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February, 2010

How to Design a Tasteful Train Themed Boy’s Room

Modern Blue & Orange Train Themed Boy's Bedding

Modern Blue & Orange Train Themed Boy's Bedding

Ryder Train Themed Rug for a Boy's Room from Pottery Barn Kids

Ryder Train Themed Rug for a Boy's Room from Pottery Barn Kids

Blue & Green Train Themed Wall Print for a Boy's Room

Blue & Green Train Themed Wall Print for a Boy's Room

Sometimes themed kids’ rooms can be too…”themey” (is that a word?).  Too many conflicting colors and design patterns can make the room feel chaotic and messy – even that one time a month when it is actually clean.  So, how do you design a boy’s room with a whimsical choo choo train theme yet ensure his room doesn’t look like Disneyland?   

There are two ways. First, keep the color palette simple.  Second, incorporate your train theme in your accents (i.e. walls, rugs, lamps) rather than your more visible pieces like crib bedding, curtains, or glider upholstery.  

Let’s start with colors. Train themes are most often associated with boy’s rooms and blue. We recommend you stick with that.  To get a more modern feel, try blues with dusty grey or navy shades rather than pale baby blue. Use white as your primary contrast color and add a touch of red, green, or orange in your accents if you seek more color.

For wall paint, we like these two shades from Land of Nod – “Sky Blue Sky” for a lighter blue paint and “She Sells Sea Shells” for a darker blue.  Consider painting two toned walls with the lower half white and the upper half blue separated by a chair rail.  Then, use train wall stencils or train wall decals in white along the top of the rail on one wall.  This is a simple, yet stunning look that will feel both whimsical and cohesive to the room.

As we said, keep your bedding, curtains, and gliders simple in color.  Stick with solid color bedding in shades of blue, white, or even charcoal grey.  The exception is this boy’s train bedding set from Linenstore-UK which uses gorgeous shades of tonal blues, a pop of orange and tasteful train illustration. It’s fun and visually appealing.  If you do go with train themed bedding, go easy on the train themed decorative accents.

When it comes to accents, have a little more fun, but be judicious. Less is more when it comes to train themed baby room accents. We like this round, train rug from Pottery Barn Kids. The roundness of the rug adds softness to the room and the colored train traveling around is a nice burst of color for your otherwise blue and white room. And, this Kiddie Train wall print from Lynn Metcalf uses nice shades of blue and a whimsical design that is cute but not too busy.  This wall print is created using high-quality paper and printing but you can also get this printed on a canvas or wood mounted. Ms. Metcalf also designs other travel prints and posters for kid’s rooms like boats, planes, and cars should you want another theme. 

See our other articles for more ideas on decorating boys rooms such as boats, firetrucks, turtles, and elephants.

Be Bold! Bright, Modern Baby Bedding for the Hip Kid

Aqua & Yellow Urban Baby Bedding for a Modern Nursery

Aqua & Yellow Urban Baby Bedding for a Modern Nursery

Yellow & Pink Daisy Crib Bedding for a Modern Nursery

Yellow & Pink Daisy Crib Bedding for a Modern Nursery

Aqua & Green Alphabet Crib Bedding for a Modern Nursery

Aqua & Green Alphabet Crib Bedding for a Modern Nursery

Coral Orange, Tan, & White Bird Crib Bedding for a Modern Nursery

Coral Orange, Tan, & White Bird Crib Bedding for a Modern Nursery

If baby blue, ruffled crib skirts are not your thing, take a look at the fabulous modern baby bedding selection at Spunky Sprout.  You will find little, if any, baby blue or pink here.  Bold colors, strong lines, and modern design are it.

A few of our favs are this “Urban Crib Bedding” in aqua and yellow.  This three piece crib bedding comes with quilt, crib sheet, and bumper that converts into a floor mat (which is super clever since we all know the bumper is useless after a year).  It’s decorated with screen printing of an urban scene of buildings, trees, butterflies, and people. This bedding would look great with a white colored crib as shown here.

For more yellow, this Daisy baby bedding set by Supernatural is also fun.  A bright, yellow-gold crib bumper and quilt decorated with daisies pop against a hot pink sheet – perfect for that stylish baby girl.

For more aqua and a touch of bright green, this modern Alphabet crib bedding set also by Supernatural is a fresh take on the classic alphabet theme. This bedding set is perfect for a gender neutral nursery.

Finally, this coral, tan, and white contemporary bird themed crib bedding set embellished with hand-screen painted birds is a bright and cheery combo for either gender.

Spunky Sprout, caters to moms seeking modern, hip, and trendy kid products that fit into their equally modern and hip fashionable homes.  Even if you don’t live in a Manhattan loft, their collection of baby bedding, furniture, lighting, rugs, wall art, and wall decals are fun to browse and you might find that perfect decorative item you can’t get at Target or Pottery Barn Kids.

Spunky Sprout is also an ardent supporter of Reach the Children, providing underprivileged kids in Africa opportunities for self-reliance by strengthening families and communities.

