, a pretty print by one of my favorite local artists, Kelli Murray, a few spray painted empty frames, and the beautiful fringe banner made by my best friend for our baby shower.

For the windows I was faced with a design dilema. I wanted pretty sheer drapery panels but also needed a way to conceal an ugly blackout shade. I decided to try my hand at making my own upholstered cornice. I just love how the pom pom trim adds a girly touch to the tribal inspired fabric.

Something I always wanted in the nursery was a cute pint size designer chair. Once I realized that even the mini versions were out of my price range, I started looking elsewhere. I found a little vanity chair at a local estate sale that just needed a little TLC. After reupholstering the chair in a fun floral fabric, it is the perfect side chair for the nursery and will look great with a mini vanity in the future.

The bamboo bookcase was an unexpected find from my local antique store. For only $89, all it really needed was a quick coat of spray paint and it was good to go. I filled the bookcase with some of my favorite items found on weekend trips with my husband over the past year.

Favorite Items

My favorite items in the room are the wingback rocking chair and the art deco pendant. The rocker was the first purchase I made for the nursery and really helped to guide the color scheme and overall style for the room. The combination of the pendant's antique brass and frosted glass is just so pretty. The geometric shape creates such a lovely focal point in the room.

Advice

You don't have to have a huge budget to create the exact space you are envisioning. Be creative with your sources- stores like Target, Home Goods and TJ Maxx and online flash sale sites like Joss & Main and Gilt Home have a great selection of chic home products at affordable prices. Don't be afraid to mix styles, colors and patterns- the room is in your home so fill it with things that YOU love.