Gigi’s Room + Nursery Essentials

By Kate Riley April 18, 2012

I love looking at baby nurseries, and I think they’re one of the most fun spaces to design.  My own children are babies no more, they’re in elementary school, but back in the day I did enjoy making their nursery special.  The only baby in my life right now is little Gigi, and she’s the daughter of one of my very good friends. Her mom asked me to photograph her nursery to preserve for the baby book, so I thought I’d also share a few images with you.

Gigi’s nursery is filled with all the essentials for a wee one and her space is decorated in a classic color combination for a little girl’s nursery: pink and brown.  Here is the corner dedicated to reading and rocking to sleep.  A rocker or club chair is one of the smartest additions to any nursery and I always found having one in the same room as the crib makes the transition to bed an easy one.

gigis room cg

This mom chose a soft neutral tan for the wall color as a backdrop to her color scheme that includes classic pink and white.  I love the added texture of the seagrass trunk for toy and blanket storage.

I also think bookshelves are essential to a baby’s room, this one is also used to house a few of Gigi’s favorite toys. Pretty polka dot sheers frame the shelf and there’s a sweet pop of dark pink on the lampshade.

nursery bookshelf

stack of books

 

This is a sweet little “keepsake corner” for a baby’s silver rattle, and other loved things.

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baby rattle 2

 

Storage storage storage is what all parents need and I like these clever solutions that include a behind the door organizer for more books and a door hanger for Gigi’s socks, tights, and hats.  A growth chart documents how tall she’s getting.

storage behind door

 

I believe every nursery needs a dash of whimsy, so I love seeing these pink paper poms and lanterns suspended over Gigi’s crib!  Both the dark and light pink look so pretty suspended above the dark wood.

poms over crib cg

pink pom poms over crib

pink and brown nursery cg

 

A very sweet space for a very sweet girl, it makes me miss not having a nursery anymore!  Lovely right?

flower girl dresses

You can see a few more pictures over at My Colortopia today where I’m talking about decorating a girl’s nursery so be sure to stop by.   Also there’s a new post up at Centsational Style where you can read all about statement chandeliers in dining spaces.

So moms (and dads), what do you consider absolute musts to have in a nursery beyond a crib, rocker, and changing station?  I always had a music player for soft lullabies.  What is/was your one nursery essential?

 

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64 comments

  1. I always had a storage bench filled with all their toys, decorated on top with all their favorite stuffed animals. You brought me back to some great memories. Next nurseries in our family will be our grandchildren! Thanks for sharing this beautiful nursery ~ Linda

  2. awwwwwwwwwwww how cute is this little girls nursery. Love everything in it. I don’t have a little one yet, but I love looking for ideas for when the time comes. ;) Thanks for sharing Kate!!!

  3. Baby Intercom Monitor = Essential! One of those activity centers that attaches to the inside of the crib was greatly enjoyed.

  4. I am obsessed with those paper poms and lanterns. I recently redid my bedroom and have been thinking about using a few small ones somewhere in a corner, would it be too childish??

  5. Digital video monitor! Just got one for my third baby and it makes things so much easier! No more wondering what she is doing it whether she is okay- just look in the monitor and know for sure

  6. This room is soo sweet! I love every detail and I love the use of the magazine rack from books behind the door. Is a little OCD of me to admit I wanted to push that bunch of books on the bookshelf, that have fallen over, back to the left? I know, a little weird. heehee

    A chair is definitely a must have and a good night light. One that’s not too bright, but bright enough to see a little for those nighttime feedings. Aww, this make me miss my baby’s, who’s now six, nursery too. : (

    Thanks for sharing, Kate! Gigi’s room is the cutest. I’m off to check out some more pics of it.

    ~ Catie

  7. I actually dont really have a necessity I can add but one I would take away. I found the Rocker/Glider totally useless. Probably sat in it a half dozen times at most and it took up a ton of space.

  8. Designing for babies is always such a joy! This nursery is so peaceful and beautiful. I love the idea of a “keepsake corner.” I’m seeing more and more clothing on display as wall art recently and I really like the trend – especially for super cute baby clothes!

