When you see as many gorgeous nurseries and kids rooms as we do, it's easy to become inundated with all of the beautiful furniture, clever DIY tricks, inventive color combos . . . we could go on and on. Instead, we've culled eight truly useful, smart, and adaptable pieces of real-world advice that can be applied to most any nursery or kids room that you're working on. Click through to see some of our very favorite kiddie spaces, and what you can learn from the design of each.
Most moms would agree that the goal of designing a nursery or child's room is to create a space that reflects the aesthetic of the rest of the house while also serving as a special enclave for the little one who lives there. The room that Nancy Twomey of Alexandria, VA-based Finnian's Moon Interiors designed for the 2012 DC Design House is pure magic. The space is supremely serene, but it's also filled with playful touches that would make a little boy feel right at home. From the red wagon-turned-bookshelf to the delicate giraffe hooks, we're captivated by every detail. Click through, and be inspired!
One way to ensure your little one feels the spirit of Feb. 14 all year round? Make their Valentine from Mom or Dad a love-themed piece of art that will remind them just how special they are each and every day. We've found seven sweet prints that serve as love notes from parents to their pride and joy.
Your kids probably didn't catch George Clooney and John Krasinski's 2008 flick Leatherheads — but that doesn't mean it can't serve as the inspiration for a very cool retro football-themed upgrade. Set in 1925, the film looks back to a time when football games meant waving pennants and (as the name implies) leather helmets, as opposed to the high-tech hoopla of today's NFL. Gear up for this weekend's Super Bowl with these 9 retro football finds that are sure to score big with your little passer, punter, or kicker.
Our animal obsession continues! (Did you check out our awesome kid-friendly finds celebrating the fox, the owl, the hedgehog, and the raccoon?) This week, we're spotlighting perhaps the most common woodland animal in our lives: the bushy-tailed squirrel. Kids love to watch them run, jump, climb, and scavenge in your backyard, so why not bring them into your home — through cute onesies, pillows, toys, nursery decor, and more, of course? We tracked down 11 adorable squirrel finds from Etsy, Blabla, Jellycat, and more; keep clicking to find your favorite!
I didn't do much searching around for my first crib, instead picking up a relatively affordable, simple style from a major retailer. Oh, if I had known then what I know now! Today's crib market is full of modern, stylish, sleek, and just-plain-cool options, with new introductions constantly adding to the baby-bed awesomeness. Five new cribs from Oeuf, Babyletto, Nurseryworks, Dutailier, and DaVinci Baby have me rethinking using my old crib for any future children. Who wants boring when you can have a crib that's this extraordinary?! Keep clicking to check them all out!
When it came time to create a nursery for her little girl, Leighton, brand stylist and award-winning graphic designer Erika Brechtel of Small Shop Studio channeled her Hawaiian roots. "I found some inspiration from our trip to the Honolulu Zoo — where she [Leighton] first saw flamingos, elephants, and zebras — and a touch from the tropical regency style of the very pink Royal Hawaiian Hotel," Erika says. Her goal was to create a room that not only was beautiful, but that also captured Leighton's exuberant personality. Click through and check out what we think was a resounding success!
While kiddie-specific furniture and decor serve a purpose, we're also big fans of integrating more "grown-up" pieces into children's rooms to create a balance of sophistication and fun. A beautiful rug can set the tone for a room and add an element of structure to its layout. These nine graphic-print rugs weren't designed specifically for little ones, but we think they'd fit right in to a stylish tot's space!
Kirsten Marchand, a retail designer for New Balance and design blogger, dreamed about what her nursery would look like long before she was even pregnant. "I wanted to create a nursery that could grow with the kids," says the mom of boy/girl twin toddlers. "I had kept a folder filled with inspiration for years before we started our family, so the nursery truly was a labor of love. One of the best surprises was how functional the nursery ended up being for two very tired parents — plenty of places for storage and play."
With its sophisticated, historic vibe, special art and toy finds, and muted color palette, the nursery isn't a departure from the style of the rest of the farmhouse, which was originally built in the 1700s and is located on Boston's North Shore. But with two cribs (Ikea finds made to look antique with Old Fashioned Milk Paint) and two toddling residents, this room is all about creating a cozy, kid-friendly family space. Keep clicking to see all the details.
Source: Kirsten Marchand and Malcolm Brown
Once upon a time, a nursery was either pink or blue, and the extent of the decor was a pile of stuffed animals and a slew of baby gear. But over the past few years, style-savvy moms have smartened up. There's no reason that a baby's space can't reflect his mama's sophisticated taste. This past year, we saw some amazing nurseries, and narrowing it down to the 10 best was no easy task! Whether you're a seasoned parent or a mom-to-be, you're sure to be inspired by our very favorite nurseries of the year.
