Let me start by saying that twins came as a major surprise to us! We knew right away that they were identical, so we would have either two boys, or two girls. I was certain we were having boys & I was thrilled to create a rugged airplane or outer space themed nursery for them to destroy! BUT… when we found out we were having girls, the pressure to create the perfect space was on – ohhh the possibilities. I wanted my girls to have a space that’s girly and chic, yet tranquil, comfy and playful. To me, the nursery isn’t a space for only sleeping, feeding, and changing, but a sacred space where we will build late night & early morning memories…rocking, reading, playing, learning, and loving. We converted our home office into their nursery, which happens to be the smallest room in our house, but even with two cribs we managed to fit all of the necessities & simple comforts and then some. In order for me to calm my obsessive thoughts and tame my over-the-top ideas, I needed to focus on a color scheme & choose one element to build the room around. Up first, the color palette: off white, blush pink, lavender, gold, and gray. Check! For furniture/accents, I decided to start with the area rug as it would sit at the center of the room & be the main source of color (something I am afraid of); after hours and hours of online searching, I found the perfect soft, low pile rug with a chic color palette and a fun boho pattern. For optimal comfort, I layered a couple faux sheepskin rugs in spots where we’ll spend most of our time (hello, ROSS finds). Up next, lighting: we removed the ceiling fan and replaced it with a capiz shell floral light fixture that beautifully projects a warm kaleidoscope-esque pattern on the ceiling when illuminated. A comfy over-sized rocker & a blush pink frou-frou foot stool sit in the corner of the room with a reading nook above; clear acrylic shelves house the girls lil’ library. For functionality, I added a gold globe style floor lamp that hangs over the rocker for the perfect late night feeding/diaper change lighting. Sticking with brushed gold metals, I selected the cribs, and a small accent table with a marble top. An antique french inspired dresser from Pottery Barn Kids is stationed beneath the window & outfitted with the basic diapering necessities (a Bumbo changing pad, wipe dispenser, basket with diapers/creams/lotions, and fresh flowers – let’s see how long that lasts!). I have commitment issues when it comes to color & wall art, so I left the walls stark white & chose fairly simple and minimal wall art – at least for now. For personalization (and to keep track of who’s who), I covered 20″ wooden laser cut names with green moss, attached them to pre-made wooden frames & hung them from a satin off white ribbon with an added bow for that special girly touch. Clustered lavender rooster feathers in acrylic box frames, which are meant to resemble African Juju Hats, are also hung on the wall above their cribs (a great tjmaxx.com find!). To add texture & to brighten the space and reflect natural light, I added a round rustic beaded wood mirror on the back wall. I finished the space off with a few playful, adorable and meaningful decorative accents, including: a rattan unicorn laundry basket, moss covered unicorn figurine, stacking wooden rainbow, wicker unicorn basket filled with board books, a fun wooden musical llama toy, and last but not least…the most special accent of all, the babies’ very first picture – a single 5 day old embryo, displayed in a gold frame sitting atop their dresser. Created from a place of gratitude and love, this space could not be more special to us. We look forward to seeing the wonder in our daughters eyes as they grow & explore the elements around them.

My best advice for designing your nursery: Don’t be afraid to mix metals & textures (yes, gold and silver go well together), keep decor minimal (don’t over-do-it with the tchotchke’s), and break tradition (crib skirts are not a necessity).