As a designer, I'd like to think each project is better than the last and when you look at your portfolio over the course of your career, you see the evolution. The problem is, I'm not sure if in the world of nurseries it can really get much better than this floral perfection. Sometimes things just come together in a perfect way and work better than you dreamed - this is one of those times.
If you're trying to figure out what is going on on that wall, let me help you out. There are FOUR THOUSAND hand made flowers by The Flower Wall Company. Recently people said to me, "That's so cute, did you choose roses because Ali was The Bachelorette?" It probably isn't as newsworthy, but the answer to that is absolutely not. It actually never occurred to me and probably should have. I was focused on designing a room that Aliand Kevin would love for their baby girl and thought the flowers would be visually spectacular. The wall is made of different sections mounted on a grid, so it's extremely safe. Before you chime in - I've seen your comments on Instagram and Facebook already, so I know the burning question, "How do you clean that?" Grab that long skinny vacuum attachment, pop it on and dust it over the flowers. Clean and dust-free in seconds. Yup, that's what that attachment can be used for.
The room was originally a guest room, so after creating the design, I decided the existing closet felt like it was better for short term overnight guests and could be improved upon for full time usage and of course, beautified. I called my friend Lisa Adams at LA Closet Design because...the baby girl needed a closet to match her room! If you have never heard of Lisa, then you must not have a lot of shoes because she isa wizard. Seriously, the closet version of Harry Potter and women like me dream of what her skills could do for their storage and happiness each morning. On the wall is a rose gold mirror, the hardware on each drawer is little bunnies and those acrylic rods go perfectly with the acrylic details in the room.
To the left of the closet is one of the most personal details in the room. Petal Lane (one of my favorite family-owned companies) created artwork for the space. The center piece says "ENDURE" which is something that Ali's late grandmother would say and it's written in her handwriting. It's the personal details in each room that make them truly special for their little inhabitants.
Hello, Gorgeous Crib. When Ali and I first met she told me that she wanted a crib with a high back. We had already agreed on the flower wall and I was very concerned that a convertible crib would cover too much and take away from the wall. So, I went to the drawing board in search of something that would properly fit the design, but make the parents-to-be happy. Immediately I remembered the New York crib by Romina Furniture. Romina is like the Chanel of baby furniture. Impeccable quality, reputation and design. The problem was that the crib on its own was way too mid century and not enough girlie, cotton candy, lullabies goodness. So, I kindly asked the good folks at Romina if they could put some tufted upholstery on the sides of the crib. The end result was exactly what the room needed. It turned out so well that you can now purchase this style crib in any of their many colors with upholstery. They really should call it the Vanessa. Just saying...
If you have to ask what mattress that is, then you must be new to my designs. Where there's a nursery, there's a Nook. Nook Sleep is what I use in both of my kids rooms and I recommend it to anyone who will listen and probably some who are trying to escape me as well.
The custom bumpers, drapes and crib skirt are all by Carousel Designs. I love being able to perfectly match bedding and window fabric and they have so many options. Please keep in mind that Ali's baby is sleeping in a Halo Bassinest for the first few months so the nursery is for show at the moment. Once she is ready to transition to the crib they will speak with their pediatrician about the bumpers.
Most nurseries have a lot of "stuff" in them and that "stuff" tends to swallow up the space quickly, so my best friend is acrylic. Utilizing pieces in clear makes the room feel less crowded. The airy little trick worked perfectly in Ali's nursery. Both the bookcase by Land Of Nod and side table by LexMod are acrylic.
The blanket on the chair is striped and by Butterscotch Blankees. I love how you can put the baby's name, initials or monogram on their blankets. I put one in many of my designs because they are useful and look amazing placed in the room as well.
Since the floor is hardwood, Ali wanted a comfy and soft rug for her baby girl to play on, but still something easy to clean. I was drawn to this rug from Rugs USA because of the simple and subtle gray lines that complemented the space. Sometimes rugs can become the focal and it was important to find one that didn't mind being a supporting cast member :-)
How cute are those little blocks? I love the way you can choose your colors and letters. Ali & Kevin got both Mookie (her nickname) and Molly for when she was born. They're by Crafted Pine Company. They make some other great items that are also nursery-friendly and unique and they are small and independently owned. Things made with love are my favorite to include in nursery designs!
This is probably the best photo for you to see the wallpaper by Graham & Brown. It's white textured and speckled with silver and on every wall (except the Flower Wall). It's pretty much the prettiest wallpaper ever in person.
I have a lot of favorites in this room. In fact, when I talk about them, I probably sound extremely repetitive and lacking diversified adjectives. For some reason everything comes out as cute and beautiful. Below is "beautiful". I have LOVED Blueberry Glitter's custom artwork for so long, so when this room started to come together, she was the first artist that came to my mind. I gave her the colors to use, but not much more direction than that. I believe that trusting an artist to do their own thing leads to the best results.
The stunning dresser below is another A-MAZ-ING Romina Furniture creation. I love how this dresser has a clean, modern, squared off design but the finishes can transform the overall look. The drawer fronts are scraped with flecks of metallic in the paint and those knobs are T.D.F.
Nook doesn't offer a Blush Lily Pad playmat as a standard choice, but with enough begging, I was able to score one as a finishing touch for Ali's nursery. And look, there's more acrylic. It's a play gym (also by Land of Nod) sitting on top with handmade toys, that are perfection by August Lace Designs. August Lace also makes a really cool play gym. It was not the right fit for the colors of this room, but it's definitely going into my mental tool box.
When I first saw the swatch by Best Home Furnishings that is on the glider and ottoman, I knew I needed to find a room to put it in. I do that often. I fall in love with fabrics, swatches or items and sometimes are inspired to build a room around them.
Everyone loves a furry anything. This room totally called for a pillow to tie it all together. I found this one from Odd Little Birdie and loved the size and color.
One of the hardest parts about designing a room is that I get attached to it. Seeing it come to life is extremely exciting and watching the people who the room belongs to fall in love with it makes me so happy. At the end though, it's almost hard to leave. It's what I imagine it would feel like to be a surrogate. Or maybe not at all since they are rooms filled with stuff and that's a real tiny living human - it's not at all the same, but you know what I mean.
he person who is able to capture the work for me, making it a little easier to leave and a whole lot easier to share with all of you is the incredible talented Christine Farah. She has a way of looking through the lens and not only capturing it, but making it look magical.
Since Ali & Kevin planned to use a Halo Bassinest for the first few months with Molly, the nursery is going to initially be more of a showpiece. Guests coming to visit will undoubtedly want to see the new baby's room, so it was set up like you saw above. However, once they feel Molly is ready to sleep in her crib, Ali & Kevin plan to speak with their pediatrician to make the decision on whether the bumpers stay or go. So the photos below were taken to show you what the crib will look like bumperless and I think we can all agree it's still amazing! The simplicity of the white crib skirt with 1 blush stripe by Carousel Bedding really lets the wall shine.
It was wonderful working with these two adorable lovebirds. I loved seeing glimpses of their relationship while setting up the room. They really take care of each other and listen to one another. Molly is lucky to get such a great team as her parents and I was lucky to work with them!
You can get more details about the room and see some of my other projects on Houzz. Follow me on Instagram and Snapchat at TheNessaLee for a behind the scenes look at what I am working on.
Vanessa Antonelli
Nessa Lee Baby
