Designing Gender Neutral Nurseries

Gender Neutral Nursery Design via Vivint Neighborhood Blog

It has been quite awhile since I have had to decorate a nursery of my own, and back then there were far fewer choices to design gender neutral nurseries without a traditional theme. My recent post for Vivint Home Neighborhood blog shares my thoughts on designing a gender neutral nursery inspired by both color and the latest design trends. It’s so much easier these days to create a welcoming environment for both baby and parents that’s unique, not expected. Below are my design plans that didn’t make it into the Vivint post, featuring custom furnishings and carpets from Bassett Furniture paired with limited edition prints that I selected from Minted (such a great site!) I love choosing art for interiors, and nurseries can be such a fun place to try out cool pieces by non-traditional artists.  

{Pink + Blue Nursery}

Grapefruity by Katie Craig

via Minted

{Gray Nursery}

Sea Fever by Dean Street

via Minted

{Nature Inspired Nursery}

All is Quiet by Jenni Kupelian

via Minted 

{Black + White Nursery}

Falling Stitches by Bethan

via Minted

And below is one of my favorite nurseries of late, designed by Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent for their little one, Poppy. Read my related post on celebrity design for Vivint here.

design: Nate Berkus + Jeremiah Brent

photo credit: Douglas Friedman

image via Architectural Digest 

More of my posts for Vivint here.

Labor of love ...

This has been a very busy summer with
little time for rest and relaxation.

I have been wearing a lot of different hats.
Magazine editor, photo stylist, graphic designer, writer, decorator ...

Oh yeah, and mom of four growing boys
(do you have any idea how much laundry that entails?)

Good thing I love what I do,
because my work feels like play.



Truth be told, I have had the chance to attend some really
fun events lately, too, which I promise to post about soon!
In the meantime, please visit my guest post on
Decorating a Nursery on Patch.com.


– All photos taken at La Bella Baby Boutique –

A few guest posts

Creating rooms featuring custom
designs from Alluminare.com


• Three degrees of Jeff Lewis
• It’s nice to have choices

Arrange Flowers like a Pro
on Lynnfield Patch.com



Words of gratitude from
Gathering Change, Inc.


This has been a busy week! Please visit the
above posts while I spend some time over the
next few days working on the next issue of
New England Finery Magazine : )


PS Click here to sign up for a FREE subscription of
New England Finery Magazine and you will be notified
by email when the next issue is available online!

The Summer Nursery: Design in Detail

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Wertz

When I design a space, my goal is to weave together fine details to create a grand picture that is both beautiful and engaging. For The Summer Nursery at Tapley Hall, I chose details that reflect a story book theme, the spirit of adventure, and the tender touch of mother nature. It is an imaginative space that honors the classic relationship between parent and child.

Natural textures played an important role in telling this
story by-the-sea. Linen. Wicker. Rattan. Grass. Seashells.

I picture this nursery in a grand Victorian, somewhere along the ocean’s edge. A true respite from the city.
A quiet place to relax and enjoy the natural rhythms
of the ocean while celebrating the ebb
and flow of motherhood.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Wertz

This is a story of juxtapositions where visual
contrasts create symbolic interest ...

Traditional styling paired with modern fabrics.
Fine art sharing space with story book illustrations.
Tailored pieces with a hint of youthful exuberance.



Bright pops of color and playful patterns infuse
this vintage space with modern freshness.

Favorite characters add visual entertainment while
preserving cherished memories from “story time.”

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Little Bear by Elise Holmelund Minarik
A Frog in the Bog by Karma Wilson
Zen Shorts by Jon Muth
Anything by Eric Carle





A story to ponder is woven in wool.

Zebra and leopard prints pay homage to
the wild adventure that is parenthood.

Expectations, a collection of candid photographs
and reflective stories from new mothers,
reads very much like a blog. It was published
in 1998, the year I had my first.