For more modern crib bedding and nursery decor, see our other articles featuring our picks for the best 5 modern cribs and contemporary baby bedding finds from Dwell, Picci, Pixel Organics, and retailer Design Public.

A Sigh for the Beauty of the Butterfly – Wall Art for your Baby Girl

Pink Butterfly Wall Art for a Girl's Room

Pink Butterfly Wall Art for a Girl's Room

Green & Pink Butterfly Canvas for a Girl's Room
Green & Pink Butterfly Canvas for a Girl’s Room
Orange & Blue Butterfly Wall Art for a Girl's Room

Orange & Blue Butterfly Wall Art for a Girl's Room

These delightful butterfly wall canvases from Green Frog Art are beautiful enough not only to use when decorating your baby girl’s nursery, but also to outlast it.  And, Green Frog Art would be quite pleased with that.  They specialize in children’s furnishings that are sophisticated enough that families would continue to enjoy them after baby has grown. Priding themselves on a selection of home furnishings that are as stylish in other parts of the home as they are in the nursery, find hand painted furniture and decorative accessories such as wall art, lamps, tables and chairs, rocking chairs, step stools, and toy chests.

We think their appealing and vast selection of wall art, such as these butterfly wall hangings, is the most notable of their offering.

Part of a collection called “Girls Rule”, this 6” x 6” pink and white butterfly gallery wrapped wall canvas is a classic colored piece of art with modern flair.  You can also find flowers and modern polka dots in the collection if you like the style.

Part of their “Cookies and Cream” collection, this 11″ x 14″ butterfly gallery wrapped wall canvas uses a giclee printing process for richness.  This piece would be great in a whimsical styled baby nursery with other butterfly and floral décor.  The sage green and pale pink with a touch of chocolate brown is particularly nice.  

Finally, for a contemporary look, “Flutterbies” is a 6” x 6” piece of modern butterfly wall art that shines with its bright oranges, blues, yellows, and greens.  This piece would beautifully accent a playroom or modern girl’s nursery.

For more ideas on how to decorate your baby girl’s nursery with butterflies, see our other articles on butterfly wall decals, 3D nylon butterfly wall hangings from Bugs-n-Blooms, and butterfly baby bedding from Bananafish.

DIY Nursery Bird Wall Decor from Your Favorite Crafters

DIY Fabric Birds on a Branch Wall Decor from Sew Liberated

DIY Fabric Birds on a Branch Wall Decor from Sew Liberated

Close Up of Fabric Bird Wall Decor from Sew Liberated

Close Up of Fabric Bird Wall Decor from Sew Liberated

Bird on a Branch Wall Decal in a Wreath Wall Decor by Paper, Scissors, Ink

Bird on a Branch Wall Decal in a Wreath Wall Decor by Paper, Scissors, Ink

Bamboo Bird Wall Mobile by Petit Collage

Bamboo Bird Wall Mobile by Petit Collage

Buy NowColorful Bird Wall Decals for a Baby Nursery

Colorful Bird Wall Decals for a Baby Nursery

We are always on the lookout for unique nursery wall decorating ideas and what better place to find them then among our crafty friends online? 

Inspired by the impending (we hope) arrival of spring, check out this gorgeous selection of bird wall décor pieces for the nursery.  Bird décor is a popular theme in modern nursery decorating because it can be as gender neutral as you choose and contemporary bird designs lend a classic twist on a traditional décor theme.

This birds on a branch nursery wall piece were created by Meg, a sewing pattern designer and owner of Sew Liberated. Meg created this 3D bird themed wall décor piece for her nursery by using the free bird softie pattern from Spool, scrap fabric, a branch from her backyard, and hot crafting glue.  She hung the branch from her wall molding with fishing wire. 

We love the colors and patterns of her fabric birds.  By mixing reds, blues, yellows, and greens, with fun nursery patterns of florals, polka dots, and more, she creates visually compelling artistry that is sure to wow her little one.  We especially like the navy, pale blue, and white stuffed bird with polka dots and flowers.  If inspired to try on your own, read more about how she did it here.

Paper, Scissors, Ink was also cleverly crafty when using removable bird wall decals and a wreath from Michael’s decorated with clear beads to create this DIY 3D bird wall décor piece. We think something like this would look lovely in a classically designed baby nursery over a dresser or on the back of a door.  Though Paper, Scissors, Ink made her own bird wall decals, it is relatively easy to find some nice ones in nursery-friendly colors such as blue, pink, green, and yellow online. Try Etsy for starters.

For the less DIY inclined, Petit Collage, San Francisco-based maker of modern wall décor for children and adults, has a lovely natural-looking, nested 3D bird wall mobile.  This hanging bird mobile is laser-cut from sustainably harvested bamboo plywood, an earth-friendly renewable resource.

And, we would be remiss if we did not encourage you to check out our bird wall decals which make it easy for DIY and non-DIY moms alike.  Choose from standing bird wall decals or flying bird wall decals that come in pink, blue, aqua, yellow, and lavender and can be used to create a cheery changing area space as shown in the photo above.

