Since September is the most common month to have a baby, that means many near due baby bumps are living loud and proud right about now. It also means that many mammas have the “decorate nursery” bullet on their to do list nagging them constantly. Knowing where to begin can be the hardest part, and for you here’s some inspiration for little girls rooms (one if my own) where geography inspired the design direction.
Now let’s be honest, when you’re planning your baby’s nursery you don’t know what that kid’s personality, aspirations and interest will be so the room will instead reflect that of your own. Once you have an idea in mind think about what natural elements, imagery and animals you can include – then don’t overdo it. You can still have a big theme but let it live tastefully in the room.
This first space belongs to parents with a boatload of Canadian Pride, they are avid skiers and love the mountains. They loved the Canadiana concept, though they felt it to be a bit masculine and wanted a sweet girly quality to be reflected.
The mountain theme is bold in with the wall motif but I like that it’s not overdone. Otherwise the décor is fairly simple with some sweet framed prints on the walls, stuffed bears and deer throughout and (my personal favorite) the subtle white rug that represents the snow. It’s just the right amount of mountain reference and visual balance having the bold accents paired with simple white walls and furniture.
The second room (and sorry in advance, I may be biased cause it’s my daughters nursery) is inspired from the opposite side of the world with a safari theme. My husband and I are (or we’re, pre baby) big travelers and it was important to us that we encourage life outside these walls for our little one. This was planned as a gender neutral room so the pop of color comes in the yellow.
Again, you’ll notice that I did not want to overstate the theme. Aside from some stuffed animals and one image on the wall natural materials and texture are the driving force here. Continuity is achieved here with white, wicker or a walnut stained furniture. The back wall is cut MDF in a herringbone pattern painted white (which FYI was low cost but labor intensive).
Much like everything in life it’s all about balance! You want white, but not too white. Themed but not too themed. My take is don’t be afraid to make the statement you want, but be sure to counterweight that with natural materials and neutral tones.
Happy nesting mamas.
Lara Young is the Principal of Lara Young Design, and also a new mom. Like many of us Lara is trying to find that quintessential work/life balance. Being her own boss is bringing Lara one-step closer to her dream. You can read Lara’s full bio, or contact her to help with your next design project here.
Choosing a name for your baby is hard. In fact, its a HUGE responsibility, and you basically need to nail it, or else your child is screwed. No pressure though.
Let’s start at the beginning. Holden.
I remember being around 20 months pregnant, sitting in Florida with Mike and family, and flipping through baby name books. It was eventually Mike that came across the name Holden. We had only ever heard “Holden” from the famous book, The Catcher in the Rye. But something about that name stuck.
Beau’s name was one that we had ready to go if we were having a girl. I have this tiny obsession with the movie Signs. You know, the one where Aliens invade the planet, but the focus of the movie is on a family living on a farm? The little girl’s name in it is Bo. I absolutely loved that name since the first time I watched Signs. 
