The Nursery - Part I - Defining the Big Idea

I found out that I was pregnant in the same month that we started designing the house. From the begining, I assigned the room above the library as the nursery - it is the smallest of the two bedrooms upstairs and it felt cosier and somehow, just perfect. Margot's room has been one of the most fun to think about and also, at points, one of the hardest. It is also the only room that will have been designed fully to the last detail - the other rooms, although also thought out, will, as it should, evolve with us living in them.

The first main decision for the nursery was the "big idea", theme and colour scheme. Even after we found out we were having a girl, I was adamant about not making the room pink - it is one of my least favourite colours and it gets overused. Besides, I was not sure I wanted a "gender defined" room. I am also not into the bright colour theme for babies' rooms - I know, I know, babies see brighter colours better but I really wanted a calm, peaceful environment, while avoiding the cliche' "shabby chic", or the pink and brown scheme that is just so passe'!

So I looked around for inspiration and found it in a few different places. The first one was the Serena and Lily's catalogue - this room in particular, from the Cameron Collection.

I love the neutral/linen tones, and in particular the colour of the crib, but the beach theme was not appropriate for this house. I kept this image in my files anyway and came back to it over and over. The next inspiration source was my favourite shelter magazine, the Spanish El Mueble. I have been buying this magazine for more than 20 years and my mother still gets it and mails it to me every few months. Last Summer, there was an issue with a special on children's rooms.

Once again, I love the soft tones in all these images and the feeling of peace that they convey. The one below became the fulcral point in defining "the big idea". I loved the beiges together with the rose (as opposed to pink) and the seafoamy blue.

The inclusion of blue was finally decided by a visit to our favourite baby store, Baby Cottons. A few years ago, my husband helped design and managed the contruction of a Baby Cottons store. Ever since, we joked that we decided to have children so that we could buy their clothing... I have often fantasized about having a baby store but the formula has been perfected by Baby Cottons, so I will stick to being a consumer!

Not only is the clothing adorable, but, most importantly, every piece is pima cotton and made in South America. And I can guarantee its outstanding quality - I wash Margot's clothing in the washing machine, and the Baby Cottons clothing remains just as soft and the same size after being washed over and over, just like the day it was bought!

But I digress... The Baby Cottons collection Pets gave me the excuse I needed to stick to the beige, rose, and blue - Pascal is the brown/beige doggie; Colette is the pink bunny; and Gustav, the blue kitty (below is the collection's hanger, with some pieces I knitted for Margot). We also have a few decorative items from the window display of a past Baby Cottons collection that the owner, Alexis, gifted us (it is still boxed but there will be photos of it soon).

So the colour scheme was decided! Beige for the walls; white for the furniture (which will include some DIY projects, more on that in another post); blue for decor and soft furnishings, including a beautiful work made by my good friend Valerie, a framed felted bunny based on the Baby Cottons logo.

Now I just needed the right shade of rose. It has taken me months but I finally found it - in a vintage Laura Ashley fabric in chalk rose, with white, pale blue and linen beige stripes that is coming all the way from England! My mother, the sewing expert in the family, will be making the bedding and a few other accessories!

In the next couple of months, it will all be put together finally! Part II will cover the process, and Part III will bring the final result - ohhh, I can't wait.