Date: June 5, 2018 | Story: Stephanie Maxwell Newton | Photography: Rett Peek |
Natural elements and a cozy color palette create a nursery that parents and baby alike can enjoy
When Kathryn LeMaster started planning for the arrival of her son, Liam, there was one question she remembers hearing over and over again: “The biggest thing everyone seemed to ask was, ‘What theme are you going to do in the nursery? Is it going to be cars? Is it going to be elephants?’” she says.
But Kathryn didn’t want a typical nursery theme. She decided to focus on symbols of nature to tie the room together instead. She used a tree-shaped bookshelf built by a friend as a starting point and then added in more subtle nods to this aesthetic—like a spherical wicker light fixture, which represents the sun, and a blue ceiling, which gives the impression of the sky on a clear day. “The goal was for it to feel organic,” Kathryn says. “There are a lot of natural finishes to bring a little of the outdoors in.” Animal imagery and plenty of live plants continue this trend.
Painting the ceiling blue and the walls white was also a strategic move to make the room seem larger. “The room is already kind of narrow, so I decided on white walls with white trim and blue on the ceiling. Plus, the color really draws your eye up,” she says.
Most importantly, Kathryn wanted to design the room in a way that wouldn’t lock it too firmly into one style or function. “I wanted it to feel flexible enough that it could grow with him for several years, or if we had more kids, that it would be easy to swap out accessories,” she says. “I also wanted it to be a room that I could enjoy. He isn’t going to remember any of this. Maybe one day he’ll appreciate it when he sees pictures, but, honestly, the nursery is more for the parents to hang out in! It might as well be a space we enjoy, especially to ease the stress of the all the late-night time spent in there.”
Design Resources
Interior design Kathryn J. LeMaster, Allied ASID, Kathryn J. LeMaster Art & Design Custom woodwork Jonathan T. McNair Accessories, furniture, hardware, lighting, mirrors, rugs, and upholstery Kathryn J. LeMaster Art & Design Art V. Noe Fabrics (draperies) Designer Effects Millwork and painting Luis A. Rodreguez Paint Sherwin Williams Plants The Good Earth Garden Center Window coverings (fabrication) Monica Smith
