apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

What was your inspiration when you began creating this room for your son?

The inspiration for the room came in pieces over a few months. I wasn't exactly sure of the direction I was headed, but knew I didn't want a themed or excessively babyish room, but something that could evolve as my son grew older. I began the planning process by looking at online nursery pictures and visiting blogs and other sites for ideas. I figured crib bedding was a good first purchase, and after an exhaustive search for the perfect bedding failed, I recalled how much I liked the Dwell set I had originally seen a few years ago. That then served as the basis for the blue and brown color combination. My husband and I had done stripes in other rooms, so knew it would work here, and we opted to add a chair rail for more interest and dimension.

The rest of the design just fell into place after the painting was complete and the furniture added. But I generally think a good design continues to change over time, so I'm still adding to it. I often look around the room and think about how another touch of orange might work here or there, or how a different table lamp might be a better fit.

What challenges did you face along the way?
One challenge we encountered was getting use out of our entire bedding set. For safety reasons, we never planned on using the crib bumper, but hated to toss it aside since it was a large part of the bedding cost. We hadn't decided on a window treatment yet, so I came up with the idea to turn the bumper into a window valance. I simply folded it in half, put a few hand stitches in it to keep it flat, and fastened it to a curtain rod using the existing ties. It was a very easy solution and looks cute in the room.

Do you have a favorite item or feature in the room?
I love the light fixture! It's stylish and unique, but fun enough for a child's room. And the baby loves staring at it. I think it will grow nicely with him and work well with any future decor changes. I also adore the bright and whimsical Avalisa paintings. It's great that they are mix and match, so the grouping can easily be updated or changed later. The glider is also very comfortable for feedings and storytime, and is sized well for the small corner.

We rarely see cribs that aren't placed against the wall - what was your thinking behind its placement?
Honestly, the crib positioning was a bit of trial and error. With the other pieces of furniture to contend with and the closet on the large wall, there wasn't a remaining wall that was a great fit for the crib. Plus, I have never loved the look of furniture being exclusively lined up on walls; I think putting a piece in an unexpected place gives a room a dramatic flair. After trying out the crib in the center, I discovered I really liked the interesting angle it created in an otherwise boring, boxy room. And since it's the first thing you see when entering the room, it makes the baby the focal point.

Here are resource notes on many of the items in Evan's Nursery:

• Wise Old Owl Mobile from Modern Nursery.
• Sputnik Light Fixture from Inmod.
• Siamese Cat Lamp by Offi.
• White Stool Kid Box by Boom.
• Crib by Munire.
• Luca Glider by Monte.
• Wall Letters and Numbers from Anthropologie.
• Alphabet Bedding by DwellStudio.
• Lambskin Rug from Costco.
• White bookcase from Target.
• White shelves from The Container Store.

Thank you for sharing Evan's Nursery with us, Laura! We're confident he'll be happy there for a long time to come!