nursery reveal

So excited to have this space ready to go for our baby. Piecing it together has been a very enjoyable project, kinda bittersweet it’s all done. I started on it at just three months pregnant and just finalized it with about 5 weeks to spare. If you’re wondering when a good time to start on a nursery, you should just do what works for you. I recommend earlier than later, so you don’t feel rushed when deciding how you want it, and of course it’s a little easier on the budget when you don’t buy everything all at once.

There are some amazing brands that I’ve partnered with in making this nursery complete and I’m going to share each of those with you. I will also share the items that were not sponsored in any way- love me some Target, Urban Outfitters! Still waiting on my big break with them 🙂

your nursery is ready for you…
Pregnancy Milestone Cards – Lush Collection

Styling tips:

A) Start with brainstorming. Gain your inspiration from others on Instagram, Pinterest, magazine clips (if that’s still a thing) and discover the vibe you’re going after. There are so many accounts for this stuff if you take the time to find your favorites. I have a Pinterest board just for this, and would pin photos of ANYTHING I stumbled upon that I loved (even if it was just one item in the picture).

I’m providing my board here if you wish to see it…

https://pin.it/udq7roly25jcfh

B) Instead of a ‘theme’, work on building a ‘feeling’. How do you want it to feel? Warm, inviting, peaceful…? Baseballs and zoo animals have been hot topics for baby rooms for years, but it’s a little outdated (in my opinion). If that’s your thing, great. If you want to decorate in your favorite characters, go for it. Remember, this passage is just my personal thoughts and how I designed our nursery. There is no right or wrong- and I am certain that an entire room for a newborn is probably unnecessary anyway. We happened to have the spare room, so yeah. But what if the baby boy hates sports when he’s older and becomes an artist… or a dancer? I wouldn’t want to line out his hobbies/interests before birth, ha!

C) Find what is meaningful. When I’ve seen a certain something that makes me think of him, I grab it. The sweet, handmade rainbow (@odinparker) on his changing table is the perfect reminder of the ‘calm’ after the storm. We had a miscarriage a couple of months before conceiving and so once again are blessed with our second rainbow babe. Also added the plush elephant that holds the recorded heartbeat of our last miscarried baby. For some time it was stuffed in my underwear drawer because I couldn’t handle seeing it out. One day, when this pregnancy was progressing well, I went to grab it and sat it in the empty floor of the nursery (nothing else done, other than the ceiling lamp). Sitting and sobbing, I knew it was the first official step of peace and closure.

PS. The little fox is from our first prenatal appointment of R’s, her heartbeat is inside- but we ended up with another for her (a bunny) so I added this one here bc it’s basically brand new still and just cute with the elephant.

D) Take your time. Less is more. The room we have is pretty small, so it’s an illusion that it looks spacious just by the furniture. For example, the rocking chair (@target) is for indoor/outdoor use and one of the less expensive I found online. The design of the chair is sleek and simple opposed to a ton I found that are bulky (the cushioned cloth kind). The crib was R’s handed down, and from @wayfair. It is not a convertible. I would rather get a nonconvertible (usually way cheaper) than a convertible because we skip the toddler size beds. K went straight to a full size as a toddler, and R’s big girl bed is a twin. That way, they don’t grow out of them, so it’s a better purchase decision, or at least how I look at it. Also, shelving… or less of it maybe. I knew I wanted something for a few books, knickknacks and keepsakes, but I was super picky about the size of them. All of ours (even the invisible bookshelf) are from @urbanoutfitters and were exactly what I was searching for.

when you can repurpose, repurpose.
R’s crib was a perfect fit, and perfect timing because she just upgraded to her big girl bed… separate blog coming for that 🙂

‘be happy in the moment, that’s enough. each moment is all we need,
not more.’ -Mother Teresa

E) Veg it up. I think all rooms need life- whether real or faux, you can’t go wrong with plants. For this space, mine are all faux. I figured it would be a few less things to worry about when having a newborn, but all look so real, win win! The large fiddle leaf was purchased locally (and stand) from @harperandgrey, I get so many compliments on it. The small hanging plants in the corner are also picked up from @harperandgrey as well as the little glass hanger. The two ceramic hangers are @urbanoutfitters along with the draping plant right when you walk in (probably my favorite). Hoop wreaths are really pretty too with eucalyptus or ferns, but I never made it to those by the time I felt like there was a good amount of greenery.

F) Something by mama (or daddy). I haven’t purposely done this before, but I’m so glad I did and recommend it to parents. I love this scenery painting, one of the first things you seem when opening the door. You do NOT have to be Picasso or even artistically inclined to be able to paint. It also can be a craft of any kind… and tiny is okay that even you would notice. I love the fact that I can give him something I made personally before he was born. You could even write a letter to your baby and frame it! He/she will thank you someday…

‘we loved with a love that was more than love.’ -Edgar Allan Poe

Those are just some friendly tips I would give that I have learned along the way. I’m sure there are more I’m not thinking of, but let me know if you have any questions on decorating (I’m not pro, just self taught). Be gentle with yourself and timing if you can. Remember to enjoy the journey of preparing for your little one so that you can look back on this season with a full heart. When you start to feel overwhelmed (and you will) with it all, take a break. It can wait.

As promised, I’m going to list the beautiful brands (IG handles) I’ve had the pleasure of including in this project. If you follow my instagram account, you will find brands tagged over and over in posts of the nursery, so you can always check there as well. These companies are each unique and special. For frequently asked about, non-collaborative items, I will add at the bottom.