Charlotte’s Happy Carnival Nursery

Description

My husband and I tried for several years to get pregnant, so we had a long time to think about what we wanted in the nursery and the vision changed several times over. Ultimately, we wanted a cheerful and colorful nursery that would grow with our daughter. We wanted it to be very personal; something that would make her feel special and proud.

Design Inspiration

We started with the idea of a carnival inspiration, then I fell in love with the Kumari Garden fabric collection by Dena Fishbein (Hawthorne Threads). Putting these two ideas together, we ended up with a vintage, almost gypsy look that was soft, fun, girly, and perfect!

Decorating Style

I like happy, eclectic rooms. My husband and I love to shop flea markets and re imagine old or plain items. We mix vintage collectibles and modern, funky finds. He is super-handy and can execute any idea that we come up with, so the sky is the limit.

Project Details

- Crib, dresser, mirror and bookshelf purchased from Wayfair. We added vintage milk glass knobs to the dresser and painted the backing of the bookshelf before putting it together.
- Bedding, curtains, and pillows all custom made by a friendly neighbor, who is a professional seamstress from the Kumari Garden fabrics. (She is amazing!)
- Glider and Ottoman by Best Chairs, purchased at Buy Buy Baby.
- Side Table from Garden Ridge and painted pink to match the room.
- Rug also found at Garden Ridge.
- Closet system from Ikea. Idea to paint the inside of the closet was found on Project Nursery.
- Lyric prints ordered from Wallfry on Etsy.
- Fabric covered lampshade made from a self-adhesive lampshade found at Hobby Lobby and covered in coordinating fabric.
- Hair bow holders made from three salvaged lamp shades found at a flea market. We ripped the fabric off, cleaned up the glue, and spray painted them white.
- Graphics for the carnival canvases were created by my husband and sent to the Walmart photo shop to create the canvases.
- Bunting flags were made from Kumari Garden fabrics and coordinating solids, and sewn by my Mom.
- Frames over the crib were purchased at Hobby Lobby and painted to match.
- Ribbon wreath made from a tutorial found on Pinterest.
- Chandelier was a cheap, ugly brass light found on Wayfair. We painted it and added the beads to make it look more like a carnival light.
- Lighted carnival “C” and mobile made from scratch by my handy hubby!

Favorite Items

I love all the details. It’s difficult to choose a favorite! I’ll pick the fabrics as my favorite because they tie the whole room together. My husband says the chandelier is his favorite. The glider is indispensable at bedtime and Charlotte (at 4 months) loves the mirror. I love that she seems so happy in her room. The colors really excite her!

Advice

Fill the room with things that make you happy. Create items and add personal touches that are special for your little one. Think about practical storage and comfort (the glider is a good place to doze). Search for ideas in the gallery on Project Nursery and create your own design board like the professionals do. Etsy is your best friend for custom items. Leave room for your kiddo to grow – extra storage for next season’s clothes and cubbies for toys she isn't quite ready for.

Have fun with the planning! We put our hearts into the nursery and I can’t tell you how wonderful it is that Charlotte enjoys her room. I hope she feels as warm and fuzzy about it as we do.