Mood Board Monday: Our Gender Neutral Nursery

Today, for a much-overdue Mood Board Monday, I have a really fun post to share with you guys: Our Gender Neutral Nursery!

Since Nathan and I decided to not find out the gender of Baby Casey, I knew from the start that the design of the nursery would be very neutral.  Thankfully, a neutral design aesthetic really leans toward my own personal design preference and will flow perfectly with the rest of our home.  I also knew that I wanted the space to be super calming and serene, since we will be spending a lot of time in there loving on our little one, and I tend to think that a neutral color scheme lends well for a calming space. 

The jumping off point for the overall design of the nursery was a vintage-inspired rug I found for a STEAL at Home Goods.  It incorporates the most beautiful mix of grey, cream, white and beige colors into a lovely pattern that will be perfect for the space!  I always find myself choosing one item to base an entire design concept around.  For me, I knew it was going to be the area rug, mainly because we have hideous brown carpet throughout our entire rental, and I desperately wanted to cover as much of it as possible in the nursery haha.  Anyway, once I placed the area rug in the space, the rest of the room sort of just came together.  Keep reading below for a look into the direction we are heading for Baby Casey’s Gender Neutral Nursery!

1. Blackout Curtains-  Baby will be napping throughout the day, so I figured blackout curtains were a must!  I actually have these curtain panels hung in every room of our home because I love them so much!  The sour cream and brown linen colors are my two favorites, and they are excellent quality for the price!

2. Round Gold Mirror-  I actually plan on using a large vintage mirror that we used as the seating chart at our wedding, but I think this is a great option too!  I have this exact mirror above the console table in our entryway, its a great size and one of the best selling items that I share.

3. White Wood Dresser -  we choose to use a full size dresser verses a traditional changing table in the nursery because I wanted to invest in a piece that could grow with baby.  This dresser is a great piece that offers plenty of storage and can be utilized for years to come.  

4. Artwork-  this “Life is Wonderful” print is the only piece of artwork I have purchased for the nursery so far.  I plan on incorporating additional artwork once baby is here (especially a large print for above the crib since we are not allowed to paint in our rental) but wanted to wait until we find out the gender.  That way I can customize the art to really make it feel more like a little boy or little girls room. 

5. Bookshelves-  I know I want to incorporate a little reading area in the nursery.  I can’t wait to rock baby to sleep at night while reading a cute little nighttime story. 

6. Nursery Works Rocker- one of the first furniture pieces I fell in love with for the nursery was this beautiful rocker.  I love the simplistic design of this piece with the modern profile, hardwood legs and neutral color fabric.  It also has great reviews as far as comfort and ergonomics goes, which was important to me since both me and Nathan (who is quite a bit taller than me) need to be comfortable. I also love that this gorgeous piece can easily transition into a living room or spare bedroom after we are done using it in the nursery

7. Pouf Ottomon-  this will be a nice option if we want to put our feet up while rocking, plus a fabric ottoman is always fun. 

8. Vintage-Inspired Area Rug-  like I mentioned above, the area rug was one of the very first pieces I purchased and was really the “jumping off” point for the entire color scheme of the nursery.   I love how it incorporates the most serene colors into a beautiful pattern, and the piece really helps to ground the entire space (not to mention helps to hide our awful rental-brown carpet).

9. Pom Pom Storage Baskets- these baskets add a touch of whimsical to the room with the fun pom pom detail, and are a great functional decor piece that can help hide all of baby’s “things” in a pretty way.

10. White Crib- I love the clean lines and classic style of this simple white crib.  I went with pretty neutral bedding (shocker!) but if I do decided to add in some pops of color dependent on the gender of Baby Casey, you can’t go wrong with white!  Plus this crib can convert into a toddler bed, so again it will grow with baby and makes for a great investment piece. 

11. Toddler Quilt-  you guys know I’m not a huge “theme” type person, but when I saw this adorable alpaca toddler quilt… I just couldn’t resist.  I know this is going to be a purely “decorative” piece of bedding, but I think its so darn cute.  I love how soft and cozy this blanket is, and it adds a bit of warmth and fun to the overall design of the room.

12. Faux Olive Tree-  currently, we have our fiddle fig tree in the nursery…and its thriving!  But if your not a real-plant type of person or your space doesn’t get enough sunlight, this faux olive tree is a very realistic and beautiful option to bring some greenery into a space.

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SHOP OUR GENDER NEUTRAL NURSERY DESIGN

MOOD BOARD MONDAY : A WARM + NEUTRAL DINING ROOM

We are slowly starting to update the rooms in our house, and the dining room is the next on the list. I’ll admit, I have a bad habit of jumping from room to room when it comes to refreshing spaces. So I find that creating mood boards for each room helps keep me a little more focused. That way, as I’m out shopping or as stores have sales, I can reference these boards to see what items I am still needing to purchase in order to “complete” the room. I swear, there really is a method to my madness!

The first item we purchased for our dining room, is the gorgeous table referenced above. Previously, we owned a black round table that only had room for four and trust me, it was a tight squeeze at that! Nathan and I love to cook and entertain, and when our friends and family come to visit, it is important to us that we have the space to accommodate them! Especially at the dining room table since our gatherings tend to always revolve around food….shocker, I know! Anyway, I had been searching for this style of dining room table for the longest time and once I found this affordable option, I knew it was the one! I love the warm tones of the wood with the brushed finish, and the urn-shaped legs. Since this was the first item we purchased for the space, I’m really designing everything else around this piece.

Here’s how I’m hoping the rest of the dining room will eventually come together.

Stonewash Dining Room Table - Like I mentioned above, as soon as I saw this table, I knew it would be perfect! It was the exact style I had been looking at for months and is an awesome affordable option for some similiar higher end tables that I drew inspiration from. I also love the finish of this table, it’s a warm tone with a very slight brushed, whitewash finish. This is a great option because of it’s versatility in design as well. It’s traditional design lends itself to any home decor style, from classic to modern farmhouse or even rustic!

Stonewash Bench - so I have to give credit, where credit was due, this bench was actually Nathan’s idea! I’ll admit, I was against the bench idea at first, but once I saw the table with just the chairs, I agreed that the bench might add a little more fun and versatility to the dining room table. And now I love it! In fact, I’m sitting on it as I type this very post! I plan on styling it with textured throws for the changing seasons.

Black Dining Chair - I’m not a huge fan of “matchy matchy” sets (for lack of a better term) of furniture. So, although the chairs that go along with the dining room table are beautiful, I wanted to add in some variety by changing up the style of the chairs. I actually ended up finding ones I love off of Facebook Marketplace for a STEAL, and they are very similar to the one I have shown above. I think the black finish is a nice contrast to the warm finish of the table, and it also helps to tie in other pieces throughout our home.

Slipcovered Dining Chair - keeping with the variety of chairs theme, I think these cream slipcovered dining chairs are beautiful! I plan on getting 2 of them for the “head” table seats, but I also think using them all the way around the table (with the bench too, of course) would be a pretty option too! The fabric chairs will bring a cozy + warm element to the dining room.

Round Braided Rattan Tablemats - I love incorporating different textures into a design, and these rattan tablemats are an inexpensive way to do just that! Plus using tablemats while entertaining really elevates the overall look of your place setting!

Abstract Artwork - our dining room is open to the living room, but we do have one large blank wall that needs some help! Large scale art pieces help to create a strong focal point, and I love the idea of having both these pieces in this collection hanging side by side. I like these pieces in particular because they help to tie in all the colors we will be using.

Faux Olive Tree - if you know me, you know I LOVE plants…some may even call me a crazy plant lady, and thats ok by me! I love adding live greenery to every space in my home, it adds a nice natural element to the design plus it’s actually really good for the air in your home. Unfortunately, my dining room gets zero sunlight so I’m going to have to incorporate some faux plants instead! I’m currently obsessed with all things olive…olive brances, olive trees, olive oil, you get the point! Anyway, this faux olive tree is gorgeous and it will be beautiful in the darker corner of our dining room to add a little life!

Waffle Weave Throw Blanket - throw blankets are another great, budget friendly way to add texture to a space and they don’t have to strictly be used on your sofa either! I love the subtle pattern of this throw, and will be draping it over the dining table bench for styling and to add warmth to the space.

Glass Jug Vase - I know I mentioned my love for plants, and I love fresh blooms just as much! This large glass jug vase will not only bright a light and airy feel to your dining room, but will also display your favorite fresh flowers or stems in the most beautiful way!

Ceramic Centerpiece Vase - I like to make little centerpiece groupings, the varying heights of the objects bring life to the table and create a cool little focal vignette. This low-lying ceramic vase would be great on it’s own, with greenery, or even displaying some interesting round decorative objects. You can have a lot of fun styling this piece!

Faux Olive Branch - if you’re not hip on adding an entire tree to your dining room, at least add some faux greenery to a centerpiece vase. This is a super maintenance, inexpensive way to add color and life to your dining room without overdoing it. Plus, I’ve already made you aware of my recent olive obsession…although any faux stems will do!

Area Rug - an area rug is my absolute favorite way to bring warmth and texture to a space! Not only do rugs bring pattern, color, and character to your home, but they make everything more cozy! Even if your dining room is carpeted, don’t be afraid to add a rug to the space. It will not only serve as a soft and stylish place to rest your feet while enjoying a lovely meal, but it will also help to bring the entire room together! I love this cream colored area rug for its simple design and texture.

Canvas Pillow + Textured Pillow - pillows aren’t just for the sofa anymore! They can be displayed in baskets, sitting next to a console table, and yes, even in the dining room! Throw pillows are yet another budget-friendly way to add warmth to a space and can also easily be switched out with the seasons! I will be styling these pillows on the bench and maybe even one of the side chairs to add a little variety to the dining space!

Hopefully, even if you aren’t looking for a complete dining room refresh, you can gain inspiration and ideas from this! If you are currently working on updating any of the spaces in your home, I’m happy to advise, too! Happy Monday!