Reed’s Soft, Starry Space

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updated May 4, 2019

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Name: Reed
Location: Boston, MA
Room Size: 10′ x 12′

When I found out that my friend Dina was pregnant with her second baby, I knew it was going to be a showstopper of a nursery. You see, Dina is a DIY maven with an amazing eye. Although the nursery looks like a million bucks, she managed to put her DIY touch on nearly everything – from the curtains to the artwork to the showstopper ceiling. Read on to find out more about how she pulled together this soft, starry space for baby Reed.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

How would you describe the look and feel of this room?
Light and airy with loads of texture and warm wood tones. A few metallics here and there add some sparkle.

What is your favorite piece or element?
Definitely the ceiling. I was six months pregnant and had a 22-month-old toddler running around at the time I decided to tackle that ceiling. I never thought it would get done (and frankly it wouldn’t have had it not been for my very helpful brother!), but it is a real showstopper. And I love that I was able to do it with just paint and silver contact paper (and loads of patience!)

What was the biggest challenge decorating this room?
Deciding on the layout. We only have three bedrooms, and this room was technically our “guest room,” so I had to decide if I wanted to keep it a guest room and put baby in with big brother, scrap the guest room altogether and create a true nursery, or do some combination of guest room/nursery. I debated putting a daybed in the room for a long time but ultimately decided I’d rather have a good-sized room for the baby rather than a dual purpose room that really only gets utilized as a guest room a few times a year.

(Image credit: Ruth Eileen Photography)

What do your friends say about the room?
They always say it’s beautiful and that I’m crazy…but mostly they say I’m crazy. The ceiling is one of those things that stops you in your tracks when you come in, but then you immediately go, “Are you insane for doing this?” The answer is probably yes, but I don’t care. Seeing a creative vision come to life and be so beautiful is worth it!

Do you have any advice for parents creating a room for their child?
This room was for my second child, so I really spent a lot of time thinking about how to make it comfortable for me and baby AND keep his big brother occupied. The shelving system served the dual purpose of displaying art and sentimental objects up high but storing puzzles, books and toys down low. I wanted it to be a place where I could comfortably feed the baby while my older son played nearby. A little reading nook and open floor space for playing really accomplished that for us.

If money were no object, what’s your dream source?
Layla Grace, Restoration Hardware Baby & Child and 1stDibs!