Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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A Baby Boy’s Nursery With Blue Paint And Floating Shelves

When Robyn sent over some photos of her charming nursery (full of adorable details) we had to share the love. Here’s her letter:

We had our first baby on 9/9/09 and I wanted to share his nursery with you. It started off as our guest room but shower water leaked through the bathroom wall onto the berber carpet so when I was many, many months pregnant my husband ripped it out and we laid tiles from Home Depot that we bought for about $75. We painted one wall Shark Fin blue, put up some old shelves I had for years (from West Elm), used some curtains we had stored away (from Pier 1), moved in a recliner from the living room, and added a rug that used to be in my office. The dresser was a 1950s piece found on Craigslist for $35 (we bolted the changing pad to the back and slipped it into the closet enclave). The book shelf is from Target and the dragonfly magnetic wall art is from umbra.com. The crib is Di Vinci (a gift from the grandmother), the egg lamp is J. Schatz (a gift from friends), and the bedding is Dwell (scored on ebay for 40% off). All told we spent around $700 on the floor, paint, mattress, bedding, the fan (about 50 bucks on sale at Restoration Hardware), the side table (40 bucks on clearance at Hobby Lobby), the paper star mobile, our NYC and BKLYN posters, and the Craigslist dresser. Take care and congratulations on your own little one on the way!! -Robyn

Here’s the nursery before the big baby-friendly makeover:

Nursery RR Before

And here’s the nursery after Robyn worked her maternal magic:

Nursery RR After1

Nursery RR After2

Robyn Nursery Dresser

Nursery RR After3

Nursery RR After4

Isn’t that a sweet and happy place to raise a bambino? Everything from the dragonflies on the wall to the origami mobile has us feeling all warm and fuzzy. Thanks so much for sending the photos our way Robyn! And what about you guys- do you have a favorite part? Is it the art? That great vintage Criagslist dresser? Do tell.

Note: While Robyn’s crib sports a bumper in the photo she actually removed it once her son started sleeping in the crib due to the associated SIDS risk. There are definitely a lot of highly personal decisions that are made on the crazy adventure that is parenthood and we love that every family can make choices that work best for them.

Comments

  1. Laura@JourneyChic says

    This is such an adorable nursery, and makes me realize that I need to get started on my bambino’s room very soon. I love the paper mobile. Did she make it or purchase it? I’m planning to make one and have been scouring the internet trying to find instructions.

    Reply

  2. Sally says

    So cute!! In terms of the bumper thing, we had a big ole bumper in our son’s crib and then traded it in for a BreathableBaby bumper, which, albeit not quite as cute, definitely works. You can buy them pretty much anywhere, but you can check them out on Diapers.com. (A Web site I was upset I didn’t know about until about a month ago!)

    Reply

  3. Brooke says

    I’ve noticed that a lot of your baby-related post have those disclaimers at the end. How frustrating that you must’ve received plenty of busy-bodied, obnoxious comments to cause you to flag your posts like this! :(

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh no, everyone means well! There are just A TON of opinions when it comes to babies and safety so we always try to remind people that many choices are extremely personal and when we feature a photo of a nursery that inspires us we’re not endorsing nor are we judging any of those personal parenthood decisions- we just want people to do what’s right for them!

      xo,
      s

  4. Holly says

    I would love to find out where the mobile is from as well! Our nursery is pretty bare bones right now (our little one isn’t set to show up until August) but there is a chair and a dresser that I refinished and put in the room. I especially love the dresser and when I was working on it I was already a couple weeks pregnant, but we didn’t find out until a few weeks later! When I blogged about the dresser I posted a big disclaimer that we were absolutely NOT pregnant and I just refinished it for fun. Surprise surprise! You can see my dresser here: http://reidallaboutit.blogspot.com/2009/11/dresser-rehab-and-more.html (sorry but I have a devil of a time photographing red) and my nursery chair is here: http://reidallaboutit.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-new-old-chair.html.

    Reply

  5. alissa says

    Cute nursery!

    Laura – the star mobile is actually made of German paper stars. They are commonly made during Christmas. You make them using 4 long strips of paper. Just Google ‘German Paper Star’ and I’m sure you will find directions. Once you get the hang of it, the stars are really easy to make!

    Reply

  6. Amanda says

    Where did they get that rug? I love it!

    Also, the curtains so close to the crib may pose a climbing hazard later on…I have the same setup, and caught my escape artist once…she’s never done it again.

