Affordable Nursery Decorating Ideas and Inspiration, Great Finds For Baby and Mom, DIY Projects, and Parties
Putting together a nursery on a small budget can be challenging. But doing so while you are a renter presents a whole new set of complications — no painting allowed, for example. Jordana K. is a new mom and CCN reader. She resides in Canada and designed this neutral, owl-themed nursery for her newborn baby girl in her rental apartment—for about $1,000!
Check out the nursery tour after the jump! 
Happy Friday, lovely readers! We’re welcoming the weekend with a sweeps from our newest sponsor EVGIE, a vinyl decal studio.
EVGIE Studio offers quality vinyl decals to easily decorate any wall in your home, and this week you have a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to shop EVGIE for nursery decals!
This modern lavender nursery comes from CCN reader Stacie M. of Encinitas, CA. She wanted to create a unique space for her new baby girl in her new modern home that was simple and sweet, but not too girly. This bird-themed nursery is fresh and modern — without feeling too “themey.” This new mama managed to find a few bird-themed decor pieces that fit perfectly into the room, and she also created some custom prints to hang above the changing area (and in the adjacent bathroom) to decorate her little girl’s walls. They’ve got a retro vibe going on — and we dig it!
Child’s Name: “Baby B” since she is named with a B initial after my mom.
Child’s Age: 3 months
Location: Encinitas, CA
What was your inspiration for the room?
Boon makes a bird mobile called the “peep” and I just loved the simplicity of it. This started the whole bird theme. I wanted something cute and girly, but not TOO cute and girly!
Describe your decorating style.
I love all things modern, clean and simple. We recently built our new house so I started with a completely clean slate for the nursery. While this was intimidating at first, once I settled on the bird theme with the lavender & grey colors and logged onto etsy.com, the rest was easy!
Favorite items in the room.
Lavender bird theme hat stand: this was originally my little brothers when he was a baby – he is now 21! It was red and blue and covered in trucks. My sister painted this and stenciled the birds on it. Best baby shower gift ever!
Any advice for other mamas and mamas-to-be designing their nurseries?
Stay away from the big chain baby stores because all of their stuff looks the same. Websites and blogs like Chic & Cheap Nursery are such a great resource for finding fresh ideas and inspiration. No need to limit yourself to “baby theme” stuff either… weddings, showers, and general home decor resources can be just as great!
Room Resources.
Etsy.com was my definite go-to resource for this room. I had so much fun exploring all of the creative handmade items and working with so many great people. A special thank you goes out to to Katie, Sarah and Collen from One World Baby who made the gorgeous custom crib bedding and changing pad cover. They were so fun to work with and their products are just amazing!
Here is a list of links for various items in the room:
Custom Crib Bedding and Changing Pad: From One World Baby on Etsy
Crib: Babyletto Mercer Convertible Crib – White (click to buy from amazon.com
Window Shades: From The Shade Store
Tree Decals: From SimpleShapes on Etsy
Polka Dot Lamp: Polka Dot Shades & Payton Base from Pottery Barn Kids
White Side Table: Windsor Side Table from Pottery Barn Kids
White Bookshelf: Madison Loop Ladder Bookshelf in Antique White from Target
Dresser/Changing Table: TRONDHEIM 6-drawer dresser, white from IKEA
Bird Mobile: Peep Wall-Mounted Bird Mobile from Boon
Bird Pillow on Rocking Chair: From Urban Fringe on Etsy
Girl’s Hair Accessories Organizer: From Analisa Rose Boutique on Etsy
Diaper Storage Caddy: From Baffin Bags on Etsy
Rocking Chair: BENJI Recliner from Storytime Series {my big splurge!}
Lavender Round Rug: Rose Garden Rug in Lavender from Rosenberry Rooms
Growth Chart Decal: From Byrdie Graphics on Etsy
Wall Prints: I made these and had them printed at my local print shop. Thank you to Sycamore Street Press for the inspiration!
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Would you like to see your nursery featured on Chic & Cheap Nursery? Shoot us an email with a few images of your room to contact [at] chiccheapnursery [dot] com.
Expectant mom Tracy and her husband are expecting their first child and wanted to create a serene, modern room that wasn’t too childish; one that could grow with their little one. The inspiration for this gray nursery came from the birch tree decals — and they chose a light bluish-gray paint for the walls to complement the white decals. The unique art work and heirloom toys and furniture add a layer of heritage to this new baby’s space.
Child’s Name: Grayson
Child’s Age: Due on St. Patrick’s Day
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
What was your inspiration for the room?
Birch tree decals.
Describe your decorating style.
Modern, clean with a touch of coziness and nostalgia.
Favorite items in the room.
My favorite part has to be the baby animal photos purchased on sale at theanimalprintshop.com; they are just adorable! I also love the Oeuf Sparrow crib and the Klaussner rocker & ottoman.
Tell us about your DIY projects and repurposed items.
The dresser is an old This End Up dresser that was in my childhood bedroom which we updated by painting it gray and replacing the knobs. The wooden toys also have some history to them — they were my brother’s toys growing up.
Any words of wisdom or advice you would like to share with our readers that you may have learned while putting together your nursery?
