Hellobee

Nurseries are mostly for us parents. All our babies really need are food, shelter, and plenty of love. They don’t care if they are sleeping in color-coordinated surroundings, especially for the first few months.

But that said, I love to decorate, and I feel like a nursery (or some sort of space of baby’s own, even if it’s just a corner or a nook) is a symbolic way to say “We’re ready for you, and we’ve made room for you in our lives.” So I began to outfit Baby Y’s space with the following ground rules in mind:

1. It had to be relatively gender-neutral.  No need to fill the space with footballs and trucks and such just because we were expecting a boy.
2. I wanted fun colors and patterns but no “theme.”  Stores would love to sell you coordinating everything, but when the lamp shade matches the diaper pail which matches the rug which matches the crib bumper, it’s a little heavy-handed – not to mention expensive!
3. It should be modern but kid-friendly. I like clean lines, but wanted to make sure that didn’t make the space feel sterile.
4. We needed storage. We live in an older home, so closet space comes at a premium.
5. I didn’t want to spend a ton. I love inspiration boards for just that – inspiration – but the price tag attached to some of the items is a bit too rich for this cheap-o sometimes.

All that said, this is what evolved:

I thought aqua was a great color – bright, fun, and not too gender-specific. Once I settled on that, I decided to accent it with a bold cherry red and a bright, light green – a classic, primary-color palette.

I struggled with what to put above the crib. Putting up Baby Y’s name didn’t seem quite right, and framed art could pose a safety risk. This wall decal was a fun deviation from the norm. Pedro the stuffed kiwi, though kind of random, holds a special place in our heart. While he’s no longer allowed in the crib, he was the first purchase we made for Baby Y during a trip to New Zealand, just a few weeks after we’d found out I was expecting.

The storage bins provide tons of room for books and baby stuff for now, and will be great hideaways for toys later on. IKEA lovers will note the ubiquitous Poang chair. I’ll be honest: It’s not the best for nursing. I like to nurse on a bed with a little more room. While I would have loved a modern-looking glider, I just couldn’t justify the price ($1000+ for some!) and I really didn’t like the typical offerings at Babies ‘R’ Us and other stores. At least the Poang can go elsewhere in the house, especially with a new cover.

I knew I wanted a dresser to double as a changing table, and the one on the right was a perfect size. It’s filled with baby toiletries and the like. The blue plastic bin is great for holding diapers. The chest on the left provides plenty of room for clothing, and that little green fan is great at keeping air moving (our second floor gets kind of stuffy, and it helps reduce the risk of SIDS, too).

The activity gym was a splurge, but it went with the room so well that I couldn’t help it. The wall hangings, on the other hand, were super cheap from Target, on clearance!

Nursery planning was so much fun, it almost makes me want another baby ASAP so I can do it again. (Almost.)

Do you think it’s a space Baby Y can grow into? What would you like to see in your kiddo’s nursery?

Sources:

1. Baby Mod Olivia crib, Walmart – $299, mattress included, a gift from the grandparents
2. Dwell Studios for Target Dot Fun bedding set (discontinued) – $60 on eBay
3. Trondheim 3-drawer dresser, IKEA – $149
4. Sterilite 3-drawer cart, Target, $15
5. Malm 6-drawer dresser, IKEA – $139, snagged on sale for $99
6. Trofast toy storage, IKEA – $40 for frames, $3-$5 for bins
7. Poang chair and cushion, IKEA – $1oo
8. Star Wars and “You Make Me Happy” prints, Etsy – $19 each
9. Blowfish wall decal, Blik – $40
10. BabySmart changing pad, Amazon – $65
11. Barcode art, Target – $5 each on clearance
12. Skip Hop Treetop Friends activity gym, Amazon – $70
13. Lasko table fan, Amazon – $30
14. Oxo Candela Tooli nightlight, Amazon – $30
15. Munchkin Arm & Hammer diaper pail, Amazon – $25

We had already owned the yoga ball (great for bouncing a fussy baby), lamp, wicker hamper, iPod stereo dock, trio of monk paintings (picked up at a street market in Thailand), storage ottoman, and rug (from IKEA – Hulda Vilse). The Bumbo was a shower gift, and we already owned or were gifted most of the stuffed animals. The total rings in at roughly $870 — not so bad for a room filled with new furniture!