My niece and her husband made what appears to be an unusual choice these days: they opted not to find out the gender of their baby. The birthing trend for most young parents is to acquire as much information as is possible beforehand, to organize and plan everything out to the most minute detail, and to outfit the nursery with a specific theme that is designed with a particular child in mind. Some parents-to-be even go so far as to schedule an induction so that even the actual birth day of the child will not be subject to the whims or vagaries of nature.(Heaven forbid!) I won't get started on my opinion on all of that...but let me just say that I am a firm proponent of waiting. I can readily testify that the moment when you discover just who your child is one of the most magical and wonderful events in life.
That being said, living in the day and time that in which we find ourselves, planning and executing a gender neutral nursery can be a significant challenge. Most of the decor that is available is geared toward one sex or the other. My niece, however, managed to pull together an adorable nursery that strikes the perfect balance. The soft blues, creams, and touches of white and burnished gold will lend themselves well to either a baby boy or a baby girl.
I also love that she incorporated items that had been used in her own nursery. In some cases they were updated and in others, they appear just as they were thirty years ago. As you enjoy seeing her selections, I will try to let you know where she sourced everything.
The color palette is soft and soothing. No bright colors here to strike discordant notes.
This little nursery will be a sanctuary for mother and child alike.
worked with my niece and assisted her with the wall color, bedding selections, and window treatments.
From this picture you can see that the bedroom was originally
paneled in hand-hewn tongue and groove cypress that has been painted with Benjamin Moore White Dove.
I am usually not a fan of paneling, but here it provides interest and adds a cottage feel to the room.
The pegged oak floors are original to the house and were refinished with a darker stain this past year.
The Jenny Lind crib was used by my niece when she was a baby.
Urban Grace worked their magic on the bedding.
It is a masterful blend of textures, subtle patterns and tones.
It's neutral, but not boring!
The crib skirt fabric is a Jane Shelton linen fabric: Raindrops in Blue/Green. It is designed to adjust
as the crib is lowered. The crib sheet is Serena and Lily Aqua Trellis, and the bumpers
are Robert Allen Diamond Tuft in Natural with welting and ties in Fabricut Elements in Haze.
I love this piece and think it adds great cachet to the space. My niece searched high and low and
finally found this gem on a FaceBook auction.
Even though she had to drive 120 miles to pick it up, it
was definitely worth it.
This ceramic bunny has a happy home in the corner
I don't know whose idea it was, but it was a genius plan to remove the closet doors and add the shelving for baskets (from
Pottery Barn). It will be a long time before baby will need the extra length for his or her clothes and this makes wise use of what is normally underutilized space in a closet.
Here's a closer look at the changing table combination dresser. My niece
ordered this charming piece on Etsy from
Dani's Custom Designs.
I love the retro knobs and the embossing detail on the front of the drawers.
My mother made each of her daughters a series of these counted cross-stitch nursery rhymes
for our baby nurseries. My niece had these keepsakes reframed in burnished gold for an updated look.
No family nursery would be complete without a hand-knitted baby
blanket designed and executed by the baby's great-grandmother, our beloved BaBa.
The nursery rocker/glider is from
Beau Home Interiors in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida,
and is slipcovered in a natural cotton twill.
Both the shade and the curtain above have blackout lining. Draperies are Fabricut Carrom Robin's Egg. Urban Grace fabricated the cornice board in-house. Hardware is by Restoration Hardware.
One of my favorite touches is the bird lamp on the wicker table (from an estate sale)
by
Dimond Lighting.It definitely brings a touch of whimsy to the space
and echoes the burnished gold tones of the chandelier hanging above.
Here are a collection of treasures that belonged to my niece when she was a baby
Leather baby shoes that have been preserved in porcelain paired with a Wedgwood Bunnykins bank
The vintage Beatrix Potter music box by Schmid with Mr. Owl and the Squirrel
A closer look at the artwork by Ginger Leigh of Grayton Beach, Florida that was
commissioned especially for the nursery.
You've seen all of the special touches that my niece pulled together to make a
serene, soothing and inviting space for her little one to play and sleep and dream.
Now it's time to find out just who will be taking up residence in this lovely nursery....
Drumroll, please...
It's a Girl!
It's a Princess!
Here she is...
Nursery rug from Joss and Main
All baskets pictured from Pottery Barn
Chandelier found online
Small wicker rocker gift from friend
Round wicker table from an Estate Sale
Baby Girl - gift from God (every perfect gift cometh from above....)
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