    Reply

  8. Jill Stigs says

    Very cute! I bought those dragonflies at BB&B too, and put the whole swarm up on 3 walls. Mine, however, are not magnetic……..they just fit onto the push pin part.

    Really love that mobile, very cool.

    Reply

  9. Meredith K A says

    I learned how to make paper stars like that when I was a little kid at church and we used to decorate the Christmas trees in the sanctuary with nothing but white lights and white paper stars like those! (It’s a Lutheran church, so no wonder we’d use German paper stars). I re-learned how to make them a few years ago by googling the directions, but I might have had trouble if I had been learning for the first time. So just trust the instructions and go with it! Your strips need to be all the same width, and it helps to trim the ends so they taper, making it much easier to push through. Good luck with it!

    That mobile is my favorite part, for sentimental reasons, and because it’s such a wonderful idea that I’m definitely going to DIY for my own nursery next year!! Great job, Robyn!

    Reply

  11. Ericka says

    I have to say that the nursery is adorable! I love to see how others decorate for not a lot of moolah!
    Like the previous commenter said, the breathable bumpers are
    awesome for making sure baby doesn’t suffocate in the crib. I used one for my baby when she started rolling around more because I found her crying one night with her
    arm stuck between the crib rails. Up until that point she had no bumper, but I got the breathable one after that so she wouldn’t get her little limbs caught up in the rails.

    Reply

  12. Laurie says

    I too love the mobile and want to DIY. I’m good on the paper stars, what about the overall structure? I hope there is a follow up in depth post :)

    Reply

  14. Emmy A says

    I’m having a boy in June and love any nursery ideas you have! Thanks for sharing such a fun room. I may just be dense, but I don’t see the vintage dresser. I want to do a changing pad on a dresser too and was curious how they did it, but I couldn’t find it in the pics. My pregnant mind might just be missing something, though.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Emmy,

      Nope your pregnant mind is right on! The changing pad and dresser actually aren’t pictured above but it was tucked into the doorless closet enclave just out of frame (to the left) in the first after picture. For an idea of how it looks to have a changing pad on top of a dresser check out this post (where my sister in law Emily used a grippy rug pad to keep it in place). Of course a baby should always be supervised when on a changing pad so as long as it doesn’t slip around or wiggle you’re good to go).

      xo,
      s

      UPDATE: Robyn sent along an additional photo with the dresser in it so we’ve added it to the post! Hope it helps!

  16. Dianne says

    Hi Sherry. Love the nursery. I like that it isn’t “too baby” and will grow with their child.

    I do have a question for you. I don’t have children and don’t understand the controversy over using a bumper pad. You touched upon it briefly at the end of your post but I still don’t understand. Please note: I am just being curious, I am in no way critizing anyones decision.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Dianne,

      If you google “bumper safety” or “bumper SIDS” you’ll see that many organizations and doctors worry that they’re connected with SIDS or suffocating babies since they’re so dense and non-breathable (and small children don’t have the neck strength to pull away and take a breath if they end up right against one in the middle of the night). We know many many moms who opted to go without, a bunch who went with breathable bumpers (which are mesh-like so they’re less dense), and many who had bumpers in all of their children’s cribs without incident. It’s really a personal choice but there’s lots of info out there if you’d like to learn more. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  18. Sara says

    There are lots of origami german star and crane mobiles for sale on etsy. Most of them cost around $40-$50, and the sellers often offer custom colors. For those of you who inquired about a mobile frame, I just ordered this product and love it: http://www.weegallery.com/mobile.html. Can’t beat $12, and you can customize it with flash cards, photos, or whatever you like. I clipped on paper ikea christmas ornaments that coordinated with my nursery colors.

    Reply

  19. Brittany says

    Sherry

    Apparently, you can take a picture of you and your husband (or anyone) and see what your baby might look like! My husband and I do not have kids, yet. And, it was quite interesting to see what our “child” might look like!

    http://www.makemebabies.com/

    Thanks!
    Brittany

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks for the link! We actually did that a while ago and died laughing! We tried it a few times and then slowly backed away from the computer crossing our fingers that it wasn’t accurate! Our babies had full heads of wig-like hair and very funny expressions. We’ll love Baby P no matter what, but we’re hoping it’s not the most accurate site ever…

      xo,
      s

  20. robyn says

    Hi everyone! I usually check this blog in the morning so I didn’t realize this post was up later today! Thank you for all of the compliments! This is so exciting for us to be featured on something as wonderful as younghouselove.

