In 2019 I shared now-big-sister Elle's eclectic coastal nursery, and today it's my sweet new baby Jack's turn to shine! And speaking of sunshine, that light and airy feeling you get when you first step outside on a glorious, sunny morning came to mind when I was designing Jack's nursery. He is our darling ray of sunshine and every time of think of him, that's exactly how I feel. I really wanted this space to be a relaxing, inviting one where the kids will eventually play together. This is why there's lots of room in the center of the room for their toys to spread out! I think that many nurseries just have so much stuff, especially nurseries for firstborn children. The second time around, I realized we don't really need that much!
As for a changing table, that's something that hasn't - well - changed. I've always been a change-on-the-go kind of mom, so I change in the pack-and-play or on the floor. I never used a changing table with Elle, so this time I omitted it from the nursery altogether.
It's my deepest desire that this will be a room filled with love, kisses, and hugs, so a spacious room was what our children deserved!
A lot of my inspiration came from the French Farmhouse style of decorating. I love all of the textures, and different shades of 'white'. My favorite!
I went with serene and natural hues with a bit of color here and there.
Here's a few other previous versions of this room as an office and during its most recent update, for comparison's sake!
I can't go without saying that Justin just might be the real star of this nursery show. We restored this vintage Victorian fireplace we found at a salvage yard. The fireplace is from the 1920s. In each room I design, I love to incorporate one custom piece - it makes me feel like our home is truly unique, and truly ours on another level. Here's a bit of that process, for your viewing pleasure!
Justin also cut over 300 pieces of birch wood that we ordered online, to fit and stagger within the inside of the fireplace. What a project! And didn't it turn out beautifully? I'm so grateful to Justin for being such a fantastic sport!
I wanted a little "woodsman" nod in the nursery, but I also didn't want woodland animals everywhere. Kids love plush but they really have a way of overpowering a room. Too many stuffed animals make a room seem so much smaller. I went with a pillow cover, and I love it. I think it's the perfect style accent, without being too themed.
We went with a custom closet system from The Container Store, in lieu of a dresser. We also assembled it ourselves, which really helped our budget. I love the way it turned out and it's a substantial piece! That was a pleasant surprise, and now it's almost as if there's a dresser in the closet. It's a space saver!
A key statement piece in Jack's room is the chandelier. I love the French Country flair the chandelier gives the nursery. It's not too feminine, but it's still very français. We put the chandelier on a dimmer so we can have light when we go into the nursery for those 3 AM feedings, but we can control it so Jack doesn't fully wake.
The paint was a great addition to Jack's nursery as well. Yes, I know, you might think it's sort of dangerous to put white in a baby's room, but I walk on the wild side! I love how clean it looks and that it's not too warm and not too cool. The professional photographer in me says that it's important for paint colors not to pick up any other hues! White paint is really tough to get right, but Benjamin Moore's Simply White simply nails it! I also used this color throughout the rest of our home.
How wonderful are Jack's blackout curtains? I had these custom-made through a delightful Etsy vendor, along with the complementing 21-inch crib skirt. This shop was the only one I found that could do a crib skirt that long that truly pools on the floor - even with the crib set to newborn height. I selected a French-style drapery for the hardware, which curves around the window so it blocks out light from the sides as well. Ballard Designs has exquisite options for that, and I chose both the curtain rod and the tiebacks from Ballard Designs. Magnifique!
All in all, Jack's nursery is now my favorite room in the house!
Shop Jack's nursery below!
Jack's French Farmhouse Style Nursery Sources:
Birchwood for Fireplace Inset (300+ pieces custom cut to size)
Brass Photo Frame + Glass Photo Box
Thank you for taking a peek inside our home! Little by little, I'm checking off renovation projects and our goal as we continue this process is to slowly convert each room into this light, bright, and airy French Farmhouse style.
4 Comments
Mar 20, 2021, 9:10:59 PM
Rya Duncklee - Hi Danielle! Thank you so much! The Chair is actually available at Lamps Plus and Wayfair, but when I searched for it to send you the link I actually also found it on Amazon for $100 less! Not sure of seller though. Wayfair is probably safest bet. Their CS is fantastic. Amazon link here:
ACME Tristin Rocking Chair - - Cream Fabric & White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K3LL5PN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_ZWSB7R48SZNP3HQ4WY1Q?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Wayfair: Madonna Rocking Chair
Mar 20, 2021, 5:21:20 PM
Danielle - This nursery is absolutely gorgeous! I noticed you didn't share a link to the rocking chair, it is so dreamy! I would love to know the source.
Feb 5, 2021, 8:03:24 AM
Rya Duncklee - Hi Amber! And thank you so much! Labor of love for sure! I can’t wait to see how you and Chris transform your space! xo
Feb 5, 2021, 1:44:05 AM
Amber Hale - Everything looks stunning! I’m all about the window hardware and the fireplace is gorgeous! Saving this!