Hard to believe that Edie is nearly a year old and I’m JUUUUST getting around to posting this. But, time flies and as much time as I’ve spent in this space, photographing it was always low on the list. Anyway! Finally ready to share this special room, my happy place :)
We love our apartment and knew we’d be expanding our family at some point when we moved in a few years ago. The apartment has 3 bedrooms, but one bedroom, which we use as a guest room, is on another floor and I’m not a big fan of having kids bedrooms too far from us. So we planned to convert our office, which is a “sun room” (typical of older San Francisco homes, these rooms are small spaces with lots of windows) into a nursery. It’s attached to our bedroom so having the baby close by but in her own separate and distinct space (with a door!) was an ideal set-up. The problem was that the windows were old and damaged which caused water leaks and made the room extremely damp. Plus, it was never properly insulated so it was either freezing cold or boiling hot. Not great for a baby!
We started construction when I was about 7 months pregnant knowing we had a firm deadline - we weren’t planning to use the nursery space right away, but because it was attached to our bedroom, we needed construction to be totally complete so we could bring the baby home to a safe and clean environment free of dust and debris! Our timeline was mainly dictated by supply chain issues and when our replacement windows would be ready, so in a perfect world, no, I would not suggest starting a construction project at 7 months pregnant! Though, there’s nothing like a basketball for a belly to light a fire under your construction team…
I was so excited to have a baby girl and create a space that was feminine, but sophisticated and not too sachaarine. I tested a bunch of different “pink” paint colors that could flex and grow with us and finally landed on Charmeuse by Benjamin Moore. Depending on the light, it’s sometimes dusty rose, sometimes blush gray. I love how much it changes throughout the day. We did a 75% saturation on the walls and 100% saturation on the ceiling (just ask your paint store to mix it this way for you!). I was on the fence about painting both the walls and ceiling, but having the ceiling painted too gives the room a really lovely feeling. It’s like Edie’s little cocoon!
Replacing the windows and adding insulation to the walls were the main things - structurally important and necessary to make this space actually livable for our baby. In the meantime, I pulled tons of inspiration imagery and got to work making a moodboard of how I saw the space coming together…I loved the idea of a soft blush color on the walls, linen curtains and warm, earthy tones to make it feel cozy.
We also wanted to convert half of the closet into a changing area since the room is really too small for a dresser with changing pad. We also added interior overhead lighting to the closet so it would be more functional and an outlet so we could install a small lamp. We went with a dimmer light, which I love; when we close the closet door at night, we can use the dimmer on low as a night light.
We had our contractor add shelving (like I said, no room for a dresser in this room!) and a small lip to the edge. It’s a small detail, but it helps make this area look more finished. Half of the closet is used by my husband and I, so we are short on storage in here, so we added two additional shelves. The closet doors and trim are painted Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace.
Alright, once we got the important stuff out of the way, it was time for some fun! I was officially in nesting mode, nearing the finish line of my pregnancy and SO READY to have this space feel finished for our sweet girl.
After the shelving was added to the closet/changing area, I purchased these bins for storing Edie’s clothes. Hanging clothes live in another closet, but these bins come in multiple sizes and are exactly what we needed here. I keep larger size items in another closet and rotate out what doesn’t fit anymore every few months. We keep extra diapers and wipes stored here as well. Everything is easy to access and while it’s a non-traditional set-up, it works perfectly for us.
And in case you didn’t think “nesting” was real, some part of my pregnant brain told me to tackle a DIY wallpaper project at 8 months pregnant. I measured the space and ordered this peel and stick wallpaper. Totally unsponsored, but this company has the cutest prints and patterns. I loved so many, but felt like the green was a pretty contrast to the some of the more feminine notes. It was easy to install and I’m super impatient about stuff like this. If you look closely, you’ll see some tiny parts where I messed up, but overall if I can do it, you can do it. Lastly, I added a table topper and comfy changing pad with cute cover (more pattern play, fun!) to complete our changing nook.