    A have a friend who is having a boy who wanted to create a monster themed nursery. She has such a hard time finding monster bedding that seems age appropriate that she eventually gave up and now has a [still very fun and cute] dinosaur themed nursery. I couldn’t make her the monster bedding she wanted, but she did inspire me to make My Little Monster baby hats!

  9. Love Gigi’s room…everything from the book rack to pom, pom’s…really well done! My girl’s are all much older as well, but couldn’t live without the monitor and the changing table/dresser my husband made. It has three galvanized pull bins on one side which held lotions/wipes-key in case lotion or anything spilled in them-easy to wipe clean. Also, the bins slide out with ease so that both hands could stay with the baby…the changing table is now a dresser in my 7yr. old room…minus the changing table pad :) Super easy and functional furniture a must

  10. Oh no – totally forgot to add my favorite essential for a nursery! I don’t have babies of my own yet, but when I watch my cousins children that baby monitor is my best friend! Oh and a “smell free” diaper pail! My friend Karen has one that seems to be completely air tight and big enough to handle diapers from twins!

  11. I love the name in wooden letters, I had the same for my first son, but now they share a room, so I need to make another for my baby boy as well. I’m thinking I’m going to bust out my jig saw and create my own, I just can’t find any in a style I like!

  12. I love this!

    Question – I am looking for exactly what the mom used for the behind the door book storage. Could you please tell me where she found it? Thanks!

  13. Lovely space! I love that glider set. There are some questionable ones out there, but this one is classic and beautiful.

    We ended up moving the mobile above the changing station. It keeps our Bean on her back while we’re changing her (and keeps her distraction-free when trying to fall asleep).
    And we turn on white noise nightly. We didn’t buy a fancy machine, but just turn the radio dial to a spot between stations. Works like a charm!
    Here’s a look at our nursery: http://www.theycallmedomesticate.com/2012/01/our-house-elsies-nursery.html

  14. Awww, so sweet. The little dresses hanging are precious.

    I just finished our THIRD nursery recently and with baby’s gender being a surprise, I went neutrals, using the color I’m always drawn to – green. Turns out we got girl number two, so I’ll get to add some pink girlie stuff to it. :o) Take a peek if you have a moment: http://rindymae.blogspot.com/2012/01/babys-room-reveal.html

    There was a ton of DIY and shopping the rest of the house to get it put together.

    I also think a rocker is an absolute must. And the radio too. Our two older kids still go to sleep with music playing every night. Something hanging above the changing table is good for when the little critters start cooing. Ah, be still my heart.

    Thanks for sharing such a sweet room.

  15. Currently looking for a rocker/glider. Do you know where there’s is from? It’s gorgeous.

  16. The pom poms and lanterns are the cherry on top.
    Definitely the baby monitor for my “go to” essential when I was a young mom.
    Now that I have a grandaughter, I’ve been painting canvas growth charts…
    not quite as practical!

  17. Ooooh, posts like this give me baby fever, lol. My kiddos are beyond this stage as well, but nurseries are always so much fun to look at! I love that she had you take photos to preserve memories of such a lovely space. Smart girl!

    xoxo,
    Jen

    • Thanks Jen and everyone, I’ll try to get a source list from my friend on some of the accents (glider, door organizer, etc.)

  18. Love the paper pom poms over the crib, they remind me of peonies in the garden. :)

  19. Such a sweet girl’s room. I currently have baby fever and this was a perfect prescription. :)

  20. Luv the keepsake corner. That little shelf would be fab in a craft room too. Do you know where they purchased it?

  21. I just love looking at baby things Kate..maybe because I only got to have one baby boy in my life..I would have loved having a girl also..sigh..

  22. What a lovely nursery! It’s so nicely put together without screaming “look at me! I got a designer look!” ;) I love the beautiful flower pom poms over the crib.

    I think book shelves and some sort of music player are essential. My girls each one of those Fisher Price musical “aquariums” that attached to their cribs, and they learned how to turn the music on and go back to sleep.

  23. I’m hoping you can answer this! How did she suspend the balls from the ceiling? I’m assuming since it is above the crib it is very secure. I’ve tried a few tactics for this in my own apartment & they do NOT stay up. My ceiling is bad dry wall so nails aren’t really a good option. & ceiling is white.

