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A Soft Neutral Paint Color For The Nursery

Goin’ to the chapel and we’re…. gonna have a bay-yay-yay-by.

Ok, so that’s not how the song goes, but it is the paint color that we chose for the walls of the nursery (which is pretty sweet considering the name of the paint that we used in Clara’s nursery in our last house was Proposal). Honestly, color names don’t sway us. We’re pragmatic pick-our-favorite-swatch-not-our-favorite-name folks. But it’s always nice when they’re not something ominous. You know, like Sleepless Nights or Zombie Spawn.

Paint Top

Back when we shared our plans for the room with this makeshift mood board of sorts, a few commenters asked if we were going to paint the walls that bold green tone. We explained that we were planning to use that more for accents around the room (like a bold green closet door, a chair cushion, some art, and maybe a crib skirt) and were leaning towards a soft neutral color for the walls. Just so we can layer a bunch of colors and patterns on top of that as the little guy grows, according to his preferences – like we’ve done in Clara’s room.

Nursery Ideas

We’ve really appreciated that Clara’s walls are a completely goes-with-anything tone, so that as she grows we can switch things up without clearing and painting the entire room, but it’s still far from colorless or devoid of personality.

Fun Wall Corner Clara

But “something neutral on the walls” can still mean a whole lot of things. White? Light gray? Soft tan? Even a muted tawny-green or blue-gray can qualify. So we considered a few color pairings like…

  • a moody deep-ish gray ceiling, white built-ins, a colorful closet door, and light gray walls
  • a bright white ceiling, moody built-ins, a colorful closet door, and soft taupe walls
  • a colorful ceiling, white built-ins, a white closet door, and soft tan walls

And the winning combo was… #2. We just really liked the idea of some mushroom-toned built-ins (with a stained wood top for a little bit of added interest). Like this photoshopped rendering from last week…

Fjell Photoshop

… along with a bold green closet door.

So we just held up a bunch of swatches and considered things like the rug, the built-in colors we liked best, and some possible bold greens for the closet door. In the end it was between some more gray-based tones (on that bottom swatch) and some more mushroom-ish tones (on the top one). See how the darkest color of that top swatch is brown while the other swatch is closer to charcoal gray? We decided we liked the ones with brown undertones a little better than the cooler gray ones, so that’s how we chose Going To The Chapel for the walls, and then slid three tones deeper for our built-in color (Senora Gray). We opted to go with plain white for the ceiling (Simply White in a flat finish) just to tie into the white trim (since the built-ins won’t be going white) and for some nice contrast.

Paint Picks

As for getting it done, we just removed the rug, and pushed everything else into the middle of the room.

Nursery

We covered it with a dropcloth when we tackled the ceiling – and we ended up going with two coats, just to be sure we had good coverage. As usual, John rolled and I cut in around the edges – although I didn’t have to be perfect since we’re going to add chunky crown around the room, so that corner where the wall meets the ceiling will be covered.

Then it was onto the walls, which also took two coats. It’s harder to pick up in photos than in person, but the whole room had an obvious yellow tint before. You can see the difference most when you look at the areas that I cut in vs. the walls around them. This is before the paint was dry, so the difference got more obvious a little later, but I didn’t get a picture of that since we had already covered most of the walls by the time they started drying.

Painting During

But speaking of comparisons, here’s the room “before” (let’s go way back into the mauve trim days, shall we?):

Nursery Before

And here it is now (thanks to ripping up the old carpet, spraying the trim and doors white, laying some hardwood floors, and freshening up the walls and ceiling).

Painting Done

It’s hard to tell in photos just how different it feels in there! But just the fact that those door overspray marks are finally gone (you can see them in the first picture of everything pushed into the middle of the room) is music to our ears – er, eyes. If only they weren’t still in the guest room…

And here’s the room with some other elements that we’re hoping to work in later.

