Baby boy nursery tour and how adding a feature wall was the easiest project ever
Updated: Feb 17, 2020
When we were expecting our daughter, we waited to find out the gender until she was born, and I was perfectly content making her nursery very neutral and peaceful. I loved that little room. However, when the second one came along, we decided that we wanted to be a little more prepared and go all out on either a boy or a girl nursery - and guess what! Baby #2 was a boy! Annnnd that meant I got to start from scratch.
Some may look at the "before" photo and think I'm crazy for redoing a room into a nursery that started out as a nursery! But that would be too easy... Here is what we started with:
I could not wait to get my hands on this, flip the layout, and make it our own. I typically try to avoid anything that is too “themed” if that makes sense. I didn’t want the classic jungle nursery or Disney character paraphernalia. I think that is most of us these days, right? When I decorate, I like to keep it fairly personal and meaningful, so I don’t typically choose items that have no relevance to our lives at all. I do this because I believe the objects in your home should hold some significance to you, if possible, because then you’ll love it for the long haul and not just for a season.
If I had to pin down what the theme is for our son’s room, it is what I call “vintage dog.” And trust me, it wasn’t a topic I could easily find inspiration for on Pinterest!
Dogs hold a special place in our lives - a once vivacious (now super lazy) Brittany, Raleigh, was our very first “fur child,” and I spent hours upon hours training him for obedience competitions and conformation shows. He actually is a show champion, which is funny because I’d never shown dogs before in my life until Raleigh. We had fun learning about dogs and how to train and show! I thought this would be the perfect thing to *subtly* incorporate in our new baby’s nursery.
We obviously have a preference for the sporting group... but I love the black and white motif of the dog prints and especially how they feel playful enough for a child’s room yet neutral enough that I love them, too. The center one is extra-special to us because it is an antique hand-drawing of a Brittany, our favorite breed. And, as you can see, Raleigh himself took center stage in this room!
Making this side area of the nursery into a welcoming play area for our daughter was important to us so that she would feel welcome in the midst of the chaos of a new baby and a new house. I might still move her play kitchen in here so she can have her coffee, smoothie, and kitchen stations all together.
Almost everything in here has a history or a significance for us. It’s so important to utilize beautiful items in your home that mean something to you so you can love your space for years to come!
Despite how much I like this nursery, I felt this wall was missing something. I was inspired by Jamie of Mindfully Gray, who freehanded a design in her foyer and it looked AMAZING and so unique. She gave me the courage to go for it in here, and let me say it was TERRIFYING at first. I’ve never attempted anything like this before, but I am so glad I did! A feature wall is exactly what this room needed to really feel more complete!
It was a pretty easy project once I got it going, and I completed it in less than 2 hours while I kept my son busy with a constant stream of peanut butter Bambas and chew toys. I don’t have a lot of patience for projects, so this quick, easy, and inexpensive fix was perfect because it packed a big punch with minimal effort and investment. Win!