Date: July 31, 2023 | Story: Virginia Brown | Photography: Rett Peek | Styling: Stephanie Maxwell Newton |
Designer Kendall Jones helps the Bunting family create a timeless space for their new addition
When Lesley and Seth Bunting learned that they’d be adding baby Margot to the family, they called Kendall Jones to help design the nursery. “Her work is fresh and fun, and not too formal,” Lesley says of the designer, whom she’d enjoyed following on Instagram before reaching out. “Kendall does a good job of mixing old and new, and that’s what I was looking for.”
With an empty guest bedroom as a blank slate, the Buntings approached Kendall with inspiration images in hand. “It was clear they had great taste and wanted something polished and timeless with a statement pattern element,” Kendall says. The couple’s only request for the design was that pink not be the predominant color. Instead, they built from a palette of blue and green, Lesley’s favorite, starting with the floral Thibaut fabric “Cairo” for custom drapery. “It feels playful for a nursery, but very sophisticated as her daughter grows,” says Kendall. Bonus: Because the pattern is not too childish, Lesley can eventually use it in other rooms of the house, making it a versatile investment.
While the walls are painted a creamy white, a pop of color above continues the room’s cozy, classic feel. “One of my favorite things to do in a nursery is treat the ceiling in a special way with paint or wallpaper, since babies spend so much time gazing up,” Kendall says. For this space, they chose a blue hue inspired by the painted porch ceilings popular in the South. “It feels very warm and feminine when paired with pink accents,” the designer says. The room’s green tones continue through a herringbone Dash & Albert rug and ticking-stripe crib bedding, while a pair of pink lamps and scalloped accents give the room girlish charm.
Over the crib hangs a custom piece of art Kendall describes as the nursery’s “crowning jewel.” “As soon as I mentioned commissioning something from Sarah Creasman, an Arkansas native, Lesley teared up and showed me some very sentimental artwork she had from Sarah already,” she says. The artist was provided with loose direction and an image of the room to produce a piece that encompasses the colorful whimsy of the space. “We absolutely love it,” Lesley says of the finished nursery. “It’s a bright, happy room, and Kendall did the perfect job capturing what I was looking for: something sweet that our daughter would be able to grow into.”
“The art can certainly grow with the baby or be leveraged in another space in the home as a fond reminder of her arrival,” Kendall says of a painting by Sarah Creasman Art hanging over the crib.
Good in Small Doses
While Margot’s parents wanted her room to feature more than just pink, the hue comes into play in a few meaningful ways. “The rocking chair with pink welt was an item Lesley already had, and by pairing it with a complementary pink ottoman, it feels like it was always meant for the space,” Kendall says. Ceiling paint color is “Take Five” by Sherwin-Williams.
Design Resources
Interior design Kendall Jones, Kendall Jones Design Accessories Art of Design, Cobblestone & Vine, Cynthia East Fabrics, and The Shade Above Lighting Collection Fabrics Designer Effects Furniture Art of Design Lighting Light Innovations Paint Sherwin-Williams Window coverings Nancy Osborne
