Making Progress in Our Baby Boy’s Nursery


We’re nearing the end of August and I’ve been saying all along that I want to have Baby Boy’s room done by September. Well, it’s not 100% done, but if I were to unexpectedly have a baby right now, this room would work out just fine for him. So I’m feeling good about where we are!

Let’s take a look at my nursery design progress so far…

What’s Done?

Our baby boy's nursery closet

For the most part, all of the BIG stuff is done and that makes me breathe a sigh of relief. Once I had the picture frame molding completed, I felt really, really good about the nursery design progress in here, because, for the most part, the remaining focus is on furniture and accessories!

The Crib Arrived

Our baby boy's crib arrived

I ordered this crib months ago, but the shipping date kept getting pushed back. I was nervous that it might not show up in time for our little guy’s debut, but it randomly showed up on our doorstep earlier this month. The box was ginormous and incredibly heavy, so it sat in our living room for at least a week until we were ready to put this bad boy together.

Our natural wood crib for the nursery

The color of the wood is perfect and it really pops against the dark green walls in this space. I originally thought I might go with a white crib, but I’m happy I chose this one instead. You’ll notice that the mattress is on the lowest setting and that’s only because we had friends sleep over with their two-year-old. I’m planning to add our new crib sheet and prop it up to the highest setting soon.

Our baby boy's crib

When you order a crib for your nursery, I always recommend buying the toddler rail at that time, as well. We have Rory’s and Baby Boy’s in our storage room, ready for the days when they’ll upgrade to big kid beds. If your crib is no longer available or out of stock someday, you’re out of luck when it comes time to upgrade the bed.

Making nursery design progress

We ended up getting this mattress, this mattress pad, and crib sheets from Crate & Kids but no longer sold, for the space. It’s easy to forget all of the extras when buying your crib, so be sure to add these to your list.

Changing Table Area Coming Along

The changing table area in the nursery

I would say that the changing table area is the furthest along. This dresser used to be in our bedroom, but we moved it here when we revamped our space. It works great in here and we’ve had it for years. It gives us lots of storage! It was originally from Crate and Barrel, but it’s no longer sold.

Changing table pad

On top, I opted for the same changing pad and topper that we have in Rory’s room. We like them for her, so I didn’t want to change something that already works well. I also opted for a changing pad cover (no longer sold) in black and gray.

Opt for a touch lamp near your changing table

I also got a touch lamp for the dresser. We have a touch lamp in Rory’s room and it’s so convenient for a little bit of light when I am changing a diaper in the middle of the night. Touch was the way to go again in here. Plus, this little one is so cute.

Hatch sound machine

We went ahead and ordered another Hatch sound machine and a Nest camera. They won’t stay here…I’m gonna put the Hatch on a side table near the chair, and we’ll eventually mount the baby monitor to give it a good view of the baby. We started with the Owlet monitor for Rory, but switched to the Nest camera a few months ago, and we really like it, especially because it is able to display two screens when two monitors are in use.

Adding art above the changing table as we make nursery design progress

Finally, I decided to hang my DIY art above the dresser here, and I think it looks great! The colors are spot on and this size works perfectly. It’s kinda cool to have something I made right here in his room!

Deciding on a Lamp

Making nursery design progress

Now, let’s travel over to the glider area. As I’ve mentioned, I ended up finding a great deal on a velvet blush glider (similar) for Rory’s room, and I was able to move her glider into the new nursery. I absolutely adore this glider. (It was originally from Crate & Kids, but it is no longer sold.) It has held up surprisingly well and it looks brand new.

Deciding on a lamp for the nursery

I’m planning on adding a side table next to the glider (a must when juggling bottles or books!), but I haven’t scooped one up just yet. Then, on the other side, I’m adding a floor lamp. I actually have two that we already own, but haven’t been able to decide which I prefer.

Black and brass lamp from Lowe's

The first floor lamp is from Lowe’s and it was hanging out in our living room, although it was barely used.

Gold lamp from Article

The second floor lamp is from Article and it lives in my office, but again, I hardly ever use it.

Adding shelves above the glider

I think either one could work, as they’re both gorgeous options. I may hang the shelves above the glider first, before I decide. The shelves are wood and black, so it might be too much black with the black lamp. But we’ll see…

Waiting on the Rug

Waiting on a rug for the nursery

The biggest item I’m missing is the rug. I actually can’t link to it just yet because it’s from a new collection that doesn’t drop until October. But it’s similar to the other Loloi rugs I have around the house and it has lots of deep maroon colors in it. It will add plenty of color to the space and also add a coziness factor. I ended up buying this rug pad, so I’m all ready to get the rug down once it arrives, which should, hopefully, be in the coming weeks.

Getting Organized

Organizing the nursery closet

The nursery closet is finished, but it isn’t filled up and organized just yet. Finn did buy these super cute baskets (similar), that match the changing pad cover, however, they’re still empty.

Adding books to the nursery

We’ve also started collecting some books for the little fella and I have my baby book and baby milestone journal all ready to go!

We did go through all of Rory’s old clothes and we made a pile of everything that we can use for the baby. We surprisingly already have a ton of clothes for him. It’s just gonna take a little more effort to get the closet where we want it before his arrival.

Figuring out the organization for the dresser

The dresser is filling up fast and Finn is so excited to get it perfectly organized! He found these cool drawer dividers and that’s our starting point when it comes to getting these large drawers organized. I’ll keep you posted as we get it all finished.

Adding Wall Art

Finally, I want to add a few more things to the walls in here. I have the canvas over the changing table and we’ll have shelves over the glider, so I’m trying to figure out if I should hang art near the crib. I have a few ideas, but I don’t want it to feel too busy, especially with the picture frame molding. Once I have the shelves up and styled, I think I’ll have a better idea of the direction I should go.

What’s Left to Do?

Making lots of nursery design progress
  • Get rug pad and rug
  • Buy side table
  • Install shelves
  • Style shelves and changing table area
  • Organize closet and dresser
  • Figure out art

This list seems pretty short and manageable. I am excited for another month of nesting to get this room exactly where I want it for our little man!

Nursery Sources – So Far

Making nursery design progress

Wall Color, Benjamin Moore โ€œTarrytown Greenโ€ //ย Picture Frame Molding Tutorialย //ย Bamboo Shadesย (color: โ€œJute Naturalโ€) //ย Curtainsย (no longer sold) //ย Curtain Rodย //ย Small Curtain Ringsย //ย Cribย // Crib Mattress // Crib Sheet (no longer sold) // Glider (fromย Crate & Kids, no longer sold) //ย Black Lamp // Gold Lamp // Sheepskin Throw (similar) // Dresser (from Crate & Barrel, no longer sold) // Canvas Art // Changing Table Topper // Changing Pad // Changing Pad Cover (no longer sold) // Table Lamp // Hatch Sound Machine // Nest Camera // Wallpaper // Closet Installation // Drawer Dividers // Closet Baskets (similar)

What’s Next?

Waiting on a rug for the nursery

On Monday, I’ll show you the new shelves above the glider. Maybe seeing them up will make my lamp dilemma a tad easier…

Casey

Catch Up on Ellis’ Nursery


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.