I learned about the concept of ‘nesting’ in our birth classes, and I heard that a really intense desire to clean or decorate can be a sign of impending labor. But I never really believed it until I was nine months pregnant and absolutely panicking—not because of anything serious, but because the shelves in the nursery weren’t hung yet. Sure enough, my husband got them up and I went into labor the next day.

The room was carefully crafted to blend with the rest of our home: lots of neutrals and layered textures with a bohemian feel. When picking out some of the new pieces for the nursery, my goal was to choose items we loved so much that they could be placed in any space down the road. The rug, the dresser, the rocking chair—they could all work elsewhere if we ever wanted to switch things up.

Reworking old favorites is a recurrent theme. The rest of Rosie’s room is filled with family heirlooms and antique accents that once belonged to me or my husband, Danny.

When I look around Rosie’s nursery, I am always overwhelmed with nostalgia and gratitude. Almost every special item was either a childhood memento, or gifted by someone special to us. I hope Rosie feels all the love in here—because I certainly do.

Cactus + Dried Flowers

I love the feel that florals and greenery bring into a room—but after *many* dead plants and wilted blooms, I’ve learned that I’m better off faking it. The cactus is faux (because I even managed to kill a succulent once), and the florals were pulled and dried from a bouquet I was sent after Rosie’s birth. Decorating with dried flowers adds precious detail and a feminine feel—and it’s also a sweet way to preserve a few pieces of a meaningful bouquet.

Cactus and vase: Target. Amethyst crystal: SoBotanical Apothecary (on Light Street). Wooden stacking stones: Grimm’s Spiel & Holz.

Dreamcatcher + Chair

This is the coziest nook, which is important since I spend so much time rocking Rosie in it. The chair checked all my boxes: cozy yet stylish, wide enough to curl up in, and enough neck support for naps. The wall hanging is a piece I’ve owned for years, but it never really had the right home until it found this special spot in Rosie’s room. It’s really meaningful to me, and it ties the style of the space together nicely. I hope it brings Rosie lots of sweet dreams!

Rocking chair: Nursery Works. Wall hanging: Indego Africa. Custom birth stat poster: Still Novel.

Rug

The warm, dusty tones of this Southwestern-inspired rug remind me of a sunrise, and it really gives the space a textured, lived-in vibe. I’m also in love with the poster on the wall. It says, “I’ll keep you safe, you keep me wild,” and I think it’s such a perfect way to sum up my relationship with Rosie. Motherhood has felt so incredibly primal—it really is wild.

Rug: West Elm. Poster: Urban Outfitters.

Pouf

When mama needs to kick her feet up (ahem, all the time), this pouf is perfect. It’s also a great second seat when Danny and our Frenchie pup, Sonny, join us for a bedtime story.

Pouf: Wayfair.

First Year Hanging

I know I’m not the only one who feels that baby books are a lovely tradition and important to keep—but they’re also super hard to maintain, especially when you’re a crazed parent with a newborn. My best friend gifted me this poster as a no-pressure way to jot down milestones on the fly, and encouraged me to scribble on it, cross things out, and generally not stress about making it too perfect. When Rosie ticks off a milestone, I can easily jot it down while I’m holding her—and then I’ll transfer things to her baby book when I—eventually—have more time on my hands.

Wall hanging: Nestnotes.

Photo Shelves

Remember when I said everything in Rosie’s room was either an heirloom or a gift? The pieces on these shelves are no exception. That fabric floral frame is straight out of my own nursery circa 1987. The dried blooms on the bottom shelf? From my wedding bouquet. The silver cup, the matchbox mouse, the precious little air plant…all gifts from some of Rosie’s biggest admirers. I love that every little thing has meaning behind it.

Shelves: Target.

Window Bookshelves

These classic books belonged to my husband and me as kids. Bless our mothers for keeping them in such good shape! At our baby shower, Danny’s mom gifted us a box of all his favorites: Go, Dog, Go! and his Dr. Seuss collection. There were a lot of tears—it’s so sweet to see treasured possessions come full circle.

Shelves: Amazon.

Storage Boxes

These sturdy storage boxes can be switched up and stacked to hold whatever—from books to toys to blankets and beyond. We have them scattered across the house to stash baby things in—super helpful for staying organized and keeping clutter under control.

Boxes: Target.

