Designing Dishes: "Shabby Chic" Baby Nursery with a Modern Twist

Tips for Decorating a Baby Nursery

Whether you're having a baby, a new adorable grandchild, or a friend needs your advice for decorating a baby nursery, we're giving you tips to make the process simple, fun, and budget friendly.

1. Pick a Theme:

Our theme is shabby chic with a modern twist. The nursery is designed for my special new granddaughter. This vision reflects my daughter's decorating style throughout the rest of her home. When choosing a theme, pick something that has a special meaning and that you won't get tired of. Sports, book and movie characters, or a special decorating style are good beginning ideas. Search magazines and social media sites for additional ideas.

2. Choose a Color Scheme:
The walls, which are light gray with white trim, were kept as originally painted. The rest of the house has the same color scheme and is accented with dark wood floors. Coral and sage green were selected to compliment the modern colors. The inspiration for this color scheme came from floral accent pillows purchased at Homegoods and an existing sage green family armoire. Using a piece of art or furniture as an inspiration color is a good rule to follow. The pillows and armoire started our process. When combining colors, use the 60-30-10 rule. 60 percent of our room is the lightest color (gray), 30 percent of our room is a dominant color (sage green), and 10 percent is our brightest color (coral). In our case, the white is neutral and compliments all colors. Remember to select colors that reflect your personal style. If you use colors you don't love, you'll never be happy with the selections.

3. Select Your Furniture:
What do you need?
"""""Our rule of thumb is this"""""
- but you can add your personal preferences-

Have a Place for Feeding and Rocking Baby

Have a Changing Area with a Changing Table, Storage, Clothes Hamper and Diaper Disposal

Have a Crib for Sleeping

Have a Place for Clothing and Supplies

4. By drawing out a preliminary plan with the items listed above, you'll know the furniture sizes that will work in the room. The first item selected was the glider from Land of Nod. It fits nicely in the corner by the window. The gray color is brushed cotton and matches the wall color perfectly.

The Jenny Lind convertible crib from Simply Baby Furniture fits nicely along the wall to the right of the glider. The crisp and luxurious white sheets and bed skirt came from Serena and Lily. The purchased coral binding was secured with fabric glue to the bed skirt.

The white changing table with drawers was purchased from Simply Baby Furniture and fits along the wall to the right of the door and close to the crib. Between the crib and changing table is a clothes hamper and diaper disposal.

To the left of the window is the sage green armoire. This layout works well with the size of the room. If you have more space, you can add bookcases, additional storage, a larger rocker, and a play area. If your space is smaller, consider a folding rocker, a bassinet, and other smaller scale items.

5. Select Your Lighting:
The lighting should provide functionality and ambiance. The Ikea overhead light is large and a great piece to add to the shabby chic atmosphere. The room glistens from the white flower design. Next to the glider is a small reading light from Ikea with a 15 watt bulb to use during feeding and rocking. The last lighting choice from Ikea is placed on top of the armoire to illuminate that area of the room.

6. Select Accessories and Accents:
This is the fun part - finding the pieces to finish your decorating. You can use your personal style to complete the room while saving money by using items you already have, personalizing pieces, and hunting for pieces on sale from discount or thrift stores. We chose a large gray and white geometric area rug from Target for the floor, a similar geometric foot stool from Old Time Pottery, white sheer drapes from Ikea, vintage clothing above the changing table, handmade fabric pendants above the crib and sitting area, plus small finishing touches in coral, sage, and gray from craft and thrift stores.