My Daughter’s Colony-Inspired Nursery

When I started thinking about this room, I knew I didn’t want the traditional nursery, something overly soft, sleepy, or babyish. I wanted pink but not like pinky pink, if you know what I mean. I wanted it to be a room Cece could actually live in. A place that feels good to be in as she grows.

The inspiration came from spaces I’ve always been drawn to, especially The Colony in Palm Beach and hand-painted de Gournay wallpapers. Detailed without being busy. Feminine without being sweet. Creative, layered, and comfortable.

Once I committed to that direction, the rest followed naturally. I started with a blank slate, painting the entire room white. From there, I caned the closet doors and painted cabana stripes. They added movement and rhythm without overwhelming the space.

I hung the wallpaper and painted the closet, and slowly chose the larger pieces: the crib, the chair, the bookshelf, the mirror, and the light fixture to add to the baby registry. The cabana influence made using a bar cart as the changing station feel like an obvious choice and I found one that perfectly fit the changing pad I wanted.

The final layer was the details. A hyacinth alligator shelf. A framed piece of artwork painted by my great grandmother. Hand-painted flamingos hanging from the ceiling that flap their wings when you pull them. These weren’t planned in advance. They came in as the room took shape and helped everything settle into place.

What surprised me most was how seamlessly it all came together. I don’t consider myself particularly strong at interior decorating, which made the process even more satisfying. Once the idea was clear, the decisions felt intuitive rather than overwhelming.

I would absolutely paint the stripes and hang the wallpaper myself again. They’re often treated as intimidating projects, but they’re very doable and make the biggest impact. I’m excited to break both of those down step by step and show how I did them.

This is the room where we spend our time. We read in the chair, play on the floor, and move through our days here. It feels finished without feeling precious, and comfortable without feeling plain. A room meant to be lived in.