See our other ideas for more DIY wall décor such as DIY wall hangings and DIY wall murals for the nursery, bird wall art from Oopsy Daisy, and fabrics for your DIY nursery projects.

Stunning Nautical, Shabby Chic, & Nature Themed Nurseries by Little Crown Interiors – Design Heaven!

Green Nursery with Nature Theme from Little Crown Interiors

Green Nursery with Nature Theme from Little Crown Interiors

Blue & White Nautical Themed Nursery from Little Crown Interiors

Blue & White Nautical Themed Nursery from Little Crown Interiors

Pink Shabby Chic Baby Nursery by Little Crown Interiors

Pink Shabby Chic Baby Nursery from Little Crown Interiors

These stunningly designed nurseries by Little Crown Interiors are heaven for those seeking inspiring nursery décor ideas.  Little Crown Interiors’ luxurious, innovative, safe, and well-planned room designs for babies and children bring creative details and gorgeous color combinations providing decadent eye candy for interior design junkies. 

A few of our favorites are this nature themed baby nursery enveloped with soothing green wall paint and highlighted with nature themed accents like a tree wall mural and aqua blue elephant wall art.  The personalized wall letters and espresso colored crib from Young America by Stanley Furniture add that pop of color contrast we love.  Just looking at this baby nursery makes you want to curl up under the tree for a nap while the animals frolic around you.

We also like this colorful nautical nursery with two-toned painted walls in blue and white embellished with sea animals, boats, and starfish.  Ocean themed wall art, a rowboat wall shelf, and a starfish adorn the blue nursery walls.  A soft green glider and ottoman sit in the corner bringing warmth to the cool shades of blue.  And, the custom painted toy box of colorful fish screams “Look how cute I am!” in this nautical themed baby boy nursery.  We think the fish bookends on the nightstand are also a nice touch.

Finally, Little Crown Interiors designed this pink shabby chic nursery in a home with beautiful, historical architectural details.  We love how they used a combination of various pinks such as pale pink wall paint and accents of bright pink in the pink toile crib bedding and Oopsy Daisy wall art.  A white and pink chandelier hangs over the cozy nursery while custom painted wall letters and whimsical wall hangings bring personality to the baby room.

For more nursery eye candy, browse through Little Crown Interiors’ baby room portfolio online or see some of their nurseries in Susan Hillstrom’s book Design Ideas for Baby Rooms

Though based in Southern California, Little Crown Interiors happily offers design services nationwide.

See our other articles for other nautical nursery décor, tree wall decals to recreate a painted tree wall mural, and more pink nurseries.

Soothing & Stylish, Italian Designed Baby Nursery Bedding from Picci

Picci's "Peter" Baby Bedding in Green & Brown

Picci's "Peter" Baby Bedding in Green & Brown

Picci "Hippy Flowers" Baby Bedding in Pink & White

Picci "Hippy Flowers" Baby Bedding in Pink & White

Picci's "Ocean Blue" Baby Bedding

Picci's "Ocean Blue" Baby Bedding in Dusty Blue & Beige

Picci baby bedding is for the contemporary mom who appreciates classic nursery colors, but with a modern design touch. Picci uses soft, tonal colors and integrates clean, modern design elements to create their signature nursery look.

Founded 35 years ago in Florence, Italy by Paola Cherubini, Picci categorizes its crib bedding as cotton, silk, organic, and contemporary.  We especially like their contemporary designs because they feel so…well, Italian.  Cool, modern patterns softened with nursery color palettes bring together the traditional with the modern as the company succeeds in their attempts to “evoke the romance of Tuscany in style and design”.

Their green and white “Peter” set is stunning.  Featuring contemporary green daisies and a solid brown for the bumper ties, crib bumper, and quilt edging, this is a nice bedding set for a gender neutral or neutral colored nursery.  The Peter set would match a white or light oak-colored crib.  A light colored wood would do wonders in bringing out the neutral tones of the brown and green.

For a girl’s room, this “Hippy Flowers” floral crib bedding is oh-so-cute.  Daisy designs dance across soft pale pink cotton with coordinating pieces in pink toned stripes and solids.  This would match a dark brown crib as shown here for a more classic look.  Or, go with a white crib to give a more airy feel to your baby girl’s nursery.

Our favorite is this dusty blue and beige bedding called “Blue Ocean” which lends a spin on a modern polka dot nursery with soft, playful blue circles embellishing the pale beige fabric. This baby bedding would work with any colored baby furniture and we love the idea of using a blue painted accent wall to help the bedding pop as shown here.  To recreate this look, try Land of Nod’s She Sells Sea Shells no VOC blue wall paint which looks to be a close match. 

Each baby bedding set comes with crib bumper, comforter, sheet, and dust ruffle and is made of all natural fabrics.

See our other modern baby bedding finds and our recommendations for the best shades of blue wall paint for a nursery.