Another challenge in this room, aside from it being teeny tiny, is that it’s 90% windows. In my opinion blackout curtains in a nursery are a must, but I didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg on custom curtains. Because of the funky sizes of these windows and corner, creating a full blackout was going to be tricky. A friend recommended these curtains to me. I did a test and ordered one panel for our bedroom just to make sure that the quality was good and they would blackout enough for sleep. I immediately ordered the rest for Edie’s room. They’re great! Once you place the order, you contact the seller with your exact measurements and they’ll cut to your specifications (just order the stock size that is closest to your dimensions). The color we used is Ivory Beige and I went with 70-80% blackout (since our shades keep out a good bit of light I opted for the lower liner, but you can go higher).
These curtains have become one of my most requested links on IG (I find this hilarious!!) and the hardware we used gets asked about a lot too. I’ve been burned before by crappy curtain rods, so I paid up and went with these which I’ve used before and knew were high quality. For curtain rings, I used these. Because the windows wrap around the corner, I wanted to create one continuous rod since fitting two in a corner would have been difficult. I used this piece to connect the two rods and it works perfectly.
For furniture, we were limited on space, but I have to have a comfy chair in the nursery (I also loved having a daybed in Charley’s nursery, but there’s no way we could fit that in here!) We knew we’d be reusing the same rocking chair we had in Charley’s nursery. It was a great way to save on costs PLUS, it’s soooo comfortable. I love sitting there with Edie knowing I rocked Charley in the very same chair. Charley’s rocker is sold out, but if I was shopping for one today this would be it!) Charley’s old crib however wasn’t in great shape, so I knew we’d be getting a new one for Edie. I looked at so many and didn’t fall in love for awhile. I loved the washed wood and how solid it felt. The upholstered sides are a nice neutral touch. Sadly, it’s currently sold out, but this one is very similar. I recently added this crib skirt to bring a little personality into the room. So cute!! (p.s. if you’re in the market, this is the other crib I loved. The delivery dates didn’t work for me, but I loved it so much!).
I originally bought a vintage Turkish rug on Etsy to use here. I loved the way the blush pattern worked with the rest of the space, but once we laid it down, it didn’t feel substantial enough for this space. I wanted something softer and more plush underfoot knowing Edie would play and crawl here. I ended up getting this neutral wool rug and now when Charley and I play with Edie on the floor, we are so all comfy. Highly recommend this rug if you’re looking for something soft and durable. It’s nice and thick which makes this small space feel extra cozy.
We don’t have much wall space to play with in here, but I did find a little spot to hang an antique painting I won at auction. I had this piece long before I was pregnant and loved the little pink door. It’s sweet and works perfectly in Edie’s room. I also added my favorite photo of Edie and Charley from our newborn session.
As with a typical sun room, the doors connecting this space to our room are French doors, which means they let in light and sound. With naps and early bedtimes, we needed a solution to block things off. I ordered these sash rods and searched for a fabric that would work with our color palette but was also thick enough to block light. I found this beautiful linen gingham on Etsy and fell in love. I doubled the fabric so it would block more light and I hand-sewed the curtains myself (again, a pregnant mind is a terrible thing to waste!) and they turned out perfectly. Of course if you have a sewing machine, use that instead :)
So nearly one year later, this is Edie’s room! Creating this space really was a labor of love and I am so happy with how it came together. Nothing makes me happier than being in here with Edie; watching her crawl around the floor, playing with her favorite toys and snuggling her off to sleep at night. It is by far the happiest room in our home and is a pure reflection of this sweet and joyful chapter we are living.
Sources: Light fixture (antique original to our home, but here’s a replica), Wool Rug, Striped Storage Bins, Changing Pad, Changing Pad Cover, Unlacquered Brass Knobs, Changing Table Topper, Woven Hamper (we use it for storing toys), Side Table (sold out, similar one here), Floor Lamp (vintage), Rocking Chair (sold out, similar linked here), Wool Rug, Crib (sold out, similar linked here), Crib Skirt, Crib Sheet (Sold out, similar linked), Blackout Curtains, Curtain Rods, Corner Curtain Rod, Curtain Rings, Woven Shades (original to home), Rainbow Stacking Toy, Small Woven Basket (sold out, similar one here), Silk Tassel
Paint Colors: Walls - Benjamin Moore Charmeuse at 75%, Ceiling - Benjamin Moore Charmeuse at 100%, Closet Doors/Trim - Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace