I had so much fun designing a nursery for Mae, and I’m excited to share it with you! Soon after we found out we were having a girl, I started gathering nursery inspiration. This was a fun process, but with so many beautiful options, I had somewhat of a hard time narrowing it down. Knowing that I didn’t have the luxury of spending countless hours on nursery design (I was still working part-time and caring for my toddler!), I aimed at being decisive and going with my intuition.
This approach worked out well because if I could describe any room in my home as perfect, it would be Mae’s. I absolutely love how sweet and feminine it is. I know childhood Mattye would’ve loved this space, and my hope is that Mae will cherish it as she grows.
A design approach I took that I think made the end result so pleasing was picking the one thing I “couldn’t live without” and building the room around that. I knew I wanted to wallpaper one wall, but the wallpaper I initially loved did not work with the curtain fabric I loved. It was quite a dilemma! So, I simply asked myself what I felt like I couldn’t leave behind, and the curtains won. Seeing the finished room now, I am 100% positive that was the right decision!
I worked with a local boutique, Fireflies & Fairytales (located in The Swanky Stork), to use one of their fabrics to create custom curtains. Their team was a dream to work with. I’ve developed a sweet relationship with their store manager, Shannon, and the customer service from start to finish was personalized and made the process easy. Then, the curtains came in and they were stunning. From the blush buffalo check ruffle to the white blackout lining, every details was just lovely.
Custom is certainly the pricier way to do curtains, but I knew these would be a statement element in Mae’s room, and I could save elsewhere (like by repurposing Fox’s dresser/changing table and glider). I also love any chance I get to support a local business, and investing in this piece just felt good.
Aren’t these curtains what little girl dreams are made of? // Fireflies and Fairytales
Here is a close up of the fabric:
To me, the art of designing a room is having a clear picture of what you’re looking for and being creative with design solutions to achieve that look. As I pinned inspiration for Mae’s room, a vision for the space came to life. The curtain fabric I loved was right in line with this vision, and it directed much of my design. From there, I knew the elements I needed (a lamp, mirror, details, etc.) and I began shopping at stores and online to pull it all together. When designing a space, not everything has to be new or expensive, and I hope sharing how Mae’s room came together will help you see how you can create a space that you love by pulling from resources old and new and in different price ranges to make it shine.
This trio on the wall is made up of a mirror I bought at an antique shop but never found a place for, a painted flower tray my mother-in-law gave me for Mae’s room, and a boxwood wreath I found at a shop in Laurel, MS, on our Babymoon.
We did end up with a wallpapered wall like I originally wanted, and I adore what we chose. It’s a periwinkle blue plaid, and accents the curtains so nicely. My mom used periwinkle wallpaper in my nursery, which made this choice an extra special nod to that.
Y’all. These paintings—I’m obsessed! We love original art in our home and really hoped we could find some special pieces for Mae’s room. I am often drawn to paintings on canvas, but after seeing an Instagram post of a baby girl’s nursery with framed art, I couldn’t get it out of my head. We landed on these original watercolors by Simply Jessica Marie, and they are absolutely perfect for the space. Jessica was so kind and encouraging as we talked about the paintings and framing options. She not only made the process easy but also joyful as she shared in our excitement of expecting our baby girl. I still stare at the paintings in Mae’s room as if it’s the first time I’m seeing them, which is the sign to me that you’ve found a truly special piece of art.
Baby Mae in her room melts my Momma heart! // Photos by Mary Margaret Smith
I’m sentimental by nature, and I enjoy incorporating meaningful pieces into my home. On Mae’s shelves (repurposed from Fox’s nursery), I used flower marker art that I did as a little girl (see the top shelf by her crib), a framed baby shower invitation, my sterling silver baby cup (that I did not polish before these photos were taken! eek!), a photo from my maternity session, gifts from friends like her bear, personalized butterfly teether, and Sunshine book, and a faux magnolia flower I bought in Waco at Magnolia this summer while I was pregnant with Mae.
These sweet letter hooks are one of the first things I bought for her room. Her name is so beautiful and special to me, and since it’s three letters, it makes it easy to incorporate like this. I wasn’t sure what function they would serve when I first bought them, but they’re truly perfect for displaying her hairbows and it makes them super easy to access!
Speaking of sentimental, that pink piggy bank was a gift from Woody’s Mom, Mae and Fox’s “Nonna,” and it was hers as a little girl. She has given several heirlooms to Fox that belonged to Woody as a child, so it was so meaningful for Mae to get a piece from Nonna’s girlhood days.
Finally, probably the most special piece in her nursery is that envelope you see on her pin board. Back in 2014, I took calligraphy classes. I often practiced my calligraphy in different ways, and one day I “addressed” this envelope to “Mae Woodcock, 113 Future Lane, Cutie Pie, USA, 12345.” I wasn’t pregnant at that time, but Mae was the little girl we had talked about and dreamed about when we discussed the future and babies.
I love this piece so much because it reminds me of God’s goodness and His gifts to us. One of the verses that has meant a lot to me throughout pregnancy and life with her is Psalm 20:4 “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” I want Mae and Fox both to know that they were desires of my heart, and they are dreams fulfilled for me, and this piece is one very special reminder of that truth.
I hope you enjoyed Mae’s nursery tour! Let me know if there is anything I can further explain or questions I can answer.
Sources
Crib: Million Dollar Baby | Curtains: Fireflies and Fairytales | Wallpaper: Caitlin Wilson | Glider (from Fox’s nursery): Barnett Furniture | Wall Color: Sherwin Williams Alabaster | Artwork: Simply Jessica Marie | Dresser (from Fox’s nursery): Ikea | Dresser hardware: Anthropologie | Mirror, lamp, hamper, and side table: Home Goods | Crib skirt and sheets: Pottery Barn Kids | Accent pillows: Fireflies and Fairytales | Pin Board: Pottery Barn Kids | Changing pad: Keekaroo Peanut Changer | Rug: Pottery Barn Kids | Throw blanket: Caitlin Wilson | Pom Pom Basket: Lulu & Georgia | Hanging shelves: Target and Ikea | Letter Hooks: Anthropologie
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