Our home has affectionately been know as our little beach house since we first moved in almost five years ago. It’s reflected in the interior colour scheme, the style and the overall aesthetic which incorporates light wood (predominately oak), coastal colours, and a variety of nautical and hamptons-inspired homewares.
So when it came to designing the nursery for our first born, we knew we wanted to create a calming haven that centred around cool tones, warm textures, clever storage and of course, sea creatures.
Here’s a quick look at our inspiration for the room found via Pinterest:
We started by completely gutting the space which had formerly been our office / gym. We ripped up the buckled red lino floorboards, took out the old single-rail built-in wardrobe and brought the room back to its bare bones so we could start fresh.
We then replaced the plaster and switched to square set to make the relatively small room feel like it had extra height, adding Easycraft EasyVJ panelling purchased from Bunnings to one wall which would become the nursery’s main feature.
For the paint, we trialled a couple of whites and two ocean blues (below) and eventually settled on Dulux Vivid White for the three plastered walls and a slightly modified tint of Dulux Cool for the VJ panelling / feature wall.
With a clear vision, our paint colours and room layout, we ventured to IKEA and decided on a 100 x 58 x 236cm PAX wardrobe with 3 x KOMPLEMENT glass-front draws, a mesh basket for blankets (and later shoes), a glass shelf with white oak border for warmth and the BERGSBO doors.
We also picked up some internal storage options for the top drawer, 2 x FLISAT wall storage for a wall we couldn’t utilise otherwise and the BJÖRKSNÄS wooden drawers which would become our change area.
We built a platform to allow for skirting boards, constructed the wardrobe (make sure to do this standing up if your ceiling height is standard) and slotted it into the space where the old built-in was previously.
With the location of the wardrobe meaning the right door opens directly onto a wall, we purchased the ÖSTERNÄS leather handles from IKEA to match the drawers but bought a second set of Lane leather handles from Bunnings so that we could match the hardware to the gold accents throughout the room.
We invested in a brand new ceiling fan in white that would replace an old brushed metal fan of the same style, as well as Clipsal’s Iconic Essence switches which add a luxe touch and help to bring all the elements of the room together.
Finally, we replaced the red laminate flooring with lush new carpet in a medium grey, added gold tiling trim to finish off the wardrobe space and installed some white Venetian blinds from Spotlight to mirror the shutters in our main living area.
We purchased a simple cot from IKEA, 3 x gold LOMVIKEN frames and a convertible rocking chair from a Groupon sale. By saving in some areas, we were able to splurge in others such as the whale mobile and print from Etsy artists, the Owlet Smart Sock 3 + Cam and the Leander Change Mat which provides greater stability and enables us to wipe any messes (no extra washing required!).
And the result speaks for itself. A calming space that we honestly adore, and hopefully baby will get just as much enjoyment out of his own special space that’s been crafted with love.
2am Thought Bubble 