A little boy charms.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Wertz

A charming little boy, illustrated by my
all-time childhood favorite, Eloise Wilkin.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Wertz

A wildly adorable visitor finds a perfect place to sit.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Wertz

Simple dressing of a palladian window
includes a summery sheer that
captures light and softens the view.




Dragonflies, tassels, and garlands of pearl add
a touch of whimsy to the traditional valance.



More tassels are repeated on
a vintage reading lamp.



And one more tassel
decorates a doorknob.

A crown because every child is royalty and
every mom should be treated like a queen.

Stars from the sea as a reminder
of a child’s limitless potential.

A mother’s pearls add natural sparkle.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Wertz


A sequined pillow shines brightly.
Truly, a baby is a blessing.

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Wertz

Sweet dreams ...




Special thanks goes to:

Bassinet: Danvers Historical Society Collection
“Summer Sky” oil painting: Mary Taggart, Wakefield
Valance: RDR for Yvonne Blacker Interiors, Lynnfield
Upholstery and Sheer: Acorn Interiors, Andover
Persian Tabriz: First Oriental Rugs, Danvers
Flowers: Fiddlehead Flowers, Salem
Elizabeth Wertz Photography



And of course, I can’t forget ...

My husband, John, and the stars in our sky:
Zachary, Dylan, Owen and Ben



xoxo
Thanks for all your love,
support, and inspiration!

The Summer Nursery: My Inspiration

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Wertz

I used this image of a vintage decoupaged screen
circa early-to-mid 20th century to illustrate
my design concept for “The Summer Nursery.”
Screen available through Vintage and Modern.

Now where were we? Oh yes, I left you yesterday with a glimpse of my proposal for the summer design show at Tapley Hall: Reflecting upon Danvers History through Interior Design, plus some before photos of the large public space that would later be transformed into a series of smaller vignettes by a dozen-or-so design professionals. I had decided that a summer nursery would be fun to put together, and I
had a good idea on how I wanted to do it.



My plan was to create a modern interpretation of the Victorian screen above using decoupaged story book images that I have collected since my children were small. When I was young, my mom made a big impression on me when she decoupaged our refrigerator (I have mentioned this story before, I know!) with clippings from magazines, books, and whatever she could rip out and Mod Podge down. I knew I wanted to create the same type of memory for my own children, using the images from our favorite stories. The most difficult part of this process was locating all of the book jackets that I had saved over the past decade for this very project (they were finally discovered in three different places). I would like to say that my house is completely organized and well-edited, but my storage area could probably be featured on an Oprah show about “not being able to let go of the past.” But you know, when I need something, I always have it even if it takes me hours to sift through still-packed boxes from our last move or from new boxes that now store the memories of my own four children. I am working on getting rid of some house clutter this summer, and will report back after a future yard sale, but for now let’s get back to our story ...

While I originally envisioned using a baby crib for my vignette (yes, I still have one and am saving it for someone – other than myself – who may need it someday) I was given a tour of the Danvers Historical Society archives and they had this ...




Could anything be more perfect for a vintage summer nursery??? White wicker, aged yellow linen, delicate ruffles, trimmed with ribbon. So my crib stayed home and this lovely bassinet became the main character of our story. While I was checking out the large collection of vintage treasures donated by Danvers-area families to the historical society’s collection, I saw these
cuties that almost made it into the show ...


Staffordshire Dogs, circa 1850


I put in a request to borrow them for my space, but a few weeks later, while out shopping for finishing touches, I caught sight of a pair of these ...




Doesn’t he look just like Rainbow Fish? This was another bedtime favorite of ours. For the show I hid two of them in my nursery-by-the-sea vignette. Can you find one below and do you recognize any of
the storybook images on the screen?




I will be back later in the week to share more
pictures and ideas. For now, the winner of my
Design Show/Birthday Gift giveaway is ...



Mary B!

I will be in touch with you soon
to deliver your crown : )