Wooden Toys

Especially in a small space, I really appreciate functional decor—pretty things that have a purpose. When Rosie isn’t playing with this wooden stacking set, it looks chic just sitting on the shelf. We also utilized a wooden bowl and marble bookends to stylishly stash other favorite items we use often: rattles, books, and binkies

Bookends, bowl: Target. Organic rattle: Apple Park. Stacking set: Crate + Barrel Kids.

Trinket Box

This is another piece that originated in my own nursery. As Rosie gets older, it’ll be sweet to see what sort of special treasures she wants to stash inside. The silver rattle belonged to Danny as a baby, and his mom gifted it to us for Rosie’s baptism. It was meant to be an heirloom that we thought we’d keep safely tucked away on a shelf—but we handed it to Rosie once and it immediately became her favorite thing, so now it’s a star player in her toy rotation. We always take it with us when going to a restaurant because we know it’ll keep her entertained!

Trinket box: Vintage.

Listen up, parents-to-be—gray is the new pink or blue. When it comes to decorating the nursery, more and more families are opting for soft, neutral tones over the bright, themed, gender-specific designs of the past.

But that’s not the only change going on in the world of baby-room design. We checked in with some of the metro area’s top interior designers to find out what’s hot and what’s not, and they offered lots of advice on things to consider before you buy that big bag of garish stick-on wall giraffes.

For starters, the décor tastes of grown-ups are being taken a little more seriously.

“A lot of my clients request a nursery that isn’t too juvenile,” says Elizabeth Lawson, a Baltimore-based interior designer who works with clients across the country. “They want the room to grow with their child. They also want a nursery with a gender-neutral color scheme, because, later on, the room may be used for a second child.”

A project Lawson recently completed for a family expecting a baby girl, for example, opted for cool-toned blueish-gray walls rather than pink. Layered rugs over the hardwood floor add warmth and texture, while a white dresser’s gold-bar drawer pulls give the room a grown-up, luxe touch. 

Absent are the typical baby animals or ABCs art—instead, a framed photo print of a dusty pink handkerchief on a sandy beach complements the room’s soft color palette. 

“We’re also designing with a lot of wood tones and natural materials,” Lawson adds, pointing to the wicker baskets used for storage, unstained natural wood crib, and watercolor bedding.

While it’s a good idea to let a favorite print or accent color inspire your design, Lawson points out one reason parents should avoid anything too “theme-y.” “Grandparents and other family members have the tendency to get carried away, and you’ll be seeing elephants and ducks for years to come,” she says with a laugh.

Nurseries are also adopting a cleaner, less busy look, following in the footsteps of popular interior-design trends, such as minimalist decor and mid-century modern furniture. “The hottest trend right now is eclectic minimalism, and by that I mean nurseries that don’t follow a formula and are relatively sparse compared to nurseries of five years ago,” says Mary Bauer, founder and president of Bratt Decor, a Baltimore-based company that makes designer children’s furniture. “Parents today are breaking old rules of full matching suites of furniture with one voice. We are seeing ornate cribs with modern dressers and custom bedding. Black and white nurseries are a thing right now, too.”

The grown-ups can also win this one: Creating a room that will outlive its initial raison d’être can mean adopting furniture styles and color palettes found in the kitchen and adult living areas.

While two white models of Bratt Decor’s classic-looking iron cribs are its best sellers, Bauer says she’s seeing a rise in black, too. But regardless of the color or style, parents most value furniture that grows with their child. 

“Always choose a crib that will transition into a toddler bed, daybed, or full bed,” Bauer advises. “All of our designs can be used indefinitely.”

The concept extends beyond the crib. “When designing, we think a lot about how the nursery will grow with the child, because they grow quickly,” Lawson says. “Rather than using a changing table that is strictly a changing table, I always recommend using a dresser and placing a changing pad on top.”

It’s a concept Ashley Barbalato took to heart when putting together the nursery for her now 14-month-old son, Julien, in the Riverside rowhome she and her husband recently remodeled.

“I wanted to be able to reuse many of the pieces in the future and have things that would grow with my son,” she recalls. “I love monochromatic schemes that allow for a lot of flexibility with accessories. I tried to keep things timeless and simple, but still playful.” 

