Midcentury

While my husband and I are overjoyed at having a little girl any day now, neither of us have ever been particularly fond of the color pink. So, we immediately knew we wanted her nursery to feel like an extension of our home and therefore utilized green, taupe, white, and a few blush accents to keep it perfectly neutral, yet beautifully sweet for our little girl.
Our home is located adjacent to a creek on a few beautiful, tree filled acres, and our contemporary home has floor to ceiling windows which often feels like living in a treehouse. The majority of our time at home is spent outside and we hope to pass that love of the outdoors onto our children, starting with the wall covering mural that was the inspiration for her nursery. We loved the idea of her waking up to sleeping among the trees and letting her imagination run wild, so the wall covering was our first easy decision. However, we knew we also needed a crib that would not detract from the focal point mural and would allow her to enjoy it from inside. We have several acrylic furniture pieces in our home, so it only made sense that her crib have acrylic rails and mid-century modern legs allowing the wall covering to shine and the room take shape.
As a collaborative couple, we excitedly worked through several mood boards, but ultimately chose to keep the furniture light and bright by mixing in a coordinating dresser and bookshelf that would have great longevity and flexibility well into her big kid years. The nursery is carpeted, but we wanted to incorporate additional pattern, so we chose to layer a large rug over it that brought taupe and white into the space in addition to a soft sheepskin for tummy time. Once these large elements were established, the details of the room really began to take shape. Copper and blush play well together so we included a copper mirror, mobile, wall shelves, and end table to unify the metallic elements throughout the space.  Animals also play a big role in our life and we know she will love them as we do, (starting with her furry brother and sister!) Therefore, the precious baby animal canvases incorporated the simple, modern aesthetic we love and the ride-on swan is a beautiful keepsake from her grandma and grandpa that we can’t wait to see her enjoy.
Even though my husband and I enjoy a very clean, modern aesthetic throughout our home, we wanted to ensure that her nursery still felt warm and inviting.  Despite the beautiful natural light her nursery receives, layered lighting still became a crucial component to achieve the desired warmth, so we selected a modern copper ceiling fixture, but placed it on a dimmer switch for ultimate baby friendly flexibility. A sculptural floor lamp with sturdy marble base completed the reading nook and a geometric table lamp on the dresser will work perfectly for late night diaper changes.
We feel personalization was the most enjoyable part of planning her nursery because it’s those elements, no matter how big or small, that show the love and thought behind the process of preparing for a little one. Her bookshelves are full of special tokens from each of us, including modern building blocks we cut and hand painted, a tiny wooden car that was my husbands’ when he was a baby, and a classic book set she already has of my childhood favorites. Every last detail was intentional, including the incorporation of faux cacti and succulents. Our home is full of succulents and greenery, but in order to keep everything safe (and bug free) for her, we opted for sweet faux versions to warm up the space and bring even more of the outside in.
Her nursery ultimately ended up a serene, modern, and feminine version of ‘where the wild things are’ with personal touches that we can’t wait to see her enjoy once she arrives. It’s already such a happy place for us as we take turns sitting on the glider, anxiously awaiting our baby girls’ arrival.

When it came to Carters nursery my wife and I knew that we wanted to keep it simple. We wanted to be sure that the room could easily be transitioned into a toddler room or another nursery for our future little ones. With the exception of the crib, all of the furniture that we bought were pieces that could be used for years to come.  The nursery bones are very neutral and we added pops of blush and gold here and there to make the room feel more feminine.

When I began to dream about our sweet little one’s nursery, I had so many ideas swirling in my head. (Pinterest doesn’t help with that!) I stared at what was then my husband’s office and wondered how I would make the space feel cozy and sweet. Eventually I settled on the idea of calming colors, soft textures and overall a neutral feel. My biggest inspiration for the space was a trip to Scandinavia my husband and I took last fall. We stayed in the stunning Hotel Ett Hem in Sweden and I was immediately entrenched by the old building made new. It felt like a tranquil home away from home, where functionality meets beauty. From the second you stepped in you had feelings of comfort and security, of familiarity. Our bedroom was warm with a sophisticated edit of vintage and new pieces, and was filled with tactile materials like sheepskin, brass, marble, and woods. My favorite feature was the greenhouse in the garden, which was converted to an eating and sitting room. There was a rattan hanging chair in the corner, warm cozy blankets, pillows on every chair and greenery. So I started with that.
I knew for sure, I did not want a traditional rocking chair or glider, the centerpiece would be a hanging rattan chair. The Serena and Lily piece we chose took my back to Sweden. The gorgeous white rattan piece certainly steals the show (and it seriously comfortable too).
The color palette is pretty simple so that as our little girl grows the nursery feels timeless and sophisticated. Plus, it’s a small room so I kept it as minimal as possible. I went with varying grays, ivory/white, and a green-gray accent color.
Much of our home comes together with both modern and vintage pieces and didn’t want the nursery to feel disconnected from that. I went with a small mid-century dresser that I repainted and cleaned up for the changing table. I kept the warm walnut wood drawers and brass hardware.
Most of the other decor items are handmade by me, including my favorite piece which is the doily wall hanging. I found these stunning vintage doilies and embroidery hoops at an estate sale in our neighborhood (I think they cost less than $20 total.) The largest center doily was my great grandmothers and I made the pillow with my grandmother’s doily. I love the sweet sentiment these items brings to the room.
I also made the floral wreath, wooden mobile, baby blanket, and the crib sheet. When it comes to nesting, I had some very specific ideas in mind so rather than search, I took things into my own hands, quite literally.
Between the doilies on the wall and the warm woods from the mobile, crib, and dresser, I knew I just needed some soft layered textures to finish off the “hygge” feel I desired for the space. I brought in a chenille blanket, feather filled pillows, woven rug, and faux fur rug and it did the trick.
I am so satisfied with how the space came out. It feels just as I had hoped, calm, minimal, familiar, and homey.
Photos by Chase Daniel.
Rattan Chair: Serena & Lily
Crib: Babyletto Lolly
Dresser: Room Service Vintage (Austin, TX)
Chenille Faux Fur Blanket: Target, Gray
Rug: Urban Outfitters
Side Table: Target (no longer available | Similar)
Curtains: West Elm, Frosted Gray (only available in white)
Shelves: IKEA
Basket: Xinh & Co.
Lamp: Thrifted
Wreath: Handmade
Mobile: Handmade (Similar)
To see our entire home, click here.

Having just moved in to our new home when we found out we were pregnant, the “someday nursery” needed a plan right away. I knew regardless of gender that I would stick to the same basics as big brother’s room – gray and white. I saw an emerald dresser on Pinterest and couldn’t shake the accent color. If we had a girl I would have added another pop of color/florals to add femininity to the nursery; however I’m blessed to be a “boy mom” so no need to add in another color!
I found the angular animals accidentally while in At Home for some Christmas decor, and that sparked the modern take on a safari nursery. I used the crib and dresser from Grayson’s room and he got an upgrade to a big boy bed.
It was important to me too keep the nursery clean and modern, yet classic. I hope I accomplished combining these opposites.
My dad and husband framed the back wall, inspired also by a master bedroom I saw on Pinterest, although the weekend before Carter’s arrival I almost changed that wall to a faux whitewashed brick wall… someday this could still happen but for now I will keep the classic framing.