Chapin Group Interiors : SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK NURSERY AFTER

Back in October, I shared my initial plan for Baby M's School House Rock Nursery. Well, Baby M decided to make an early appearance! Luckily, we had everything ready to go except for the artwork for over the crib. (Funny, artwork was also the hold up in Sweet Baby Emily's Nursery).

Before: As a guest room

After: An inviting yellow and gray nursery!

Here is the initial inspiration board I presented to my clients:

We stayed fairly true to the initial story board. The rug is the scroll tile rug in gray from Pottery Barn that will easily transition to another room. The Pottery Barn Kids polka dot drapes were a great price and by adding the yellow chevron twill tape to the leading edge, we gave them a custom look at a retail price.

After reading the current research on bumper pads and SIDS, my client opted not to go with a bumper pad. The organic polka dot sheet from PB Kids along with a custom chevron crib skirt add a great punch of color and pattern. As the debate continues on the safety of bumper pads, more alternatives are popping up: an increased selection of printed sheets, sheets with a contrast band on the side and the faux bumper pad.

From the doorway, you see the inviting nursing/reading corner. We again used the Ribba picture ledges as bookshelves because space is at a premium. The Little Castle glider (as well as the crib and dresser) are from Georgia Baby and Kids. We received a swatch of the chair fabric after ordering the chair, it was much bluer than anticipated. Back to the store where we compared it to the original - not the same at all! We still aren't sure if the sample they sent us or the store swatch was the color we had ordered, so we went with a different color all together to be safe. Although the sales staff thought the chair would be the color we initially ordered, they were very helpful in changing the order.

This room is another great example of high/low decorating. The parents splurged on the chair but the fun gray pouf ottoman and the pillow are Target purchases. The Pouf was about half the price of the original from CB2!

I had originally specified a bright yellow file cabinet for the side table to add storage and a touch of whimsy. However, the Mom was afraid the corners might be a hazard during late night feedings. Also, her Aunt sent this beautiful stained glass lamp that she made for the nursery. The bright yellow side table, under $100 at Target, works beautifully with the lamp. I love how the lines on the lamp mimic the chevron from the bed skirt. Her Aunt used several pins from Baby M's Nursery board on Pinterest as her starting point. I know this special gift will be cherished for years to come.

Remember the beautiful paneling on this wall? What a change!

The custom Abacus over the changing table adds a great focal point to this side of the room. The contrast is ideal for Baby M's developing eyes to focus on. (My child development background comes in handy for designing nurseries). The parents decided to hang it a little high to avoid kicking feet and waving arms. Watch for a future post on it's construction by HHM. The colorful wood beads pick up on the polka dot theme and will provide lots of fine motor skill practice in the future. The polka dot changing pad cover, as well as the striped blanket on the glider, are both from Land of Nod.

Figuring out the best way to spray paint all these beads, as well as searching out spray paint in all the right colors was quite a challenge. HHM used the directions at Anything Pretty Blog as a starting point but made some modifications.

The alphabet artwork over the crib was also custom made using alphabet flashcards based on a vintage ABC book and were purchased from Etsy. I used this knock off of a Restoration Hardware Piece at that's my letter blog as my inspiration.

Freddie the Lamaze Firefly Mobile adds a whimsical touch to the crib. Not only does he play music, his wings flap and the wings reverse to a more complex pattern as the baby's vision develops.