When we (Greta & Grant) found out we were pregnant with baby #2, we were torn on where to put his nursery. Before Sterling (our first) was born, we’d used the upstairs as our primary bedroom. Once he came along, we moved downstairs to the main floor to be near his nursery.
After moving downstairs, our upstairs became quite the catch-all space. It was a large bonus room that functioned as a playroom (aka: a disaster zone), a work out area and office space. Over time, it really just became a cozy play area for Sterling. We really didn’t want to move back upstairs and lose that, so we thought… what if we made it a hybrid space? A cozy little nursery-meets-play-space that feels just as sweet as it is functional.
Fast-forward a few weeks, and we had our perfect solution: a playful, yet calming room where baby brother can sleep and big brother can play. Oh, and mom and dad can relax and lounge, too.
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Before we get into the details, here is a glimpse at the space:
creating distinct & intentional spaces
Even though this space was doing double-duty as both a nursery and a playroom, we really wanted the nursery to feel like it’s own space. We used paint and wallpaper to accentuate this little alcove and to make it feel separate from the rest of the playroom (which we kept relatively neutral). Since it is a large space, we did pull a little bit of the paint and wallpaper in on the other side of the room, to accent/tie everything together.
In terms of the color scheme, we leaned into happy, nature-inspired tones (blues and greens). Plus, this is a space for our two little boys, so we figured why not lean into this stereotypical color scheme? After all, I grew up with three sisters so it’s a fun change of pace.
PAINT & Wallpaper DETAILS
Green Paint : Jack and the Beanstalk by Benjamin Moore
Blue Paint: Harbor Fog by Benjamin Moore
White Paint: White Dove by Benjamin Moore
Wallpaper Details: Love vs. Design peel and stick wallpaper in print “windowpane plaid” in colors: “ceramic,” “spring” and “alpine”
sweet nursery elements
In the nursery nook, we had room the crib, rocker and a little side table. We also added a few bookshelves and some art. The framed Peter Pan artwork is a special tribute to our late aunt, Sherri, and we just loved the sweet little sports bears art prints. A fun light fixture really pulled this little space together. As far as the dresser /changing table goes, we just placed it right outside the nursery nook. We swapped out the dresser knobs for some fun dinosaur ones, just for a bit more whimsy.
fun playroom elements
We opted to use some of Sterling’s favorite things as inspiration for the rest of the playroom: sports and dinosaurs. He REALLY loves cars, but there are typically at least a dozen of those strewn about the playroom, so I guess we have those covered.
This wall was looking a little dull, but using his skates and other sports equipment as decor and adding this fun ABCs of hockey art print made all the difference. Note, the sweet little Jordan’s (they were Grant’s when he was little).
He also loves to draw, so we added a fun little peel and stick magnetic chalkboard with a fun border on one of the longer walls. These little caddies are also perfect for chalk and magnets!
This IKEA storage solution with these easy to access dinosaur bins are perfect to organize all their little toys. It was important to us that these be at kid height and easy for them to pull out on their own! We also added a little cushion to warm things up.
A cozy lounge space for parents
This space has easily become the #1 most used space in our home, so naturally, we want to ensure it’s also a comfortable spot for us to hang out as well. While we may have opted for a kid’s activity table instead of a traditional coffee table, a cozy sectional and a TV means I can watch The Today Show while feeding Sullivan and watching Sterling play – win, win win!
A few other details…
A few other updates worth noting:
In order to continue a playful theme throughout the space, we painted the window trim blue and added some fun valences.
We also ripped out the original closet “doors” (ugly weird paneled curtain things) and replaced with these curtains instead. Then, we swapped out the light switches for something a little more fun!
A Few progress PHotos
We really should have led with this, but let’s face it, the “before” photos just aren’t that pretty. But, just for fun, here’s a glimpse at the “before” and “during”!
Shop the space
Thanks for reading!
xoxo, The Blonde Party
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