    I think Sherry added the dresser photo; it’s one of our favorite things about the nursery because it’s such a space-saver. And on top of that dresser is probably the baby’s favorite place to hang out (supervised, of course).

    And just FYI, we took the bumpers down when he moved into his crib at 5 weeks old. I don’t know if we’ll look for breathable ones or not. Maybe we’ll wait to see if he gets stuck in the crib slats. Mother of the year, here!

    The paper mobile is from paper mobile by etsy seller thestarcraft, and YES, they also have an option of learning to put together your own if you want to buy them not assembled.

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/thestarcraft

    What I loved most about this etsy seller is that she was willing to do everything custom for me to make sure the colors went with the bedding, and she sent me photos of my options after she ordered the paper. Very nice woman.

    What we love most about the tile (aside from being 65 cents per square foot) is how easy it is to run the vacuum cleaner over. Home Depot always carries it, too.

    The rug was on clearance at Target in 2007; it used to live in my office and had been hiding in the attic for a while.

    The posters are from threepotatofour. Brooklyn is on backorder but NYC is available right now.

    http://threepotatofourshop.com/item/Manhattan-Poster-by-Jim-Datz—Third-Edition/2447

    The West Elm shelves weren’t actually a lot of work because it was the THIRD TIME my husband installed them over the years. He’s gotten to be really good at drawing out the map.

    Thanks again!

    Robyn

    Reply

  21. Sayla says

    Great Makeover! I read your blog every day and just about can’t take it anymore with the disclaimers on the baby posts. I really feel like you should just post what you want to and not have to explain yourself at the end of every post. I understand you are trying to head off the tons of comments/criticisms that are out there but honestly if you are going to put yourself out there like that you should just expect it and ignore it. The disclaimers are seriously getting in the way of enjoying your blog at this point and it makes me so sad! I know you aren’t going to change it any time soon, as you mentioned in the comments to another reader…but i figured as a regular reader I would add my 2 cents as well, just in case you change your mind and decide to just be yourselves without explaining yourselves.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Sayla,

      Of course we don’t mean for our quickie explanations to get in the way of anyone’s YHL enjoyment. The easiest way to explain them is that any time we can head off a bunch of emails and comments we jump at the opportunity. It’s the same reason that we include every step that we can in tutorials and always list things like paint colors and prices- just to try to answer any and all questions before they come a-rollin’ in. It’s all in the name of staying ahead of the game and offering up as much info as possible.

      xo,
      s

  22. Renee Smith says

    I LOVE IT! Beautifully done, Robyn.

    I know how uppity people can get about their opinions about baby safety and baby “best practice,” thanks for sharing a variety of photos and makeovers without judging the parenting of others! Having my own opinions that sometimes differ from those of my VERY opinionated family, I appreciate the forum of ideas approach!

    Reply

  24. Cate says

    Honestly, I’m tired of the disclaimers, too. I love the blog and I think you two are great, but wow. It’s like every post comes with its own apology. This particular disclaimer also had an air of “Everyone makes personal decisions about parenting, but we really want to distance ourselves from Robyn’s decision,” even if that wasn’t the original intent. Why not post a “Note: don’t criticize other people’s parenting decisions or we will delete your comment” disclaimer?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Cate,

      Thanks for your comment! We actually do have a reminder to that effect in bold under the comment box so every time anyone leaves a note they should see it (although your comment demonstrates that it’s not always noticed). In short: we do the best that we can and we hope that people can appreciate that we’re just trying to keep things positive, peaceful, and drama free.

      xo,
      s

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That’s an AWESOME alternative crib skirt use. We love how it adds texture and softness to the crib and since they come in so many bedding packages anyway it’s great that they don’t have to go to waste!

      xo,
      s

  27. Katie says

    I’m saving these photos for inspiration for our own nursery – love, love, love the tile floor with the carpet laid over top! I’m also loving the crib :-)

    Reply

  28. robyn says

    Thank you so much for the bumper link, HeatherG! I’ve been trying to come up with a way to use the bumper on our fireplace corners (the colors of the nursery actually go with our whole house) and within the comments of that post there is a link to how to do it!

    Reply

  30. robyn says

    Christine, the room is 10 x 11 1/2 feet, if I remember right. Big enough for the crib and the chair and a few other little things, but definitely not big enough for the dresser to be in the room, perhaps because there is a connecting bathroom door using up wall space.