While Barbalato stuck to the neutral tones across the walls and furniture, she infused the space with pops of texture and personality with a few fun pieces, including a fluffy “rocking sheep”—a Nordic take on the traditional rocking horse—made from natural carved wood and soft cream-colored fur. In the center of the ceiling hangs a fanciful light in the shape of a gold crown that looks as though it was plucked from the head of Max in Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are.

“Once my son outgrew the infant stage, I wanted to have as little of a transition as possible into the toddler stage,” Barbalato adds. “I didn’t want to spend more money on things like artwork, bedding and storage. Instead, I chose pieces that I knew would keep up with my child’s interests and growth.”

Finally, Mom and Dad can be a little self-indulgent: As a new parent, you’ll be spending countless—sometimes stressful—hours in this space, so Lawson recommends a tranquil design where you can relax. “Simplicity is key,” Lawson adds. “Parenting is stressful and exhausting and the nursery should be a calming refuge at all times.”

With that in mind, parents shouldn’t skimp on aspects of the room that will make the space enjoyable for them, too. “It needs to be comfortable for both parents and baby,” says Lawson. “A comfortable chair or glider is a must.”

Barbalato agrees. “Keep your baby’s room clean and simple. It will create a calm space for you and your little one. Accessorize for play and imagination. Lastly, remember this is a space that you will spend a lot of time in, too. How do you want to feel in the space? What would you like to see? Moms are allowed to be selfish sometimes, too!”

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The Nursery Checklist

Our panel of designers also offered some useful advice on planning the space.  

Don’t Rush
“My clients usually want to get started designing their nursery right away, because they’re excited,” Lawson says. “But the first thing new parents should consider when designing is functionality and making sure they have the appropriate furniture pieces.”

Most expectant moms do the bulk of nursery prep in the second trimester, according to a reader survey by The Bump, a website for first-time millennial parents. Cribs and other furniture can take 10 or more weeks to be delivered, so experts recommend parents make selecting and ordering it a priority.

Customize
Nursery checklists are a great place to get started—just be sure to customize them to your family’s needs. As rowhome residents, for example, the Barbalato family learned to select pieces that served multiple functions in order to maximize the tight space. “I’ve actually learned that less is more when it comes to my child’s room,” she says. “When I was first designing and furnishing it, I felt like I had to have everything on ‘The Baby List,’ but that’s not the case.” 

Think about the space
With space at a premium, Barbalato says she reevaluated larger pieces that some books and websites cited as must-haves. “Do we really need something like a huge ottoman to accompany our glider? I learned that we don’t. Instead, we have an oversized floor pouf that worked great during those sleepless nights and is now serving as an awesome climbing gym for my son.”

It’s all in the details
When creating your own checklist, think about your specific needs. Will the baby’s room be hit with a strong afternoon sun? Blackout curtains are a must, then, for making mid-day naps easier. Live on a busy street? Consider a sound machine to cancel out outside noises that could keep baby up. Flexible lighting options—like a soft lamp and night light in addition to the overhead light—can help you adapt the brightness for the room’s many uses, from playtime to middle-of-the-night diaper changes and feedings.

DESIGNER’S VISION: I started off with the idea that we wanted to do something stark and plain; to keep it black-and-white for the most part. Me being a graphic designer—I own my own small ad agency called Mammoth Creative Studio in Hampden—I thought type was the way to go. It was something that could be gender neutral since we didn’t have an idea of what Sawyer was going to be at that point. We had a rough color palette—using the green as an accent color. 

LABOR OF LOVE: I built the flat panels to scale in Adobe Illustrator and took it into Cinema 4D to lay it out. [My wife] Emily and I sat up one night and projected it onto the walls and traced it. I spent about two weeks after that going over it with a 1/8-inch brush, hand-painting the edges and details, three coats total. It was a labor of love; there were about 70 to 80 hours put into it. It was my contribution, a way for me to really kind of feel connected to the baby. 

PLAIN AND SIMPLE: All of the furnishings are super plain because everything else is not at all. The crib and the dresser are from Bye, Bye Baby, which is an amazing store. The monster pillow actually came from England—I found it on Fab.com. The knobs are from Anthropologie—they have such a great selection. 

ABC: I wanted a good representation of modern, slab, and sans serif, mixed with some old-school. I didn’t want it to be every single letter in a million different fonts because I think that would have been too much. In itself it’s pretty simple—a good representation of the design world. 

WORDS OF WISDOM: One suggestion I would give to people: Keep your background simple and let the other things on top do the talking.