Once again the words, “It’s a boy,” came out of the mouth of the ultrasound technician. I was both thrilled and disappointed. I always pictured having a girl, and of course creating that perfect pink nursery that I had been dreaming up for the last fifteen years or so. It would have been magnificent. But alas, I’m not in charge of these decisions, and it is a good thing I’m not. After I found out my first child was a boy, I created a Toy Story room which I still just love. This time I was even more at a loss. The situation demanded creativity. It had to be magnificent and unique. My brain didn’t waste a moment. Ask anyone and they will tell you I was a little obsessed and crazy about it. Nesting instincts cranked up to full blast I guess. It would be wonderful if it killed me.
I started by searching my brain for what I had already dreamed up. I have thought about designing a Dr. Seuss room for quite a while, so I started there. I found some really cool things on the internet that would have been perfect, but I also found that Dr. Seuss has been done thousands of times by thousands of people. Most of the rooms are centered around a giant mural. Cool, but not for me. I realized that what I loved about it was the whimsical feel. I didn’t really want the characters in the room anyway, but rather something more sophisticated. So, I settled on a Seussy feel without the Seuss.
I finally had a direction. If I have learned anything while designing babies and kids rooms, it is: start with the art. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be to find art that I loved that was nursery appropriate. I did end up finding some gems after hours of scouring the internet. We decided to put a giant piece of art over the crib as the centerpiece of the room, and I found this adorable art by Wyanne on Etsy that I love. My favorite is the giraffe trying to kiss the moon.
From there, everything just took off. I decided to do orange walls and a blue ceiling, which in and of itself is a little weird and whimsical. Then, I also changed the flooring to a nice ceramic tile that I think will make the room look more whimsical. I was able to find something that fit that description from a local tile dealer. I liked the yellow birds that Dr. Seuss has, so I decided to put those on the ceiling. I also loved Dr. Seuss’ trees. I originally had toyed with the idea of putting tiny truffula trees around the bottom of the room. I ended up using a tree stencil I found and making the trunks extra long to get the whimsical look I wanted. I found a rug that gives the appearance of grass to go with the outdoor feel. I can get allergies sometimes so I try to not keep too many rugs around, but I know a carpet cleaning service that does good work that I can call every so often, so it’ll be fine. If you need professional carpet cleaning services in Encinitas, CA, you may click on the link to learn more.
The paint in this room was key to the overall look. I used six different paint colors in all. The antique furniture I used for the dresser and bookshelves got a makeover when I painted part of them. This left the wood visible to match the crib and changing table, but allowed them also to coordinate with the bright paint in the rest of the room. I was blown away by how beautifully they turned out.
Benjamin Moore: August Morning 2156-40 Wall Color
Benjamin Moore: Jack Frost 729 Ceiling
Benjamin Moore: Amarillo 320 Dresser
Benjamin Moore: Yosemite Blue 2059-40 Bookcase
Benjamin Moore: Stem Green 2029-40 Hills
Benjamin Moore: Deep Sea Green 735 Trees
Lighting is very important to me in a nursery. Interesting lighting can make a room magical to a little one. In this room I have a quirky little chandelier, a glow in the dark moon clock, a globe light that swirls and changes colors, and a hot air balloon mobile that has electric candles inside. The mobile is my favorite part of the room. I had no idea if it would work when I thought it up and set out to make it. It is cooler than I ever imagined. Click here to see how I made it.
This room was definitely a challenge. With a two year old to take care of and being pregnant, I had limited time and energy, and limited funds. I pushed through many road blocks. I tried to enjoy the creative parts and ignore the stress of the immanent deadline. It was all worth it. I love having a special place for my little boy made just for him. He just started staring at his mobile, and it warms my heart to know I did that for him.
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Desiree
