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Emily’s Nursery

I am so so excited to share my sweet baby’s nursery with you guys! Fun fact – I knew I wanted this color blue (Upward by Sherwin Williams) in this nursery before I even knew the gender of my baby. So I was going to make it happen either way. I really wanted picture frame molding also but worried that it would be too feminine for a little boy. So let’s just say I’m super happy that we are having another little girl! And I love this blue mixed with the pale pops of pink! It’s exactly what I wanted and I’m so in love with every single detail.
I’ve worked with Mod Wood Co on several projects in the past for clients so when it was time for a project of my own, I knew I HAD to work with them again. I sent an inspiration image of what I was sorta thinking for over the crib and she knocked this custom name sign out and had it at my front door within days! I seriously can’t say enough about their company. They are the best! I’m so in love with the freestanding cut out of her name above the crib. And for the wreath, I simply just attached lambs ear garland around a macrame embroidery hoop.
I’m a firm believer in not skimping on your closets. They should be just as much a part of the room as anything else. And it’s another opportunity to have fun with design. This closet was certainly no different. I used this gorgeous floral wallpaper from Livette’s Wallpaper and it was everything I wanted and more! Their peel and stick wallpaper is super easy to use and they can customize the color to whatever you need. They’ll even match colors from brands like Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore. I went with a simple navy here just to make it pop against the lighter blue walls. I LOVE it!
I’m kind of shocked by the amount of people that are so interested in our mini door. Honestly, I wanted to kind of make it disappear so that’s where the idea of picture frame molding came from. I felt it would stick out too much if we were to keep the door white. So painting the trim, doors, and walls all the same color helped it blend in and not stick out. But soooo many people want to know all about this “magical door”. I wish I had a more exciting story but it’s just the entrance to our attic. And don’t worry, we put a lock on it so you can’t get in without a key. AND I made sure to have my husband put the deadbolt lock on the inside just in case little girls try to lock each other inside down the road one day 🙂
This nursery is so special to us and we can’t wait to meet our baby girl very soon! We hope you enjoyed this room tour!

A Farmhouse Nursery Inspired by The Velveteen Rabbit

When my husband and I decided to start a family, we planted ourselves in West Point, Virginia, a small coastal community with great schools and an abundance of historic charm. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, where kids still ride their bikes up and down Main Street until the street lights come on, and most businesses are still Ma and Pop-owned. We were drawn to our circa 1917 farmhouse style dwelling by its giant wrap around porch, rich unpainted wood details, and the little bits of charm you just can’t find in most new construction (mantles in every room?! a secret passage into the attic?! a “Harry Potter Room” under the stairs?! what’s not to love?). It’s been a long, labor intensive project to be sure, but we’re turning this old house into our forever home one plaster crack at a time.
I’m a designer (floral) by trade, so nesting comes naturally to me. Multiply that instict by 100 once I found out we were expecting! I immediately started thinking about all the design possibilities for baby’s nursery. I wanted it to reflect the same kind of charm my husband and I felt when we fell in love with our town, our home, and how we knew we’d feel when we met our sweet girl. I wanted a sense of continuity with the rest of our home, which has a farmhouse vibe with lots of texture and vintage elements, and I knew the room should grow with our little one, transitioning seamlessly from infant to toddler, from kid to teen. A challenge that constantly presents itself when designing for our home is preserving and highlighting the original hardwoods without allowing them to overwhelm and darken the space. Keeping these practical goals in mind, I selected a light, airy color palette – whites, grays, and tans, with pops of mint and dusty blues – and then settled on a motif, which needed to inject a bit of childlike joy (it is a nursery, after all!). Ultimately, my favorite classic children’s book – The Velveteen Rabbit – became my inspiration and supplied a much-needed touch of whimsy.
I love the contrast of simple white walls against the color of our hardwoods, but I often find white paint can make a space feel a bit void; I created a textured accent wall behind the crib to liven things up a bit. Bearing in mind our budgetary and practical constraints (aka: plaster walls), we opted to use a blown wallpaper that looks and feels just like shiplap. Y’all wouldn’t believe how many people are surprised it isn’t the genuine article.
Another challenge that often presents itself in older homes like ours is storage; none of our bedrooms have closets. Rather than opting for a bulky wardrobe, we chose to install a custom shelving unit. I fully anticipate this addition to turn into a catch-all as baby girl grows, so eventually we’ll install a floor to ceiling curtain to hide what I’m sure will be a small disaster zone. But for now a few decorative bins, boxes, crates, and an adjustable tension rod suit our storage needs quite well.
I walk a fine line between extravagance and frugality. If it’s not something that will stand the test of time (think family heirlooms like the custom made quilt from Little Bits of Everything or the antique wooden horse passed down by my father in law), I’m not willing to splurge. But being a designer and general craft queen, I’m pretty thrifty. Armed with my trusty muscle (ahem…husband) and a can-do attitude, I decided to tackle a few small projects that make a big statement in the nursery. In addition to hand-making all of the wall decor, stenciling the inside of the mantelpiece, and hand-sewing a sweet little bunny garland, my husband and I refurbished an antique dresser to repurpose as a changing table. My hope is that someday my sweet girl will look back at these photographs or pick up some of these items and realize that they were made with love just for her.
Photography by The Hart Collective.