Logan's Nursery

This post is a tad overdue since Logan is almost five months old, but here we are nonetheless. I love looking back on previous posts, reminiscing over special holidays and baby milestones, and seeing just how much our lives have changed over the course of a few years. One day, I hope to show our children just how much time and effort went in to making a special place for each of them. A space where we comforted them when they were fussy, changed their clothes and covered their bellies in smooches, and sweetly whispered "I love you" after we laid them down in their crib each night. Time spent in these rooms has created some of my most precious memories, and I never want to forget a single detail.

I knew going into this process that designing Logan's nursery would be much simpler than designing Taylor's. First off, we reused the crib, dresser, and glider which meant all I had to do was arrange those pieces and then fill in the blank spaces with accessories. I started thinking about color schemes as soon as we found out we were having a boy. I wanted to stay as far away from blue as possible but wasn't a huge fan of green or yellow either, so gray seemed like the obvious choice. I came across the wood planks and galvanized letters on Pinterest and knew it would be the focal point of the room, so I built everything else around it. We chose a rich, dark brown stain which sent me on a shopping spree to find coordinating pieces. The hamper, basket, and side table are part of the Threshold line at Target, and the wooden arrows in the corner are courtesy of my handyman hubby. To tie the space together, I purchased this simple grey and cream striped rug from Crate & Barrel and laid it diagonally to make the room feel bigger. This little nook is incredibly cozy, the perfect place to curl up with a sleepy baby (or a good book).

We used Ikea picture ledges for book shelves and added a large round basket to house toys and blankets. The curtain panels aren't technically blackout curtains, but they significantly reduce the glaring sunlight at 8:00 PM when Logan is trying to go to sleep.

We reused Taylor's crib and mattress but purchased new crib sheets and the softest blanket ever as an accent (since he's too little to sleep with a blanket yet). We hung this map above the crib and filled the walls with playful quotes to give the room a sense of encouragement and adventure. A new life brings hope and endless possibility, and our job as parents is to raise our children to believe they can do anything and be anyone they want to be. I wanted to incorporate that message into his room, even if he is too young to understand it yet.

The dresser received a small makeover with a fresh coat of white paint and new hardware (bronze knobs seemed more masculine than the jewel-encrusted pulls we used for Taylor). We kept the decor on top to a minimum by only adding the necessities: Taylor's old changing pad with a new grey minky cover, a brown wicker basket to hold diapers, a glass canister full of the cutest handmade wooden blocks (which we use for Logan's monthly photos), and a piggy bank gifted by Granny & Papa. Let's not forget the ugly diaper pail in the corner which houses all of those smelly diapers. ;c )

The images above the dresser were some of my best finds from the cutest little Etsy shop, Zoom Boone Creations. I purchased several of their designs for Taylor's room, and then immediately started filling my cart with pieces for the nursery as well. They were so easy to work with and created all 4 signs with the wooden background to tie the room together. We housed the images in simple, white Ribba frames from Ikea and used Command strips to hang them so we wouldn't damage the walls.

I just love the way this little gallery turned out, and it seems I'm not the only one since the two most complimented pieces in the room are the pallet board with Logan's initials and this photo gallery. Utilizing artwork in a tiny space like this is essential in creating a fun and cozy atmosphere.

There were two other random quotes that I just had to incorporate into this room, the bottom quote is from "Where the Wild Things Are" (which perfectly encapsulates little boys and the mischief they always seem to go into) and the top is lyrics to Bob Dylan's "Forever Young." I spent many long nights reading these quotes over and over while I fed Logan (and struggled to stay awake), and I realized that, in a way, they're contradictory to each other but in the best possible way. While we want our children to be kind, compassionate, and possess a strong morale compass, we also want them to let their imaginations run wild, to dream and explore, and to just be kids, because childhood is fleeting and kids grow up entirely too young these days.

While I love the laid back vibe and overall functionality of this space, my absolute favorite part has to be the company it attracts. Every night after bath time, we take Logan in his room, dim the lights, and feed him a bottle before bed. And every night just as he's finishing, Taylor bounces into the room asking one of us to read them a story. No matter how stressful our day has been or what tomorrow's agenda may hold, life makes perfect sense in that moment. There is no place I would rather be than sitting in that rocking chair reading a book and snuggling my babies. My heart is incredibly full.