12 Rooms in 12 Months: Hayes’ Nursery Reveal

Hayes’ room has been one of those things that took a long time to come together. I started working on it months ago, but went back and forth on what I wanted his room to look like about 100 times. Total decision paralysis…Should I go with something neutral and calming that fit my personal style (and Jeff’s), something more colorful and quirky, or something in between?

It felt overwhelming for the longest time. But somewhere along the way, I think I figured it out and ended up with a hybrid that I really love. And hopefully, Hayes will love it too! So today I’m sharing our organic modern nursery reveal, in partnership with the awesome folks at Blinds.com. Click through for all the photos…including all the befores!

So here’s what the room looked like before / during setup…

It’s a really simple room in terms of the layout – one big window, a standard closet, etc – which made it more challenging in some ways and less in others. For example, there were only two options for where the crib and changing table / dresser could go because the other two walls didn’t have enough uninterrupted space.

So that made it easy to decide. But then when it came to other large items, there wasn’t much room left for another big footprint item. But it all worked out and we managed to get everything we needed in a relatively small space, along with all the fun decorative stuff that I absolutely had to have for him just because.

Here’s how it all came together…

When I first started planning the nursery, I asked a few friends with kids what their practical must-haves were, since Jeff and I had no experience in that department.

Almost all of them specifically mentioned that blackout shades were a must-have item for helping with sleep training, so I listened! When it comes to things that might help Hayes (and me for that matter) sleep better, I’m all about it!

I went with a Blinds.com blackout roller shade which blends in with the rest of the house, is safe for the baby (and as he gets older), and blocks out the light when we need it. We were actually able to get the exact same roller shade as the ones we have downstairs in the dining room – just in a blackout version. They’re the same color (Interlude Canvas) and have the same look when they’re opened so it’s totally cohesive with the rest of the house. The only difference is that it’s not light filtering, so when the shade is rolled all the way down, it’s nice and dark in the room.

Just like last time, the roller shade is extremely easy to install yourself. And since we had installed them in another room already, the process was even quicker than the first time around…took less than 10 minutes!

The other great thing about these roller shades is the safety benefit. Childproofing this space has been a lot to think about / worry about to be honest. But knowing that this window covering is a safer choice for my kid (because it’s completely cordless) really helps ease all those crazy things that go through my mind. The Window Covering Safety Council (yep, that’s a real thing) recommends that only cordless window coverings or window coverings with inaccessible cords be used in homes with young children. Read more about it and Window Covering Safety Month (which was last month – October) here. 

Furniture! Once we had the windows taken care of, it was time to move on to the other ‘big pieces’…like the crib. I had this Kalon Studio crib bookmarked way before I was pregnant and it was a bit of a splurge. BUT it can be converted to a bed once he gets older, which helped justify the cost. Plus, it’s really beautifully made and I just really, really love the raw wood.

The changing table was another big piece, and that one we kind of lucked into. I’ve talked about this before, so I won’t get into it too much here, but it’s a credenza that I got on mega sale. And it’s so much cuter than any actual changing tables I’ve seen, especially for the price. If you want to go the dresser or credenza route instead of a traditional changing table, just make sure the piece is deep enough to safely fit your baby on a changing mat on top and that it’s tall enough that you won’t have to bend down too far to use it.

Rug! With hardwood floors, I was sure to pick out a large rug that would be at least a semi-soft place for Hayes to play when he gets a little older. I still need to get a rug pad underneath for added cushion, but I’m very into it.

Book storage! I wanted to display all the books in a way that you can see the covers, to act as another form of artwork in the room. So, I skipped the typical bookcase, where you only see the spines, and opted for picture frame ledges instead. I love being able to see most of his books with a quick glance. Plus, it’s a good spot for small toy storage too.

Artwork! Artwork is always one of my favorite parts of a room and I wanted the art for the nursery to be a mix of something you’d normally see in a kids room and artwork I’d have in other rooms of the house. I may eventually have to steal one or two of these for other rooms actually because I love ’em so much. 

There’s also an extra special piece that sits on the little grey shelf under the window (the circle one with the different colors), that my dear friend Ashley made for Jeff and I when our dog died last year. I love that we have it in the baby’s room to remember Luna. I look at it everyday.

Other decorative stuff! The brass mobile is probably one of my favorite things in the room. It’s really big too! Over the changing area is a set of my DIY wall shelves and a weaving (I bought – not a DIY). And then I brought in a few plants to help soften things up.

Photography Amelia Lawrence

Source list: Blinds.com blackout roller shade // Caravan Crib from Kalon Studios // Mudcloth Crib Sheets from Mebie Baby //Ojalla Flatweave Rug from Rejuvenation // Santa Lucia Mobile from The Citizenry // SAMMANHANG Wall shelf from Ikea // Coldwell Sideboard from At Home // Wall Hanging from At Home // Toy Baskets from At Home // DIY Half Circle Shelves // Small Blind Contour Face Drawing from Cori Maass // Circle Artwork from Need Supply (no longer available) // All Other (Wall) Artwork is from Fine Little Day // Grey Stick System Shelving from Menu // Moon Shaped Toy Pram from Ooh Noo

Working on window treatments of your own at home? Be sure to use the code paperextra5 for an extra 5% off on top of other offers at Blinds.com! Expires 11/18/18.

For more room makeovers like this one, follow along with the 12 rooms in 12 months series. And be sure to let me know what you think of the nursery makeover in the comments below. What does your dream nursery or kid’s room look like?

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This post is in partnership with Blinds.com. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Paper and Stitch running.