Who doesn’t find out the gender of their baby these days? Sure, all the baby bedding and nursery boutiques out there claim to have "gender neutral" products available, but it sure is tough to find something cute and unique for your precious little one that doesn’t scream BOY or GIRL! Katie is a mom-to-be that wanted to wait for the big surprise when the baby was born and we were thrilled to help because waiting for the big day to hear the news is the best way to find out!
Dear Lisa,
I have been scouring the internet and the usual baby stores and boutiques for cute nursery ideas, but am having a really hard time finding items that I like that are not too boyish or girlish because I’m waiting to find out what I’m having. I can’t go white neutral because my two dogs, and frankly, my husband, would make the room look a nice dirty beige before the baby even arrives. I also want to avoid the traditional yellow neutrals, although I am okay with some green. I need to find bedding, a chair, rug and some accent pieces to go along with the white crib, daybed and dresser I already have. I’m okay with a couple of “splurge” items, but would love it if they could make the jump to a toddler or guest room. I also need some paint color options for the room. Look forward to seeing what you come up with! ~ Katie
Katie, we pulled together some punchy pastels for your little bambino on the way!
1. Given Katie’s aversion to yellows, we recommend going with a green and blue palette. To avoid baby-boy blue, we suggest a bright aqua packed with a little lime punch. Benjamin Moore’s Emerald Vapor (BM 845) is a light and fresh hue that will go perfectly with all of the pink or blue blankets she will inevitably receive. We suggest adding a brighter green as an accent color, perhaps to molding or dresser knobs, such as Stem Green (BM 2029-40). Finally, you can’t go wrong with a plain white trim, like BM’s Decorator’s White to make the colors pop.
2. A comfy glider is a new mom’s dream seat. We want Katie to feel like she’s sitting on a cloud when she’s up in the night with her wee little one. This glider in aqua from Restoration Hardware is bright and cheerful enough to provide a little energy boost for those late-night visits to the nursery.
3. There is an abundance of unique artwork out there for children’s rooms. We fell in love with these alphabet flashcards designed by Patricia Zapata. The best part – the whole set is downloadable for a mere $7.99!
4. Our latest obsession in the nursery and bedding arena is Serena and Lily. Just looking at their web site makes us want to redecorate every bedroom in the house. These pillows will easily transition from the nursery to a toddler or guest room – definitely worth the investment!
5. This lampshade, from PB Teen in mint and light blue, will offer some cheerful, soft light for the nursery. To keep it safe for tiny hands, we recommend pairing it with a sturdy, white wood base.
6. We hit the nursery-bedding jackpot with Carousel Designs! Seriously, their web site is incredible; it allows you to design your own crib bedding in a neat-o build-it-yourself online feature. We love the lime stripe and polka-dot combo to compliment the aqua chair and pillow for Katie’s nursery.
7. Every baby needs a soft rug for crawling and playing. This chenille oval rug from Pottery Barn Kids will fit the soft and gentle bill, and the color should help hide any rogue dog hairs from Katies’s pooches.
Here's Katie's after pic! It was a GIRL! :) Congrats and thanks for sending in your picture! xoxo!
