Nursery Inspiration Has Arrived...

I received a very exciting, awesome, amazing package in the mail yesterday! My fabric swatches came in from the nursery design site I have been using, and can I just say, I am quite in love with the inspiration for my nursery. When I found out I was pregnant, I was both thrilled with the news and slightly overwhelmed by the long list of to-dos a coming baby brings. When we decided not to find out the sex, I knew that I would be adding an extra layer of challenge to my list, but it is a challenge I happily accepted. Trying to keep a nursery gender neutral without dosing everything in tan or yellow can be hard; but I was determined to be creative and try to keep my style and taste in the design; and I think I am onto something really great!

The site I have decided to use for my nursery bedding needs is Carousel Designs. 

This site has some beautiful fabrics, amazing packages of bedding for cribs and toddler beds, and, my favorite feature, a custom nursery designer that allows you to build your own design using their vast collection of fabrics. You can also order the fabrics by the yard if you want to use it to sew your own creations or take them to the seamstress of your choice to have your bedding made. The site is very easy to use, and the choices are great in all collections: boy, girl, and (hallelujah!) surprise.

I played with the nursery designer for hours, creating one crib design after another. When I stumbled upon my final choice, it was as if a light bulb went off, and I couldn't wait to share it! Here is what my crib bedding design and matching drapes look like:

Isn't it soothing? Isn't it lovely? Isn't it...sigh? This is where I am starting my nursery design process. We are tearing up our carpet and putting down "wood floor" porcelain tile in its place. We were planning on doing this anyway as my allergies are not happy with dust or dust mites, which carpet tends to be a breeding ground for, but it will work great with our new need for design. We won't actually be purchasing the crib comforter. I mean, come on, I live in New Orleans, Louisiana. How cold is it really going to get? I will, however, be ordering a yard of the printed fabric and a matching neutral chenille to make a lighter baby blanket for the little one. The walls will be painted a light gray. It will be based on the same gray that makes up the piping on the bumper and the border on the skirt, but it will be mixed at maybe 50-60% to be a little lighter. The drapes will match the alternating panels from the inside of the bumper and have blackout liners built in them.

I am so excited about the design. I feel like the colors and print are calming and chic, and the fabrics will work for a boy or a girl. I registered for sheets in a gray to match the piping, an ivory, and a blue to match the flowers. Oh, did I not mention that you can build a registry on the site and include your custom designs on the registry, too? It is an awesome feature, and I linked this registry to my amazon.com registry. Once you choose your custom designs, you can have swatches of the fabric sent to you for free (one free set per account), and that was the package I so excitedly received yesterday.

So, here it is: my first post about creating a nursery for baby dumpling. I cannot wait to share the rest of this process with you! Check out the bedding site for your own needs and decorating ideas. You won't be disappointed!

Y'all Come Back Now, Ya Hear?
Brittney