Child’s Name: Abraham
Child’s Age: 13 months
Location: Minneapolis, MN

What was your inspiration for the room?
The nursery is at the northwest corner of our house, so it was always a little bit dark. We wanted it to be bright and cheerful, and we wanted a room that could grow with our son, so we painted the walls white and introduced pops of color with the toys, art, and textiles we chose. We figured that it would be easier to replace the bedding and other accessories, rather than completely redecorate the room, to keep up with his current interests as he gets older.

Describe your decorating style.
Vintage Modern – We like bright spaces and clean lines, and often mix old pieces with new.

Favorite items in the room.
I think the sheep mobile is my favorite thing in the nursery. Abe loves it too. We also love all the handmade blankets, artwork, and other gifts our friends made for Abe. They’re a nice reminder of the people we love.

Advice for other mamas-to-be designing a nursery.
Make something special for your baby! (Pinterest and Etsy are great sources for inspiration.) Even if you’re not very crafty, it’s totally worth the time and effort spent trying something new. You’ll never regret having a piece that you can show to your little one and say “I made that for you!”

Keep scrolling for room resources…

Room Resources.

Paint Color: Benjamin Moore China White
Crib: Kendall Fixed Gate Crib from Pottery Barn Kids ($400)
Sheets and Crib Skirt: Dwell Studio for Target
Crib Quilt: I made the crib quilt from a vintage sheet that belonged to my grandmother.
Sheep Mobile: I designed and made this sheep mobile when I was about 6 months pregnant. It was a fun little project!
Ring Stacker: I made this from a pattern by Heather Bailey.
Bookshelf: Target
Vintage Metal Locker Bins: Flea market
Blocks: I made these using a tutorial from Martha Stewart.
Vintage Toys: eBay, flea markets
Knit Bird & Nest: Handmade, gift from friend, pattern by Susan B. Anderson
Knit Frog: The first thing I ever knitted that wasn’t a scarf or a blanket! Pattern by Susan B. Anderson.
Quilt on Chair: Handmade, gift from a friend
Crochet Blanket: Handmade, gift from a friend
Yellow Toy Bin: Target
Vintage Toy Box: From my childhood home
Dresser: My husband and I refinished my old dresser. We scored the vintage glass hardware on Craigslist!
Artwork: Giraffe - Rollover Designs on Etsy ; Rhinos - Avalisa; Chair with Balloon - L.B. Stewart, Snorkel Scrapbook Paper - Cosmo Cricket; Solar System Growth Chart - eeBoo; Birth Announcement – photographed and designed by Michelle
Picture Frames: Ikea
Pirate Robot: Oh Dier
Shelves: Ikea
Wall Lamp: Ikea
Baby Book: Rag & Bone
Other Toys: Manhattan Toy, Plan Toys, Viking Toys, Haba
Rug: Ikea

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Would you like to see your nursery creation featured here on Chic & Cheap Nursery? Shoot us an email with a few images of your room to contact [at] chiccheapnursery [dot] com.

3…2…1… Blast off! This “space-y” nursery may be out-of-this-world but that wasn’t always the case. Aaron, work-at-home mama and homemaker extraordinaire, had the idea for a space-themed nursery from the very beginning. While the first incarnation of this room wasn’t too shabby, this budget makeover — mostly involving new wall paint and accessories — is one for the books!

We’re loving the monogram above the crib, the inexpensive hanging bookshelves, and the nursery wall gallery — it’s divine!

Visit Aaron’s blog, The Thrifty Abode, for more “space-y” nursery details.

Zoom, zoom! A baby mobile is an important accessory in a nursery. After all, baby spends a lot of time in the crib looking at it. It has to be visually interesting for baby — and aesthetically pleasing for mama too! Which is why I just know you’ll love this super special Etsy find. These handmade paper airplanes are sweet, delicate and modern — and made with fabulous patterned paper. I just love them!!! Don’t you?

Let’s get nautical! You don’t have to live near the beach to design a nautical beach-themed nursery — all you need is a love of water. Whales, crabs and starfish are just a few of the sea creatures that accessorize Easton’s nursery — designed by detail-oriented mama-to-be Sarah {she’s a wedding planner!} and describes her decorating style as a “shabby chic style with a modern flair.” But the thing we love most about this nursery is how this expectant mama combined higher priced items with bargain items. Check it out!

Child’s Name: Easton Trotter

Child’s Age: Due Oct. 10th, 2011

Location: Minnetonka, MN

What was your inspiration for the room?
My husband and I have always loved the water. I have based our whole house around a theme of the lake and ocean and I wanted to carry that look into Easton’s room. When we found out that we were having a boy I spent sometime thinking about colors and the overall look and I knew that I wanted it to be bold and unlike a lot of the other “soft baby colors”. It was fun incorporating items from past vacations with traditional baby gear to create a look that was sophisticated and fun!

Favorite Items:
I love how the oar turned out. This was something that I literally dreamed of — and set the tone for the whole room.

Any advice to share with mamas-to-be in the process of designing a nursery?
Trust your gut. Don’t be afraid of color, It is just paint and can always be “fixed” if it does not turn out right. I spend a lot of time combining high priced items with great margin buys from Target and Home Goods. The variety is what makes the room unique.

Room Resources.

Source: Sarah Trotter of Lasting Impressions Weddings

The story of Gus + Lula is one that tugs on all of my heart strings — and I’m so glad that this story has a happy ending! New mom of twins, Britt, wanted to start a family above all things. But after struggling to conceive for many years, Britt was blessed with the news that she would soon be the happy mama of Ethiopian twins — a boy and a girl!

I think we can honestly say that everything in this room is handmade, with lots of love, and that every detail in the nursery is stunning! Scroll down for details — and visit Gus + Lula to find out more about this labor of love.

Paint: Sparkling Lake by Valspar

Chandelier: Vintage. Thrift store find ($98)

Mobile: DIY. Wire photo mobile and handmade pinwheels.

Shelving: DIY gutter shelves {explained here}.

Artwork: DIY. Available at the Gus + Lula etsy shop.

Crib bedding and skirt: DIY {crib skirt tutorial here}

** A special thanks to Britt of Gus + Lula for allowing us to share her twin’s oasis on Chic & Cheap Nursery. **