Notes on the Nursery

We haven't started anything yet, and everything we share today is subject to change, but we're thinking of the type of look we'd like for our nursery. Right now, it's pathetic:

No matter what the results are of our anatomy scan tomorrow, we've decided we'd like the room to be suitable for a girl or a boy. Though we love the look of brights and pastels, we've been most inspired by colors from old book covers.

It all started with this one (image source).


Our copy at home is slightly different in that the gold color on the bottom is actually a light grey. I love the combo of the yellow, grey, and black (in our case, a chalkboard wall). Though, I'd like to soften it a bit for our little one.

Here are some thoughts:

• Like I said, we have always wanted a chalkboard wall (source). Not only will it be a fun accent, but I think it'd serve as a fantastic backdrop for weekly photo sessions.
• It's hard to see, but the little stripe of color between the black and prints is the existing color of the room. It looks a bit pink on my monitor, but it's actually "baked brie" . . . a solid neutral, and we don't feel like repainting.
• The chevron print is what we'd like to use to make curtains for the space. The other prints are just ideas for accents. Possibly for a changing pad cover, rocking chair cushions, crib skirt, etc.
• The prints are a set I found on Etsy. We love Wes Anderson movies -- and though we're not sold 100% yet on this set -- we love the colors. They work with what we're dreaming up.

As far as furniture goes, I already wrote about how we chose our crib. Ideally, we'd like to find a dresser on Craigslist or at another second-hand store before paying full price. So far, our search has been fruitless -- so, if we do have to buy something new, we're liking this "Malm" 6-drawer dresser from Ikea.


At $179 -- it isn't too expensive. And it would do double-duty as a changing table, too. Can't yet decide between this wood color and white. I think it would depend what wall it would go on. We'll see. We still have over 20 weeks until we need to make a decision.


I've said it before, and I'll most definitely say it again: We're on a budget. So, though we love tons of stuff we see in stores and online -- we're thrilled to received hand-me-downs from relatives. Like this rocking chair from Stephen's mom. Not only was it free, but it has sentimental value that's out-of-this-world.

Ideally, we'd like to spend less than $700 for the whole room. The crib was $300 and the mattress will cost a bit, too, so I'm not entirely confident we can do it. But we'll try.


In other news, we had our first infant-care experience on Friday night. Our best friends Lindsey and John dropped their little guy Gavin off with us for a few hours. He was a total angel the entire time! We'll write more about it sometime soon.

Do you have any cost-savings tips for us as we forge ahead with our nursery? We want our space to be functional, safe, and fun. And we're totally open to second-hand stuff and DIY textiles (crib bedding, etc.). Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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