Playing 1

That’s our bike art (which will be hung somewhere else, since the shelves of the built-in will go there) and the slice of green on the mattress is just a long cotton dress of mine that I shoved in there. I’m a weirdo, I just wanted to see what a green sheet might look like. Of course the built-ins will be painted our mushroomy-brown-gray color and those bare walls above the crib won’t be bare when we really get things going. And that slice of old paint around the ceiling will be covered with chunky crown molding. Details, details.

We also brought up our armchair from the corner of the office when we realized that it would be great for the nursery – and once we redo the office there most likely won’t be room for a big plush armchair anyway. It’s still looking crazy stark in here, but it’s better than that pink-trimmed before – so we’ll take it!

Playing 2

Here’s our to-do list with around 11 weeks before this baby’s here:

  • clean out the room
  • get a rug (more on those two here)
  • research & buy dressers or cabinet bases to create built-ins along the crib wall (more on that here)
  • paint the walls and ceiling
  • find an armchair for all that late night nursing
  • build-in and paint/stain the dressers we bought last week
  • add chunky crown molding around the room
  • address the window (bamboo blinds + blackout curtains?)
  • paint the closet door a fun color (bold green?) and redo the inside for tiny clothes (add a second hanging bar, cubby storage, etc)
  • add sconces to the sides of the built-ins
  • create some sort of slatted or trimmed out wall between the built-ins for interest?
  • get the ceiling wired for an overhead light fixture (none of the upstairs bedrooms have them)
  • bring in a dresser/changing table (we’re 80% sure we’ll use the wooden hand-me-down from John’s dad that’s currently in our closet)
  • build custom shelves (since John did this for Clara, he’d like for this to be a tradition)
  • make a woodsy little cuckoo clock (since I made one for Clara, I’d like to make a charming little rustic one for the bun as well)
  • DIY a mobile
  • make/hang art (at least one or two prints will have a sea-faring reference, thanks to Clara’s baby boy nickname of “The Barnacle”)
  • figure out bedding (make a crib skirt, etc)

Is anyone else painting walls or ceilings? Or planning to paint some cabinetry or built-ins in a non-white color? I gotta tell ya, it’s more thrilling than it should be. #yolo

Comments

  1. Angela, blue i style says

    Hi guys. I am loving following along with the nursery process! Decorating our nursery was one of the most fun things I have done (http://blueistyle.blogspot.com/2013/03/GenderNeutralNurseryReveal.html), so I love seeing other people work their way through the process as well. We now have a second baby boy who has been sleeping in a cradle in our room while we design a new “big boy room” for our older son (who is 2). Once the new room is done, big brother will move in there and little brother will take over the nursery. We are doing a fun Vintage Preppy Mensware-ish Little Man’s Lounge theme in the big boy room. Yahhh…don’t worry, I’m working on a more succinct name for the style! The mood board explains it better (http://blueistyle.blogspot.com/2013/09/VintagePreppyLittleMansLoungeMoodBoard.html). Anyway, there really is a point and a question coming here… I bought a Hemnes dress from Ikea for the room, but I want to paint the drawer fronts. I haven’t done much furniture painting (at least not with success), so I am wondering if you have tips for painting furniture that you can point me to?! Thanks!!

    Reply

  2. Kate says

    Hey! The room looks beautiful! I’m sure you’ve covered this elsewhere, but do you paint while pregnant – and if so, what brands do you recommend?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      I aim for no-VOC paints, caulks, and sealers – so things like Olympic Premium paint, Mythic paint, or Ben Moore’s Natura or Ultra Spec meet those requirements. I also like Safecoat Acrylacq for a non-toxic sealer.

      xo
      s

  4. April says

    LOVE the colors! We are also having a boy, due April 5, and are thinking of doing a similar green for accents as ya’ll. Have you found any bedding or anything yet? Just started looking recently, but haven’t seen much for sheets and such in the right colors. All the greens seem to be more minty, pastely… Do you make your own? Have a secret nursery bedding website I don’t know about?! :) Just curious! Thanks!! :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Yes, I have been looking and it’s hard! I also like organic sheets so that adds another element. I’m thinking of checking out etsy and maybe some local shops to see what I can find. And I plan to make the bedskirt, so I can just buy fabric in the bold green tone I’d love for that, which helps. Will keep you posted!