    Meredith, I checked on the paint color which I thought was Shark Fin, but it’s actually Shark Loop by Valspar. It’s a perfect (and very popular right now) blue/grey and changes in the morning and afternoon light.

    Katie, we’ve heard over and over from friends how much they wished they had such a low, modern crib when their children were born. There is no high side to go up and over when putting the baby down, which is especially challenging for smaller women as the baby gains weight.

    Also, Sherry, I know you know that I didn’t take the disclaimer personally because you understand how strongly I feel about SIDS issues– lots of people (including myself) only use bumpers for decor until the baby arrives (and after the risk of SIDS ends) and otherwise, off they go.

    Thank you, everyone!

    Reply

  32. Haley says

    I really love this room! THinking of getting a mobile for my toddler – I have a book case above our large window and I hang favorite items (dream catchers, stars, etc.) from there – a mobile would be cool there as well.

    About the parenting decisions disclaimer – I personally find it odd and perhaps a little silly that you would put these disclaimers with decisions such as crib bumpers and buying a crib at Walmart. Personal parenting decisions are stuff like – circumcision, spanking, crying it out philosophies, decisions to homeschool, etc. Parenting *is* personal but I wouldn’t consider any of the posts thus far to be anything remotely dramatic or anything other than decorating decisions. Why anyone would have a problem with anything you have posted is just bizarre!

    Reply

  33. Rosanne says

    The nursery if very cute. What caught my eye were the Pennsylvania Dutch Stars! I decorate one of my Christmas trees with of them every year. I handmade 300 of them years ago. They also look pretty just tossed in a pretty glass bowl. I love my little stars.

    Reply

  34. Amy says

    How cute and cozy! I’m surprised how warm and inviting that tile turned out in a nursery. LOVE the mobile and I bet it would be pretty easy to make too…

    Reply

  36. Michelle says

    I totally understand the disclaimers. They don’t bother me at all. People mean well and honestly, as a parent, I appreciate hearing other people’s advice on safety because it helps you to really think about every object you have in your home and how it could effect your child. Babies and toddlers can turn just about anything into a hazard!

    I just spent last weekend bolting every tall piece of furniture in my home to the wall because my 2 year old pulled the dresser in her room down on top of herself. I never thought she would be strong enough to do that! Yikes! Thank God she came out of it without a scratch. Oh, how it hurt my soul to drill holes in my furniture, but you gotta do what you gotta do to keep the babies safe. I guess that is what wood fill and touch up paint are for…

    Love the mobile and the dragonflies. Very cool! Creating a nursery for your new baby is such an exciting time.

    Reply

  39. Audrey M. says

    I love the fact that this nursery is easy to picture as an older child’s room or as a guest bedroom again with very few changes. They’ve done a great job creating a versatile space. Love it!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      The dragonflies actually come with magnetic pushpins that you press into the walls and then the other side of the dragonfly is also magnetic so they stick to wherever you put the pins. Just check out Umbra’s site to see more (they sell flowers that do the same thing, which we used here). Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  46. bethany says

    Infinite kudos on your statement about SIDS and crib bumpers!! As one who trains child care providers regualarly on reducing the risk of SIDS, I almost fell off my chair when I read that! Serious internet high-five….WAY TO SPREAD THE WORD! :)

    Oooo…and cute nursery. Love it! :)

    Reply

  47. bethany says

    Addition to my last comment to my last comment: Had you not posted the disclaimer about SIDS, I wouldn’t have cared! It’s totally a parent’s responsibility to make those decisions, but I definitely give you tremendous kudos for sharing that wisdom. :)

    Either way–disclaimer or not–you’re just doing what you feel is right in your heart.

    (Sorry, I just read all the other comments and felt the need to say that!)

    The heart of the matter truly is that this nursery looks fantastic, and your blog is decoratively inspiring! Keep on keepin’ on and looking fab-u-lous. :)

    Reply

  49. Jess says

    Love the Dwell bedding they chose! I have Dwell bedding, complete with bumper and I honestly have not ever felt any anxiety about the bumper. We did wait to put her in her crib until she could lift and roll, so that helps. What I felt A LOT of anxiety about is when my sweet girl was sleeping in my mom’s crib she has (with no bumper) and started screaming during a nap because her arm got stuck between the rails. Poor thing. Keep up the good work! Love seeing the updates on your little girls nursery!!!

    Reply

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