Our Nursery Reveal

A Sophisticated Nursery Designed to Age

Julia’s nursery has quickly become my favorite room in our home. It was so much fun to design a soft and serene space where she’ll have some of her earliest memories. These last few months with her have been so special and I’ll cherish this time with her forever. COVID-19 and maternity leave has delayed the nursery reveal but at last Tamara Gibson was able to capture this sweet yet sophisticated space that will grace the pages of Julia’s baby book.

You may be surprised to learn that I didn’t start working on the nursery until just a few months before her due date. Luckily, everything came together at the last minute which was great because she was a week early! For some reason, I kept starting over with the design. Nothing seemed to be quite right. Maybe it was because I was designing this space for a little person that I haven’t met yet. Finally, I found the perfect fabrics to tie everything together. My goal with the space was to create a playful yet peaceful room rooted in tradition. I choose artwork, fabrics and furniture that could grow with her over the years.

Like most projects, I start by creating an inspiration board. Julia’s was centered around a light blue floral fabric (as seen on the window panels) from Brooke and Lou’s Life Friendly fabrics. They’re machine washable and dryer safe as well as spot treatable with mild soap and water — perfect for her nursery.

Paint Colors.

As you know, I used Farrow & Ball’s paint colors throughout my home such as my main bedroom, kitchen and entry. Most importantly, their paint is low VOC, water-based formulas that are child-safe and low odor. We painted the walls Middleton Pink and the trim is Wimbourne White which is just a shade away from true white. The delicate pink walls bring out the climbing pink flowers on the window panels and the sage green floral stripe that I used to recover our daybed. If she didn’t arrive a week early, I would’ve painted the bottom trim and doors Mizzle from Farrow & Ball which is a light green color that I used in my kitchen. But alas Julia was more than ready to meet her parents.

Artwork.

It was important for me to find meaningful and beautiful artwork to grace her walls. I’ve been a long time fan of Jordan Connelly (found her via Instagram) and placed her original bunny paintings above the fireplace. The bunnies are a perfect focal point when you enter the room. The soft color palette and texture of the paintings add much needed height and dimension to the nursery.

In our last house, I worked with the talented Emily Pope Harris because I love her custom finishing and overall artistry. Her wood panels fit perfectly in the nursery because of the color combination of green and pink. When Julia is on the changing table she stares at the artwork and smiles. She clearly likes it too! It pairs well with a watercolor from Sally Strickland that was gifted by a dear friend. Sally’s Bugs and Blooms series is so sweet, you can check it out on her website. Her watercolors would look so cute above a crib as a gallery.

Nursery Decor.

Some of my most cherished stuffed animals and blankets are from a local Savannah boutique called Asher and Rye. The owners (who are also our neighbors) are talented designers with Rethink Design Studio. The name Asher and Rye is a nod to their son and their spaniel puppy, Asher. Their collections bring warmth and simplicity through Scandinavian brands to your home. They also have a very inspirational Instagram account if you’re looking for design ideas.

Her room is filled with loads of natural light and love. She’s surrounded by stuffed animals, books and soft blankets gifted by sweet family and friends. She is one lucky girl and we are some very lucky parents.

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