pavao_keane 1.jpgName: Keane (6 months)
Location: Robbinsdale, Minnesota
Room Size: 11' x 14'

With one look at her son Keane's room, it's clear that this is not Kara's first time around the nursery-decorating block. Having learned a few lessons with her first son, Kara said she had a better idea this time around of what to include (and what not to include) in the room. She and her husband, Bill, salvage and restore mid-century modern furniture, a clear inspiration for the room, which flawlessly incorporates a woodland theme and playful colors with minimalist, streamlined pieces.

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Their less-is-more approach comes through in the clean, modern design, in the budget Bill and Kara worked with for the room, and in the play pieces they included for Keane. Kara also admits that, since babies don't care what their rooms look like for a few years anyway, she focused her efforts on creating a room that she would be comfortable in. We'd venture to say that it looks like a room Keane can be quite comfortable in as well.

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How would you describe the look and feel of this room? We wanted it to be a place Keane could grow into. Because it's on the smaller side, we tried to find unique storage solutions, leaving things open for lots of play! Less is more with kids. If there is too much, they don't play with anything.

What was the inspiration for the room? We love clean, modern, Scandinavian-inspired spaces with infusions of mid-century modern pieces. I started with the deer sheet and worked around that. This being our second boy, I felt more confident in what we did and didn't need for a baby.

What was the biggest challenge decorating the room? Editing! There are always a million options; it's just about picking the right ones. Went with my gut.

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What is your favorite piece or element? Probably the Brahmin rocker, a gift from Bill.

If money were no object, what's your dream source? I honestly love creating one-of-a-kind spaces on a small budgets, but if money were no object, this blanket or this large beachy photograph, both from artists selling on Etsy, would be great additions.

Do you have any advice for parents creating a room for their child? You don't need everything they say you need on your baby registry! Keep it simple, and keep it you. Your child won't care what the room looks like for the first few years, so make it a space you will enjoy rocking, feeding, and changing in.

What is your proudest DIY? The dresser is definitely a proud moment. Bill found it on the side of the road, and it was a hot mess. He turned it into a beautiful one-of-a-kind piece. We also love the picture of Bill's grandma skeet shooting; it started off as a 1.5"x1.5" print, which we blew up at Costco for $10. It's not a typical nursery piece, but it's most people's favorite element in the room.

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Source List:

  • Short Drum Pendant: West Elm

  • Minnesota and Wisconsin state prints: Kelzuki

  • "mn" and "wi" wooden letter signs: oh dier

  • Zigzag Wool Rug: West Elm

  • carved wooden birds mobile: a *sweet* Anthro clearance find

  • orange deer statuette: Fab.

  • Gulliver Crib: IKEA

  • Expedit Book Shelf: IKEA

  • Rugby Stripe Fabric Bins: Container Store

  • hamper: pretty mommy (no longer available, but similar one here)

  • Giant Deer Crib Sheet: katy and zucchini

  • All other pieces are vintage



Thanks, Kara! Readers, you can check out more of Kara and Bill's mid-century modern designs on their Facebook page.

(Images: Kara Kurth)


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