Few things are more special or can be more of a blessing than preparing for a new life to enter your home. Whether it is a large room or a small corner, a baby space is special and can bring so much joy to the one making preparations and using the space once baby arrives! 

But this process can also be stressful because: 

• Pregnancy hormones are involved!
• Mama is tired (especially if their are older brothers and/or sisters to care for)
• There are so many decorating choices and ideas out there..it can be overwhelming!

 So, I encourage the moms I work with to do three things:

• Keep it simple
• Start planning and work early if possible
• Do something emotional! Don’t fight it, embrace your excitement.

When decorating 8 month old son Henry’s nursery I knew I wanted to keep much of the “bones”  from his brother’s room: white furniture (though we did add a comfy rocker this time), linen colored walls (Laura Ashley Stone 2 from Lowe’s), and white scalloped awnings. My theory is that when using non-juvenile fabrics like I chose, elements like the scalloped awnings lend a subtle baby feel so the room doesn’s seem too grown up. Big brother’s nursery was more vintage and red (click here and scroll to last page for a peek of Drew’s baby room in the June 2005 issue of Better Homes & Garden)..I wanted Henry’s room to have softer colors with a touch of a modern feel.  New fabrics and a few handmade items were all the room needed to totally change the look!

The fabrics in Henry’s nursery were a great bargain and came from fabric.com (Waverly trellis on drapes and stripe on bumper, actually indoor outdoor fabrics which wash up softer than you might think) and the organic leafy accent fabric is Dahlia from Calico Corner as is the linen dot on the crib skirt. I made the drapes and placed them inside the awnings with a shower rod!  I had the bedding made locally. If you are doing any of your own painting or sewing, plan on doing it early before your baby bump begins to get in the way!

And here is my point about the emotional element, it’s my belief you don’t have to be practical about every choice in a nursery. YOU ARE HAVING A BABY, it is a MIRACLE and very exciting.  Sure it is great to reuse cribs and other items so that the room can grow with the child and save money but I think it is okay to have one item or more that are just for the baby phase and pure visual bliss..whether it is a fabric (face it, little boys grow out of toile fast!) or a special print or painting, it is okay.  As the mama, you will spend HOURS in this room.  A beautiful, well thought out atmosphere will bless you in the wee hours and on days when you don’t get a shower.  It is worth the effort.  And as the saying goes, they are only a baby once and you can save the item as a keepsake or pass on to another baby. For me, that item was the dahlia fabric.  I knew Henry would outgrow that look fast but I wanted a fresh modern baby fabric in the mix so I just made one pillow and one side of the baby comforter out of that fabric. When he is one year or so I will remove those items from the room..use the pillow in a guest room and frankly the comforter is getting pretty worn anyway because I use it for his tummy time  on the floor and have washed often.  It will make a great picnic blanket.

The blue trellis drapes also will not last a little boy forever but I am thinking they might look great in my dining room down the road. For now they have created a sophisticated and soothing nursery for both of us to enjoy.  We can always add the cowboys later!

My five year old recently told me he wants a “sportsy room” …”you know with a basketball net and trophies”..so I rest my case, embrace the baby phase and your ability to make all of the decisions for their room as long as possible..Enjoy mamas!

[More sources: The tree above the crib is from Dali Decals, brown rug from Target, rocker and polka dot hamper from Pottery Barn Kids, white coat rack from Target, monogram canvas from Small Words, silhouette print over crib from Sarah + Abraham]