Inspired by 80’s prep – think Lacoste polo shirts coupled with 90’s Shabby Chic. Think wrought iron chandeliers and water colored flowers. I designed my baby girl Emerald a nursery I believe she’ll really be able to grow up in. As you may recall from my first installment of this series, 5 Steps to Transform an Empty Space, the inspiration board served as blueprint for the overall design. I didn’t want the room to look too “babyish,” and I’m personally not a huge fan of licensed characters in children’s room.
Where to begin
That being said, the challenge for me was to combine décor items I already owned, as well as making smart purchases on larger furniture pieces to get the look I was after. As she gets older and develops her own tastes, we can make edits to the room without starting from scratch and that for sure is a money saver. Use the internet to do your research first, then shop for comparable styles in your price range but keeping quality and safety at the forefront. Trust me, with a bit of planning and outside of the box thinking, you really can achieve the look that you want on a budget. My final tab for the entire room- $1350, a steal considering some cribs alone cost $1350!
Where to buy or repurpose
The upholstered chair is from Ikea. Both pillows were pulled in from my design studio-free! The lanterns were recycled from my baby shower, but are very inexpensive and can be purchased in a rainbow of colors/patterns to match your décor. I chose to display black & white photos of Emerald as to not detract from the color feel of the room. Left-A dainty butterfly is perched atop the topiary tree and lanterns to add whimsy. Pink & green grosgrain ribbon add a preppy touch to the tree branch as well as the trio of French style valises.
The nursery features a shabby chic crystal chandelier, Pottery Barn bedding (Penelope), and area rug. Curtains were taken from another bedroom and are from Ikea. I custom made the floral arrangements for the vintage dress form. I made bows out of pink satin ribbon (Walmart) to accent the bumper crib as well as to tie back the curtains. Wall color, Scented Valentine- Benjamin Moore. Vinyl wall art – Rosenberry Rooms.
The dresser is from Ikea (Hemnes). The original brushed nickel drawer pulls were cleverly replaced with clear crystal pulls to mimic the teardrop beads of chandelier. The mirror was a thrift store find that was brought in from another room and spray painted a bright white. The drum shade lamp in apple-green perfectly accent the varying shades of pink in the room.
The picture ledges and bookshelf are Ikea. The Crib is a find from Target stores. Many of the room décor accents were received as Baby Shower gifts and incorporated into the room. The flower box, birdhouse, and frames are from an Arts & Crafts store.
The flower box was used to hold silk flowers, as well as a too cute stuffed animal for an unusual, eye-catching accent.
Photography: www.charmmephotography.com