BY SUSAN H. TURNER
How to make a dual function nursery/guest room
There are many ways to design a nursery without spending a bundle on all-new furniture as the baby grows up. For many of you, space is a challenge and adding a baby to the family can often mean losing the coveted guest room. In my experience as a designer, the most challenging new-nursery design projects are those where the homeowner wishes to work around an existing color scheme in a guest room. I recently faced just such a challenge when a friend and client, Tammy Hamby of Perry, contacted me with the good news that her family’s newly adopted daughter would be placed with them in only a few days. She was anxious for me to redesign her guest room into a nursery. Her only requirement was that we retain the elegant persimmon walls and handsome black furniture in the room.
First we had to select a crib. The existing furniture necessitated a black crib, and we chose a crib that converted into a youth bed. A convertible crib would maintain the integrity of the room’s design as the baby grows into her “big girl” bed. After choosing the crib, the design plan was wide open, and I knew that the choice of fabric would be key to transforming the elegant guest room into a haven for a new baby girl.
A baby girl’s days are filled with challenges and learning experiences. Sleep time is essential for a baby’s development. During those first formative years, each night is spent in the crib; therefore, the crib needs to be baby’s relaxing, happy place. To reach that end, I selected Bluebell the lamb as the theme for the bumper pad in the crib. While elegantly attired in a silvery taupe wool coat, this little lamb is making merry among Bluebell flowers. This design matches perfectly with a powder blue, light green and butter yellow ribboned silk. This silk is also used as trim and backing for the bumper. Embroidery is found around the inside of the bumper pad and flannel backed coverlet. Accompanying the bumper and coverlet, is a fine silk gathered skirt.
Being surrounded by sweet little lambs and baby’s favorite blankie can bring a cozy end to a busy day. In order to help the transition to older ages, I designed a crib skirt that would fit the crib’s conversion into a youth bed when the time comes.
To coordinate with the crib, the queen guest bed is skirted in a butter-yellow silk fabric which has been trimmed with a dainty persimmon rope cord. The white matelassé coverlet is the ideal base for a waterfall of pillows of various style and color combinations. The coverlet is a perfect coordinate to the window treatment which is a soft paisley swirl of blues, greens, yellows, and even a touch of persimmon. Puffy bows are placed strategically along the valance, seemingly to hold it in place.
The essential nursery rocker/glider was covered in paisley to complete our color plan. By adding whimsical lamps and accessories we have converted an elegant guest room into a haven for a baby girl. The room will easily evolve into her “Big Girl Room” without the need to invest in new furniture or design elements. #
Susan Turner operates an exquisite baby furnishings store and lives in Montezuma, GA. For more information, visit Susan Turner’s boutique at www.susanturnerbaby.com.