Malcolm's Dinosaur Nursery

by Emily Mussett
(Berwyn, Illinois)

I went through a huge dinosaur phase as a little girl, but was always disappointed that everything was designed for boys, so when I found out I was having a boy I knew I could go hog wild! My mom kept my childhood dinosaur toys, which we integrated throughout the room, along with new ones we have come across.


What brand and color of paint did you use?

Behr Gentle Rain


What brand of crib did you buy? Where from?

The crib is the Million Dollar Baby DaVinci Kalani 4-in-1 in white, purchased at Babies R Us.


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

The dresser and bookcase, purchased at Babies R Us and on Amazon, respectively, are both from the Million Dollar Baby DaVinci line; however, the knobs have been replaced with dinosaur-shaped brushed nickel knobs from Pottery Barn Kids. The glider, ottoman, and raspberry Jenny Lind nightstand were purchased from the Land of Nod.


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

My mother sewed the crib sheets, boppy cover, and changing pad cover from a set of full sized dinosaur sheets we found at Pottery Barn Kids, which is where we also purchased the crib skirt. I’m a stickler for safety, so we chose not to use bumpers or any additional bedding.


Tell us about your window treatments, nursery lighting, rugs, wall decor and accessories. Where did you buy them - were any handmade?

My mother also sewed the full-length navy geometric curtains, which are lined with heavy blackout fabric and hung with grommets. The blue dinosaur rug and lampshades were purchased at Pottery Barn Kids. The shades were paired with brushed nickel bases from Target. I designed and printed the graphic above the crib based on the Jurassic Park movie logo. The rest of the artwork throughout the room was found on Etsy. My particular favorite is the crochet faux taxidermy triceratops head made by Hadar Kaplan of Manafka Mina.


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

Baby goodies are tucked away in his dresser or in baskets on his bookcase and in the the closet.


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

We started work on the nursery in January and were finished by mid-March 2013! My husband and I met in architecture school, so we are both very passionate about design. We had a ton of fun with it! We announced the theme to friends and family early on, and I was amazed at the various “dinosaur” items that everyone found without much overlap!


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

The concept was mostly my own, but my husband and mom both helped with execution. As I mentioned previously, my mom did several sewing projects for the room. My husband did all the painting, installed crown molding, assembled furniture, and any other heavy lifting.


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

I feel like the room is as unique as we are! Almost nothing was purchased in a “set” (no bed-in-a-bag in sight), but it still feels like a cohesive aesthetic. We tried to choose things that will grow with our son into elementary school, rather than something overtly babyish. My favorite elements are probably the ones incorporated from my own childhood.