Name: Sammy
Age: 10 months
Location: Lake Ridge, Virginia
Room Size: 9’ x 10’

Before even knowing if they were expecting a boy or a girl Laura had a vision about her baby’s nursery — a vision of turquoise. And she knew that vintage elements would play an important role in the look of the room too. Incredibly, it only took her and her mom 4 days to put together this sweet little haven for baby Sammy. It's a careful and resourceful mélange of old, new, discovered, created and re-purposed. Take the tour for a peek into all the details that went into making this happy hodgepodge of a space.

What was your inspiration for the room?
I knew all along that I wanted turquoise to be the main color in the room regardless if we were having a girl or a boy. I’m also incredibly fond of cats, owls and all things vintage, so I knew that I wanted to incorporate all of those elements into the room without going overboard. Early on in my pregnancy I came across the Owls bedding set by Dwell Studio and instantly fell in love with the design and the colors. And, of course, I stalked Ohdeedoh for inspiration on a daily basis.

What is your favorite element in the room?
It’s hard to choose just one, but I’m going to have to say the vintage lockers; I can store/hide away so much stuff in those things and I know they’ll be something that Sammy will be able to use through his childhood and into his teens.

Were there any surprises?
The best surprise was that my mom and I were able to complete the entire nursery from start to finish in only four days (all while tending to a six-month-old); at first, I was afraid that we were biting off more than we could chew, but everything came together amazingly well in the end and I honestly couldn’t be happier with Sammy’s room.

Before starting, what did you know you wanted to include, for sure?
The vintage chest of drawers; it was a freebie from my friend’s basement where it had previously been used as a sawboard. I actually started refinishing it before I knew I was pregnant and had already began painting it a very vibrant shade of turquoise, so when I learned I was going to be having a baby, I knew it would make an excellent changing table.

What was your proudest DIY?
Taking off the closet doors and replacing them with the no-sew fabric panels; when I described the project to my husband (who is currently stationed in South Korea for a year), he thought I was crazy, but it really freed up a lot of floor and wall space and brings a bright spot of color and whimsy into the room. I’m also pretty proud of the pom-pom mobile that hangs over the changing table; I made it using some wire hangers and tissue paper decorations that were leftover from my wedding — it’s great for keeping Sammy distracted during his diaper changes.

What was your proudest vintage find?
Oh man, where to begin? I love the brightly-colored vintage mobile, which I found on Etsy. A close second would have to be the vintage duck bench that I picked up on a recent trip through Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. And of course, there’s the 1930s child-size coat rack with the cat and the dogs … seriously, I love them all!

What was your biggest indulgence?
The antique arts and crafts magazine stand — I know I didn’t really need it for Sammy’s room, but now I can’t imagine any other piece that would suit the space as well as it does. (It also helps that I was given a really good deal on it, too.)

Any advice for other people starting this process?
Go "shopping" in your home: some items in my son's nursery have graced my home for years, like the George Nelson-style wall clock (don't worry — it's a knock-off that I found in TJ Maxx) and nearly all of the artwork adorning the walls. It's a fun and inexpensive way of adding a bit of your personal style into the nursery. Besides, if it's something that you love chances are your child will love it, too.

If money was no object, what would your dream source be?
Etsy, most definitely!

RESOURCES:
Paint
Valspar: Pelican (on the walls) and Petrol Blue (on the changing table)

Textiles
Valance: Polarvide throw by Ikea
Closet curtains: Fredrika fabric by Ikea
Crib sheet, pillow (on rocker) and changing pad cover: Owls by Dwell Studio

Furniture
Crib: Craigslist
Changing table: found in my friend's basement (free!) — See the before and after here
Lockers: vintage salvage
Rocker: Route 19 Antiques, Canonsburg
Arts and crafts magazine stand: Finials Antiques
Wall shelves: Ekby Jarpen/Ekby Bjarnum by Ikea

Artwork
Samantha Simpson
Andrew Jeffrey Wright
Michael W. Hall

Accessories
Lamp: Target
Nightlight: Spoka by Ikea
Vintage crib mobile: SweetLilyStudio on Etsy
Vintage mirror: On a Whim Antiques
Vintage raccoon: Iron Horse Antiques
Vintage duck bench: The Old Factory Antique Mall
Vintage child’s coat rack: DC Big Flea Market

Everything Else
Local thrift shops and/or my personal collection of random old stuff

Thank you for sharing your son's happy, beautiful space, Laura!

You can also find Laura blogging at L to the Third where she shares her love of photography, history and parenting, among other things.


(Images: Laura Libert)