Every day, several times a day, I sit in this chair and think, “Man, I love this nursery. I should put pictures of it on Pinterest so I can ‘pin’ it and show the world how much I like it.” Hence, this departure from the usual food-themed blog post to show you The Nursery…
The shamelessly spoiled little firstborn for whom this nursery was created, Cora Virginia, is now nearly seven weeks old. I’d say she’s a fan of her new digs (though it probably doesn’t compare to what the maternity ward nurse called “the aquarium,” where she happily stayed for 42 weeks).
I call the theme “Enchanted Woodlands,” not to be confused with Winnie the Pooh’s enchanted forest. Think vintage Sleeping Beauty, with fewer woodland creatures and lots of yellow and gray. Instead of spending a fortune on wallpaper or wall stickers for an accent wall, we decided to frame chunks of white birch wall stickers over the cradle. Great idea Mom!
My mom drove up from Kansas late this summer to bring several items my Papa had made for my sister and I — a cradle, a rocking horse and an easel among them — and to outfit the nursery. When she got here, I still had all the gifts and decor I’d collected in baggies in a downstairs room. The nursery was still the guest room. But my mom is a veritable workhorse, so she had things going in no time (I, at 7 months pregnant, would have rather napped all weekend).
The biggest project was painting the formerly black dresser I’d found on craigslist into a mustard diaper changing table. I was so pleased to find a dresser with big drawers and a door; my husband installed a bar behind the cabinet door to make her a mini closet (he uses the closet in the room, which her clothes miiiiight eventually take over). I’m not sure whether this dresser actually needed two base and two top coats, but that’s what we did, along with adding wood details and new knobs. Lots of painting, but I do love the way it turned out!
I found the off-white vanity at the other end of the room at Salvation Army and left it just as it was. A little girl has to have a mirror for getting ready, or for picking out her bow for the day…
Let’s just say Cora has enough bows to choose from. My friend Bridget, who sells bows here, made several of them as well as the display board. I got several of the smaller decorations from Home Goods and antique stores, including one of my favorites in Alexandria, Evolution Home. The cuckoo clock, however, is from my grandmother’s kitchen. She literally took it off the wall for Cora’s room!
The space has become just what I hoped it would be: a peaceful respite where my husband and I can focus on being new parents over countless diaper changes, feedings, rockings and readings of books. I took these photos during an evening, but the room is filled with great morning light. (That’s why you’ll see the chevron changing pad behind her head in almost all my Instagram pictures.) The room is much bigger than a baby needs, but that’s just the layout of our house right now. Hopefully I’ll be able to contain all her play items (my goodness babies come with a ton of accessories!) to that room one day.
We have a nanny coming part-time starting next week, so this post is bittersweet for me. My little maternity leave from writing (professionally at least) was all too short-lived. But I am eager to get back to my own schedule, now that we have the baby on a bit of one (or she has me on one, rather), and to learn to balance the next season of writing and mothering. I have loved every minute of this first seven weeks with baby Cora! And before I get (any more) matronly and sappy on you, I’ll sign off. Thanks for indulging in my nursery sharing!
Cheers
-W
OK one more picture, because she’s so cute…
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