Since my youngest turns one next month (insert gasp + tears) I thought I would share a little glimpse into his nursery before he heads off to college. “The days are long but the years are short” really does ring true with your third.
There is no space I love designing more than a nursery. It’s such an open book and allows you to have so much fun in the details. And, I believe it truly sets the tone for your little one when they’re just starting out. And with #3fourandunder I’ve had a lot of practice with nurseries over the last few years.
Our youngest is Waylon and with an “outlaw” name like that, a western-inspired room was kind of a no-brainer in my book. Beyond his room, the inspiration for his room came from a vintage painting in my moms house that was painted by my great, great aunt of two men on horseback wandering through a prairie-like landscape. I love it and am still holding out hope that she’ll let me have it in his room at some point (hi Mom).
As you know, my thing is always about integrating heirloom pieces into your space in a way that doesn’t feel dated. These pieces bring your home to life and knowing the stories behind the pieces adds to the adventure when folks are touring your space.
Waylon’s space is one of my favorite rooms structurally in our house, it’s a cozy little room just off the master bedroom which has truly been the perfect place for him. The high roof and open rafter look with our shiplap just makes it feel cozy and sweet.
The cowboy hats in the space line both sides of the bright window and we found them at the farm. Shane’s brother and cousin wore them growing up when they showed horses.
My always-neutral color palette helped bring everything together and cohesive, letting the tones and textures be the hero. A little bookcase and school-house chalkboard that was in my room growing up, with my guitar on the matching entrance wall welcome you upon entering. I cut out a few illustrated pages from a chapter book that belonged to my stepmom for display on the board, and the book sits on the shelf with her name (maiden) inside in third-grade type cursive writing. The book sits next to a row of vintage storybooks that my cousin recently gave me. They once belonged to my dad and his siblings and they are just so beautiful and special to me.
I always love functional but cute storage elements for a kids space and love using one of our Steele Canvas Baskets for toys, blankets and such. This sweet little rocking chair from my Great Aunt Ashley (my namesake) was also passed down to me and is often home to a monkey or teddy bear, depending on the day.
My mom sewed and hand-painted the strong little felt banner for his space, inspired by an old vinyl record. We’ve had so many comments on it that we just added these little banners to our site as part of our Southern Artisan Collection (thanks Mom) so you can have one too. And, the giraffes were gifted from my Dad, one for each of our first two children. We were holding our breath that a third one didn’t show up this go-around.
As for the furniture, we moved this lengthy antique buffet table up from our dining room to sit in as a changing table. It’s the best one I’ve had, so much space and the perfect height, and I can stash the non-pretty essentials in the space below. I helped carry this up the stairs, so I really do appreciate it up here. We also inherited my Grandmother’s old campaign dresser, which once sat in a guest room in her home. It was originally a robins egg blue, but we painted it black to be a strong element in the room. I love the tarnished brass accents. This campaign-style has become especially popular over the last year or so, so we’re right on trend pulling in this classic piece.
I know we are so fortunate to have be passed down so many special treasures from our family before us. If this isn’t the case for you, start by checking out some pieces that family members may have (and be willing to part with) and think about how you could incorporate them in your own space. And, when you’re purchasing new pieces, consider at least buying one or two things that are truly special so your little one has something they could use in a nursery for their own children one day.
Now, onto planning a first-birthday party over here…
