Skip to Content

A Bookish and Buggy Nursery for Baby Boy

Description

I designed this nursery for our first child.

Design Inspiration

My room inspiration always begins with color. When I found out that I was having a boy, I immediately changed my plans for the two small spare bedrooms in our home - one was then functioning as our office and was painted a deep navy blue; the other was our guest room, a soft green. I'd planned to turn the guest room into the nursery and leave the office alone, but I couldn't stop picturing the moody navy walls paired with crisp white and dreamy grey in a little boy's room: the perfect backdrop for bright pops of color.

I chose the repeating accents (bugs and books) because my husband's nickname for me is "Bug," and we're both English teachers, writers, and literature lovers, so we knew our little guy would have an extensive library before he was even born!

Decorating Style

I'm drawn to the aesthetic of midcentury modern furniture and I like to combine those simple, clean lines with bold patterns, layered textures, and bright colors. Whenever I can, I try to add personally meaningful pieces that lend history and character to a room. Gallery walls are my go-to solution for wall decor because they allow me to fit so much more art into my small house!

Project Details

Hale Navy Paint: Benjamin Moore

Sparrow Crib: Oeuf

Honeybee Crib Sheet in Sky, Honeybee Changing Pad Cover in Grey - Burt's Bees Baby (no longer available online)

Oeuf Pure and Simple Contoured Changing Pad: Amazon

Mini Felt Pennant Banner: The Bees Knees Shoppe on Etsy

Broad Stripe Rug: Land of Nod

Toby Swivel Glider: Land of Nod

Pillows and Orange Throw: HomeGoods

Lattice Floor Bin: Land of Nod

Storage Ottoman: Target (no longer available online)

RIBBA Picture Ledges: IKEA

NYTTJA Frames: IKEA

Bug Prints: Rifle Paper Co.

Penguin Postcards: Amazon

Nightstand: IKEA

Dresser: Thrifted and Refinished using Minwax stain (dark walnut) + Annie Sloan chalk paint (Paris grey) + a combination of many, many Pinterest tutorials

Kettle Handle Dresser Hardware: Anthropologie

Chronograph Knobs: Anthropologie (no longer available)

Pinwheels: DIY

Cuckoo Clock: Vintage Black Forest clock (my grandmother's)

Quilt: Handmade Gift (with a piece of my own baby blanket sewn into it!)

Favorite Items

It's so hard to choose! I'm torn between the cuckoo clock (which belonged to my dear grandmother and enchanted me as a child) and the beautiful dresser that my husband (a furniture restoration novice) lovingly and painstakingly refinished this summer, starting over three times until it was perfect for me and the baby!

Advice

I can be kind of obsessive when it comes to this stuff, but I really enjoy searching and searching until I find exactly what I'm looking for. If you don't settle for less, in any detail, no matter how small, then the end result has no chance of falling short of your vision. Be choosy with everything you bring into the room. That's my biggest challenge. I had tons of ideas and inspiration that I ultimately had to abandon because I just didn't have the physical space for everything that was in my head. I wanted the room to be vibrant and fun and full of character, but I didn't want it to look overly busy or cluttered. In a small room, that can be a very fine line, and you have to be willing to edit as you go.

The Ultimate List: 50+ Ways to Decorate a Nursery on a Budget - Top Shelf DIY

Thursday 12th of July 2018

[…] source: Cara483 […]

Squirrelly Minds » Home | Gender Neutral Nursery Inspiration for Squirrelly Baby

Wednesday 13th of May 2015

[…] / Dresser inspiration from Chairish / White and Gold herringbone crib sheet from Lilly Brooke / Changing pad inspiration from Project Nursery / Cloud Mobile from The Butter Flying / Pouf inspiration from Marrakesh Style / […]

bannie

Friday 6th of February 2015

We loved the pinwheels. How did you get them on the wall? Did you use push pins to put them together? What kind of paper did you use?

Ernesto

Saturday 8th of November 2014

I love that red Ottomon with the navy walls. Where did you get it?

Amanda

Monday 3rd of November 2014

Lovely! Where did you get the crochet baseball?