    Thanks!

  24. I will be checking back because I too would love to know where she got that behind the door organizer–PERFECT.

    I think the one essential for a nursery is a foot-pedaled, secure sealing, sanitizable trashcan that holds those stinky diapers/wipes!

  25. We love having a video monitor! SO fun to watch! But one thing that we had when our daughter was a baby and we miss having in our new home is a dimmer switch for the lights! It was so nice to be able to turn the lights on super low for those middle of the night trips into the nursery!!! I highly suggest a dimmer to any expecting mommy! One day (hopefully soon!) we will be working on baby #2s nursery, and that is a must! We might just sneak one into big sister’s room too. She still needs some middle of the night mommy time now and then! ;)

  26. Beautiful job! I LOVE all the cute pink accessories that you included. Very well thought out and perfect for a new little baby girl. ; )

    xoxo
    Kristin
    theocdlifestyle.blogspot.com

  27. I really love the behind the door bookcase… where to find? where to find!?

    • Hi Catherine, I’ll ask about those shelves and update with a source list!
      Kate

  28. This nursery is adorable!!! I love the neutral walls it really makes the pink pop right out at you! Those pom poms above the crib are sooo cute and make quite the impact:)

  29. We switched out the standard light switches to dimmer switches in our girls rooms when they were infants. Made it so much easier to turn on the light when we would go in and check on them. Then when they were toddlers you could actually leave the light on when they needed a little extra comfort by just dimming it down really low. Guess it’s time to switch them back since the girls are now 20 and 24! LOL

  30. I love this nursery and I am looking for a rocker and having the hardest time! Can you please get the brand, style, and color of her rocker for me?!?! :) I will forever be grateful!!

    THANKS SO MUCH!!

  31. The nursery is sweet!

    I would say every nursery HAS to have a dimmer switch. I always did everything in the dark at night so that baby would stay sleepy (and so I would stay sleep too!). But once in awhile, you need a light bit of light, and nothing is more glaring and disturbing than a bright light.

    That’s my nursery must-have.

    Thanks for sharing,
    Laura

  32. So sweet! It’s very reminiscent of how Ali Edwards did her daughter Anna’s nursery a couple years ago, especially the pompoms & globes over the crib. :) I can imagine they’re fun to look at for a baby.

  33. The place for keepsakes and the growth chart are just superb. My wife and I have the same elements put in or daughter’s room as a symbol for her growth. The trunk is a winner as well. Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to show this to my daughter.

  34. I LOVE it!! What’s neat is it not only can grow with her but change the accent colors and it would be a great, warm, cozy boys’ room as well!

  35. I love this baby room!
    I do have one safety concern. The tissue pom poms and lanters could be highly flamable. If there should be a house fire these would ignite quickly and then fall burning into the crib. This would then ignite the linens, crib and sleeping baby. Fires happen so very quickly. I say this out of concern for safety not to nit-pick at details.

  36. I always had a lamp with a red light bulb for night time. It was enough light for rocking and checking on sleeping baby, but not too much light to interfere with sleeping.

  37. Yay for a source list! I also was wondering about some of the items in the room. This gives me a ton of great ideas for a girl’s nursery!

  38. How sweet! My babies are grown, but I always enjoy looking at nurseries. Yay for the source list, the book shelf by the door is awesome.

    Thank you.

  39. Love the poms over the crib! People spend so much on fancy things these days but I just adore this return to simplicity…and am sure Gigi will love it more than anything you could buy, no matter the cost.

  40. I agree that nurseries are way too fun to look at…that’s why I design them for a living haha. =) What’s more fun then making a special space for a baby? Very cute room and love the name Gigi.

  41. We have to have, like you, a white noise maker. For my children it was always a fan/heater (depending on the season).

    On a side note…do you know where your friend got those shelves for the books? Both the little ones on the wall and the big one behind the door. LOVE them and I’ve been looking for something just like them!

  42. I have been on the fence for a traditional glider or just a chair rocker. I actually really like the one she used. Can’t wait for the source list!

  43. did you get a chance to see our nursery ideas at eieihome? what did you think of it???

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