Vintage Lamb Inspired Nursery

Description

Avalynn's nursery is a girly blend of vintage chic meets modern timelessness. I strove to create a space that, not only defined my taste but that I also felt our little girl would be able to grow with. Neutral creams, whites and browns are highlighted with pops of muted colors, like earthy greens and pale pinks. We accented the color scheme with hints of gold and silver for a classy touch.

A gifted Pottery Barn quilt with sweet, little stitched lambs and the perfect baby shower gift of some of my very own Little Golden Books from Ava's aunt aided in our decision to lightly theme the nursery with off-white lambs and vintage books.

I wanted a calm and peaceful escape where I could nurture our baby girl. As I planned each aspect of our nursery, I imagined a room that I wanted Avalynn to grow in. I envisioned the late night feedings, the early morning snuggles and all of the in between. I strongly felt that the most important aspect of planning her nursery was to stay true to my own style and to incorporate very personal touches.

Design Inspiration

Of course, Pinterest provided A LOT of inspiration when it came to developing plans for Avalynn's nursery. But, I also drew inspiration from color palettes that I would stumble on in magazines or online, as well as playing up some of the more special gifts that Ava has received from close family members. I really wanted the items in her room, at least many of them, to have relevance to her life. I feel that, even now, before she's born, this room defines her in some ways.

Decorating Style

I would have to say that, overall, my decorating style is very "modest" with statement pieces. I love classic neutrals dressed up with fancy colors and patterns. I'm also very feminine and girly and this plays into our entire home décor, as well as Ava's nursery. (Sorry hubby!)

Project Details

During the entire planning and execution of Ava's nursery I thrived on finding the absolute BEST deals. If I could wait for an item to be discounted or I could find a way to simply recreate it myself, I was going to do it!

I started off by making a list (I'm an avid list-maker) which I suggest every expectant mother who's planning a nursery do. "The List" kept me organized and gave me an end goal, so to speak. Many of the items within the nursery came from discount stores, such as Hobby Lobby or TJ Maxx, which drastically aided in keeping the price point low.

Ava's crib was a piece I wasn't willing to skimp on. I knew I wanted an ornate and girly crib and it had to be an off-white. I had envisioned it since the moment we found out we were expecting a little girl. My husband and I decided on the Baby Cache Montana Lifetime Crib from Babies R Us.

The pewter colored mirror that you see hanging above the crib was a find from Kirkland's. During a holiday sale, they had this mirror marked down to just $20. I knew it would be an elegant touch to the nursery, so I grabbed it up!

And, let's talk about that tie rug! I longed for one of these fluffy, accent rugs and I had browsed a few of them at boutiques an online. Ranging anywhere from $60-$90, I had all but given up on incorporating one into Ava's nursery. A late afternoon trip to stalk the shelves at TJ Maxx (something I did weekly during this nursery project) yielded a beautiful result! I found this tie rug for just $14!

The crib bedding was a challenge for me. Burlap was the word! I needed it and I needed ruffles to go along with it but with many of the handmade sets and special retailer's bedding costing in the upwards of $600, I knew a challenge was at hand. A late night Google search led me to none other than Target! (Insert excited, faithful Target shopper squeal here.) Avalynn's dainty, burlap and ruffled bedding was an absolute steal at just $150 for the entire set: bumpers and all! I'm in love with the simple color scheme and feminine ruffles and flowers that accent the quilt and sheets.

The poms that hang above Ava's glider (another great buy for just $300 at Burlington Coat Factory) are handmade. I referred to a blog tutorial from "A Simple Kind of Life" (link below) to recreate fabric poms that I'd stumbled upon on Pinterest. It was a very time consuming project but I love the light and fun feel that the poms added to the space. Total cost of the "Poms Project" was around $50.

Both the side table and dresser were refurbished finds. I spotted the side table on clearance at Hobby Lobby and gave the daunting, black piece an overhaul with a fresh coat of lime-y paint. The dresser was a local yard sale find that needed TLC for sure! My husband and I took it on as a weekend project, sanded it down, painted it, applied a coat of poly and some new hardware and we were super pleased with the end result!

All of the small accent pieces, such as the "Let Them Be Little," wall art and "Avalynn had a little lamb..." were developed by me in Photoshop. I'd simply find quotes or develop ideas that I loved and spend a couple of hours recreating/creating art work in Photoshop. Scouting out frames on clearance at places like Hobby Lobby and TJ Maxx kept these projects extremely cost efficient! The big, pink "A" was simply an unfinished, wooden letter from Hobby Lobby (just $3) that I added a coat of pale, pink paint to!

The vintage books that you see perched on the side table were some of my childhood favorites. I searched for them in hard cover on Amazon and added them for a more brilliant pop of color and personalization. The Little Golden Books spotted on the dresser were a "hand me down" gift from Avalynn's aunt, my sister. My sister and I read and loved these books as little girls and she took the time to find them in my parents' garage and gifted them to Ava at her baby shower.

Small, framed maternity photos helped to add a personal touch to Ava's dresser and the mercury glass lamp was a steal at Kirkland's for just $28!

For dresser drawer organization, I turned to IKEA SKUBB Drawer Organizers. They're a life saver! Especially if you're anywhere as obsessive compulsive about organization as I am! They keep the dresser drawers clutter free and group items together that need to stay together. (And, they help this mama-to-be breathe a little easier!)

The wall art above the dresser was, again, created in Photoshop! I couldn't see paying in the upwards of $300 for three individual pieces of art, so I went to work recreating once again! The total cost of the project, frames and matting included, totaled at just $55. A price tag that I was super proud of!

Finally, the small, framed bow holders. Another craft project! I had the scalloped frames on hand, so I painted them in the understated pink, attached some ribbon and small, embellishments and hooked on Ava's bows. I love how they turned out!

Overall, from start to finish and including all of our furniture, my husband and I spent around $1,500 on Avalynn's nursery which we're extremely proud of! Managing to draft up "price points" on individual items that I wanted for the space and staying within those budgets helped to keep us on track.

Link to homemade fabric poms tutorial: http://jessicademaio.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-diy-pom-poms.html

Favorite Items

My favorite item(s) in the nursery would have to be the Little Golden Books that were gifted to Avalynn by her aunt. The thought behind the gift still moves me to tears and with Ava being the "first" for my side of the family (first great grandchild, first grandchild, first niece) all of these special details mean so very much to both her father and I. My sister and I spent many days reading the little books and playing dolls together. It's my hope that Avalynn is able to experience as magical a childhood as we did.

Advice

For anyone trying to achieve a similar look, I'd say to stick to your guns but don't be afraid to branch out if things don't go quite as planned! Find a neutral color palette and accent colors that you love but when you can't find that "exact" shade of pink, don't be afraid to throw in a shade that's a little darker.

Shop bargain shelves and don't be afraid to recreate! For the sake of saving money, start your nursery early if you plan to be frugal. We utilized approximately three months from start to finish and it drastically aided in keeping our price point low. Patience is key! That "must have" item will be clearanced or you'll be able to find a look-alike somewhere else! I promise!

Your space is about being creative while staying true to yourself! Find inspirational pieces, pictures, literature, Pinterest ideas that make your heart flutter and just go with it!