DESIGNING YOUR NURSERY TO INSPIRE CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION, & GOOD TASTE
Janine Saunders
- Founder of East Perry
I won't lie, when I found out I was pregnant it was a shocker. I was 27 and one of those people who had been living in NYC and was convinced I wouldn't have kids until I was well into my career, had it all figured out, etc etc etc. :) When I went for a visit to the doctor because of severe pain in my abdomen, I didn't even realize they had done a pregnancy test. So, when he came into the room and told me I was pregnant my mind kinda exploded. Although, after some quick reflection the emotion was surprisingly underwhelming and it only took me a split second to decide that this was the best news I'd ever received in my life. My hubby had gone back to Russia and I was soon to follow. I called my hubby from across the world, who quickly begin to cry in excitement (and shock) over the phone while sitting in a restaurant. And so unfolds our wild ride into parenthood.
Once I returned back to our home in Russia four months pregnant I was ready to make a beautiful nursery, but scratching my head because I wasn't in the States where everything is convenient and available. I had five months to prepare with Etsy as my go-to-shop. There I could find makers from across the world that would ship to Russia. What I was drawn to was the minimalist rooms, and everything that I read confirmed that this was a great choice for newborns and kids.
Reasons for keeping it simple:
Clear Space,
Bright Minds
kids do better when they aren't surrounded by clutter
Balancing Work and Parenthood
I was working full-time (at my other kids entertainment company) and planned to keep it going after giving birth. So having less stuff was a good thing for general up-keep
Minimal looks
Minimal looks beautiful and can be affordable
I decided I wanted to focus on some key elements to encourage imagination, creativity, curiosity and movement. As mentioned above, I was going into year 4 of running an educational brand for kids, so these decisions came after much consideration and experience. These were the focus piece (besides the furniture):
a beautiful
mobile
sheepskin
pelt
great
lighting
something soft to crawl on
interesting art on the wall (especially near the changing station, so they can got lost in colors and shapes)
a book wall (Keep them interested in books from the very beginning. Sheepskin is a great mat to be used when reading books on the floor...that's what we did!)
rocking balance board (if you don't know what these are, check them out here)
Having a really interesting artistic mobile was a big priority for me, especially because it's something they end up looking at for hours in their early days. I thought a lot about colors, shapes, and flow. Etsy was a great go-to for finding a beautifully hand-made artistic mobile. I found that on Etsy they are more beautiful, original, and less pricey than ones you'll find at bigger chain stores.
( handmade mobiles by @babyjives )
( photo cred: @beccabella46 )
We made a beautiful gallery wall out of some very personal art pieces, but I've seen folks do beautiful walls with thrifted art too. Personally, I think it's more fun to showcase beautiful artwork as opposed to "kid inspired" art. Let them grow into it and teach them early about great design, right? (Tip: babies love portraits) What's fun is I'm now prepping to make a wall of his framed artwork to mirror the other wall.
My favorite online art stores: Minted
Etsy
All Posters
(for photography prints)
The sheepskin pelt has been a critical element in his room that still gets used on a daily basis. We started using it first for tummy time, and now our four year old lays it on the floor when it's time to do reading or math activities. Our sheepskin pelt has been a key element in providing a safe and cozy spot for physical and intellectual expression.
( credit: @Partyofthree with an
East Perry sheepskin )
( a beautiful art gallery and cozy sheepskin pelts from @beccabelle46 *that's an East Perry pelt on her chair )
We chose to buy toys based around Montessori for infants and toddlers. Now that he is four, we've expanded to more general toys based on his interest. But I'm really happy we chose to go that route in the early days. We didn't have plastic eye sores everywhere or noisy distractions. And everything got a ton of play before he finally grew out of them (some lasted for 3 years of play). His fine motor skills are exceptional for his age and I'd like to think it's because of the smart (but simple) toys we introduced at a young age.
Finally, I know this has nothing to do with design but there's a blog that really saved me in the first 6 months of parenting. I was struggling with feeling overwhelmed by raising a "smart" child, hitting milestones, and also not understanding anything about babies. I stumbled upon Janet Lansbury who writes about respectful parenting (while promoting RIE techniques). I have shared her blog with all my close friends, and they too were very thankful to find her. HIGHLY recommended. It will save you from a ton of stress.
I hope my story might inspire you in some way! Here are a few of our customers nurseries or nurseries we found inspiring on IG. Enjoy!
( a great example of a book wall. credit: @blogsachi )
( @habitationboheme with an East Perry sheepskin pelt )
