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Monday, December 9, 2013

Baby Cardigan's Nursery: Midcentury Marvel

When I found out that I was pregnant, I started dreaming of adorable nurseries.  I've swooned over Joni Lay's designs for a long time, and couldn't wait to piece together one of my own.  Once we found out that Baby Cardigan is a boy, I began scouring the internet for inspiration and was really bored by the standard formula of chevron print + baby animals = boy nursery (I'm so tired of it!) so I decided to make an adult design more juvenile instead.

Here's where I landed:




So far, this is just a design but most everything has been purchased, and it adheres (in theory) to the criteria that I discussed with my husband:
  • Include as few baby-only pieces as possible, meaning that the design should be able to grow with Baby Cardigan and accommodate his future preferences without requiring us to buy new furniture other than a bed.  
  • No permanent design elements. We are not planning to be in this house long-term, and the thought of painting over a large-scale project like a striped wall or tearing down a large decal (if you're into that) makes me sad.  In this room, the walls are staying neutral and even the gold trim will be washi tape that can be ripped off when we move, or decide to go in a different direction.
  • Not be too babyish, since we both hate cutesy looking pieces.  (This has made registering difficult, since the fabric prints on so many products are awful!)
  • Include Marvel characters, since N is a big fan and looking forward to sharing that world with Baby Cardigan
  • Not contain anything too precious that cannot be cleaned or repaired.  The navy and white rug was bought at 70% off on Cyber Monday and is actually intended to protect our new carpet from a little boy, but it can be steam cleaned if the stains get out of control and was only $205.  The chair is covered in a bonded leather that can be wiped down, and the dresser (similar to the one pictured) is a $150 vintage piece that we are painting ourselves, so any marks or scratches can be covered up with another coat.  
  • The chair needs to be inexpensive or reusable.  We ended up going with a mid-priced chair from La-Z-Boy because I will not spend $1000+ on a chair that won't fit in with the rest of our house, and the cheap options at our local big box stores were awful.  I was also not brave enough to buy a chair I've never sat in when return shipping can cost as much as a new chair.  I'm pretty thrilled with our choice, since it will add to the retro feel of the room and is really comfortable and well made.
  • Overall, the room needs to come together fairly cheaply.  The chair is our biggest expense, but everything else has turned out to be fairly inexpensive.  We know we'll have plenty of other expenses once the baby arrives, and I set a firm budget that's probably equal to what some people spend on a crib and dresser.  Luckily, I've not had any big challenges once I realized that shopping for regular decor is way cheaper than anything intended for a kid space.  (I think it's like weddings in that the prices are inherently higher because of the emotional purchase)
Now is the time where I ask any experienced mamas what things you think I need, especially when it comes to a baby registry?  Or, what are your favorite nursery designs?

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Product Source Information

Rugs USA Homespun Trellis Rug (wait for a sale!)
Argington Bam Crib (I bought mine used)
Marvel Art Prints (ours are 5"x7")
Be Brave print by Charm & Gumption
Nate Berkus for Target Wall Studs

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