Fun and Funky Nursery

by Liz Burkholder
(Arlington, VA)

I wanted our nursery to be designed around a color scheme (pink/turquoise and black/white) instead of a specific "theme". I didn't want the bedding to be the focal point or main attraction. I wanted the walls to steal the show. This way, I wouldn't be married to a specific bedding and could change it as desired. Not to mention that bedding can be very expensive and paint with a little creativity is the direct opposite! Plus the entire nursery was done on a budget of $500.


What brand and color of paint did you use?

Valspar: Hello Dolly, Sweet Pink, Bayside, as well as some standard black and white paints that I had left over from previous projects.


If you added stripes, polka dots or other paint effects, tell us how you did it.

I used painter's tape and a yard stick to make all the paint effects. I did boxes bordered with a black/white polka dot outline on the upper half of the accent wall. I did vertical stripes on the lower half of the accent wall. The rest of the walls were divided by horizontal black and white stripes with the upper half painted in the light pink and the bottom in the turquoise.


What brand of crib did you buy? Where from?

The crib is Graco Lauren in a black finish (ordered from walmart.com). I love using black as an accent, and I didn't want the traditional white or brown crib.


What brand of furniture did you choose? Where did you buy it?

I wanted the furniture to be a combination of black and white to mix things up a bit and to not appear too "heavy" with all black furniture.

The changing table is DaVinci Emily in a black finish (ordered from simplybabyfurniture.com).

The rocker is Ikea Poang in black finish with white upholstery. The bookshelf is Ikea Billy in white finish.


What bedding set did you use? Where did you buy it?

The bedding /valances are Seed Sprout Damask (ordered from walmart.com). As stated above, I did not want the bedding to be a main focal point, but instead, I wanted the walls to steal the show.


Tell us about your window treatments,

lighting, rugs, wall decor and accessories. Where did you buy them - were any handmade?

The black and white lamp was bought from Wal-Mart and the shade was originally solid black. I used a stencil to paint on a white Damask design to give it a little character.

The shelves above the changing table and the picture ledge above the crib are from Ikea. The pink shag rug is from Wal-Mart.

The black ottoman I already owned. The pink and turquoise pom poms hanging from the ceiling were handmade out of tissue paper by a friend.

The three small turquoise paintings above the crib were the first things I bought for the nursery. We were at an art store in Austin, TX when I spotted these and decided they would be very cute in the nursery. I guess you could say it all started with these, as that’s when I first decided the nursery would be centered around turquoise and pink.


How did you store all your baby goodies? In baskets, on shelves?

Baskets of different styles/sizes were used for storage with easy access of small items such as socks, hair accessories, hats, shoes, bibs, etc. These were bought from Ikea, The Container Store, and Babies R Us. There are also assorted baskets on the changing table for storage of other goodies.


How long did it take you? Was it easy, fun, difficult? What was your favorite part?

Overall it probably took about a week from start to finish. It was extremely fun to do. My favorite part is probably the paint techniques I used on the walls, since those are totally original. I changed things as I went being as creative as I wanted to be.


Did you do the entire nursery on your own or did someone help you? Who? What did they do?

My husband put the furniture together. A friend made the pink & turquoise pom poms hanging from the ceiling. Other than that, I did everything on my own.


What do you love most about your little one's finished room?

I just love that it’s so fun and creative! It’s different than any nursery I’ve ever seen and it’s very girly and cutesy.

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