I was told by many mom friends to spend money on a nice rocker and crib so the majority of my budget went towards those items. I saved money by reusing old furniture (the dresser and side table) and furnishings (the drapes and lamps), as well as budget friendly solutions from IKEA, and Overstock.com. I think you also get the most bang for your buck on wall treatments like the decals since they provide such a large focal point. I also made sure to shop around and wait for sales on items that I coveted. For example, overstock.com often runs coupons on top of sale prices; BuyBuyBaby does as well. The animalprintshop ran a special when you bought four prints you got one free. This room was a work in progress for quite a while waiting for the best prices.
Wall Color: Olympic Thin Ice
Crib: Oeuf Sparrow Crib – Gray ($730) from Amazon.com
Rug: Jungle Sheepskin Ivory Rug – 3′ x 5′ ($71) from Overstock.com
Crib Bedding: Gio Aqua Fitted Crib Sheet ($40) by DwellStudio
Ceiling Lamp: IKEA Knappa Pendant Lamp ($30)
Bookcase: IKEA Expedit Bookcase ($70)
Glider and Ottoman: Klaussner Lacey Glider ($400) and Ottoman ($200) in Slate
Curtains: Geo Leaf panel from West Elm. No longer available. Check out the Ikat Ogee Linen panel for a similar look.
Decals: Forest Birch Tree Decals from Etsy seller Art Wall Project
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Would you like to see your nursery featured on Chic & Cheap Nursery?
Shoot us an email with a few images of your room to contact [at] chiccheapnursery [dot] com.
I know we’ve all been a little crazy with the start of the new year — but that would be no excuse to end the first month of 2012 without a nursery mood board! Pink and black is a color combo that I really love, but if you ask me, it’s been a tad overdone. I added some glitzy gold elements — and steered clear of damask — for a sophisticated look that’s reminiscent of old Hollywood. This one’s for a baby girl that’s glam and girly…
So here’s the breakdown for you:
1. Scalloped Glitter Garland in Gold ($14) from Etsy
2. Brass Tiered Pendant Shade ($64) from Urban Outfitters
3. Stay Gold Screen Print 11×14 ($15) from Etsy
4. Grandfather Clock Decal ($37) from Blik
5. “Be Awesome” Art Print ($14) from Super Swoon
6. Sundvik Crib ($120) from Ikea
7. Zig Zag Jaipuri Rug ($195 for 3×5) from Calypso Home
8. Nate Berkus Metallic Pouf ($120) from HSN
9. Ziggy Chair ($279) from Urban Outfitters
10. Edland Dresser ($300) from Ikea
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When it comes to nursery wall art, decals are a very popular option. They can be moved — and removed — with ease and without damage to your walls. Check out this week’s giveaway sponsor, 41 Orchard, for a selection of sweet decals for nurseries or kids’ spaces.
41 Orchard offers a wide selection of decals — from owls and trees, to safari animals and hot air balloons — featuring soft hues and whimsical graphics. There are so many different designs — all of them equally adorable — that it’s hard to pick just one favorite.
How to Enter.-
Enter for your chance to win a $120 gift certificate to spend at 41 Orchard by leaving a comment on this post telling us how you would spend your $100 if selected the winner. Click here to visit 41 Orchard.
Additional entries.-
* Please leave a separate comment for every additional entry you complete.
1. ‘Like’ Chic & Cheap Nursery and 41 Orchard on Facebook.
2. Follow Chic & Cheap Nursery on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway.
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Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm EST on January 24th, 2012.
Winners will be announced on our FB page and emailed. We must receive a response within 48 hours or we will have to select a new winner. All winners are selected via random.org.
*** This sweepstakes is now closed. Congratulations to comment #78, Lena N.! ***
When it comes to decorating a nursery on a budget, it seems nearly impossible to believe that mama-to-be can put together a room she’ll love for a price she can afford. This whimsical nature-themed nursery — which cost only $600! — is here to make a believer out of you! Check it out…
Child’s Name: Hazel
Child’s Age: 3.5 months
Location: South Carolina
What was your inspiration for the room?
I really wanted something bright and fun that wasn’t too girly.
Describe your decorating style.
My house is full of neutral walls with lots of bright, distressed wood furniture. I want it to feel comfortable and not have to worry about things getting dinged up. Refinishing thrift store furniture also allows me to update colors as my tastes change and our needs evolve. Working on a tight budget has become a game for me and allows me to splurge on the focal pieces.
Favorite Items:
The rug. It was my starting point for the room and is now our favorite place to play.
Advice for other mamas-to-be designing a nursery on a budget?
If you can’t find exactly what you want at the price that you want — make it! It gives your room a more custom look for a fraction of the price. When shopping for furniture pieces for the room, look for the size and shape that you need and then paint with colors that you love.
Room Resources:
Crib: IKEA
Rug: Dash and Albert {Click to buy}
Fabric accents (quilt, curtains, mobile, bumper): Handmade with Amy Butler Soul Blossoms fabric
Wall Decals: NouWall from etsy
Crib sheet and changing pad cover: Target
Curtains and breathable bumper: Updated with Amy Butler fabric.
Dresser and lamp: Repainted thrift store finds.
Name frames, mobile and bookshelves: DIY.
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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.
Hi! I'm Nicole — a mom, architect, blogger and interior design junkie who loves all things pretty, especially if they're baby related. I believe in affordable design without sacrificing style or luxury. Read More →
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