      xo
      s

  5. Ashley W says

    Hi John and Sherry!
    I love the rug for the nursery- so cute. I first started reading when you were doing Clara’s nursery- it felt full of love and really inspirational (the mobile! The paint colors). I’ve been a daily reader ever since. I am close to starting a family and have been really looking forward to reading about the nursery, but I haven’t really felt inspired yet. It kind of feels like you are gathering stuff around the house and making do. Or doing your usual built-ins. That’s totally fine, but I was hoping for something more. One thing I have thought of doing for a future nursery is buying a rocker from good will or a local discount center and recovering it. Or doing a huge mural wall. Anyway, I know you don’t do things just because your readers want them, but I used to read because you tried new things and I loved seeing the process. I love your blog and want to keep coming back, but there doesn’t seem much of a reason right now. I know you are “in the middle,” so I am still looking forward to the end. And I can’t wait to see how cute this little guy will be!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks Ashley! We definitely have plans to add an accent wall between those built ins (perhaps with a mural, some wood slats, or big art) so that’s on the list as well as personalizing a lot of other things (John wants to make cool industrial shelves, I’d like to DIY a woodsy cuckoo clock, we’ll be doing other homemade art, making a mobile/window treatments/bedding, as well as customizing the closet). So it’s safe to say we’re just getting started. I think this is our 3rd post and we did 19 (!) with Clara’s room as it evolved over 3 months, so there’s definitely more on the agenda than buying a rug, painting the walls, and adding built-ins :)

      xo
      s

  6. lisa says

    What were the names of the grays on the “other” color chart that you didn’t go with? I’m looking for grays with a blue undertone for my soon to be teens bedroom redo!

    Reply

  10. Suzanne Melton says

    I’ve enjoyed reading your updates since you were in your second house.

    Something I’ve thought of since you moved into your NEW house: do the previous owners know you have a blog and do they follow it and ever write to you about the changes you’re making?

    I occasionally drive by houses I used to live in and wonder what the insides look like now.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Our buyers agent told the sellers agent that we had a blog to clue in the previous owners, but we’re not sure if they follow along (we’re actually pretty sure they don’t but we’d love to hear from them if they ever drop in on our blog). We heard from the past owners of our first and second home and it was really fun to connect with them!

      xo
      s

  11. Kelly says

    Hey! I’m looking at getting the same crib as you. It’s so cute! How has it held up? Does the drawer feel flimsy at all? I definitely need the drawer for extra space in our place :)

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We’ve really been happy with ours. The drawer is really handy and it’s all holding up well (Clara bit the top a bit, but other than that it’s doing great).

      xo
      s

  15. Whitney says

    This is a super random question, how did you transition Clara out of the crib and into a “big girl bed”? I’m just assuming that you’re reusing Clara’s crib, but you know what they say about assuming… :)
    Whitney

    Reply

  16. Nicole says

    Hi! My friend just sent me this Buzzfeed article with some awesome DIY bookshelf/regular shelf ideas. I love the ladder hanging wide open along two walls that meet in a corner, and also the fabric shelves, AND the ikea spice racks attached to the side of the dresser!

    Anyway, I thought of you guys since John wants to build custom ones for the new baby :-) Definitely some cool ideas!

    http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/25-awesome-diy-ideas-for-bookshelves

    Reply

  17. bySarahT says

    I’m just starting on my nursery this weekend, (well, my husband is). : )

    I’m wondering what primer do you suggest for a baby’s room (if any primer at all)?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We don’t use primer unless we’re painting the walls super dark or going super light from them being dark, but if it’s necessary there’s Kilz Premium at Home Depot which is VOC free!

      xo
      s

  18. Gloria says

    I know I’m late to this party, but was hoping to get some insight! I’m considering painting our living room a similar color; however, there is a monstrous floor to ceiling red brick fireplace. I’d love to paint it, but I have no idea what color would go well with it. Help! btw, love your blog – just found it a couple weeks ago and have been reading everything!

    Reply

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