Decorating a nursery? Let Andrew Pike help you!
The Marilyn Denis design expert shares his nursery decor tips with us.
Between running his successful design firm in Toronto and frequently appearing on The Marilyn Denis Show, there’s no arguing that Andrew Pike is a busy man! He recently decorated an adorable yet functional nursery for a family member in Newfoundland and sat down with us to give us all of his baby room tips.
Bouclair: How did this project come about?
Andrew: We were looking for a nursery to do and, one fateful day, my cousin and his wife, who had been trying to have a baby for a few years, called to say they were pregnant. I was very thrilled and I thought, this is what we’re going to do! So that’s why it ended up being in Newfoundland, where I’m originally from, and that’s how we found our perfect candidate!
B: Where do you start when decorating your first baby’s nursery?
A: When we started, they wanted to keep it very neutral because they didn’t know the gender. We knew we weren’t going to do a pink or blue nursery so that was the jumping-off point with the Bouclair wallpaper and the greys.
Pictured here: Lali faux fur throw and Lali faux fur decorative pillow.
B: What’s the key to creating a truly gender-neutral nursery?
A: Keep the big pieces neutral. Whites and greys for the crib, the dresser, the rug, the recliner, all of those things, then put the accents in whatever colour you want. As the child grows, you won’t be stuck with one colour palette and you can easily change it. The accent colour in this nursery is green, which is present in the plants in the room, as well as in images of ferns and leaves.
B: What was the parents’ biggest must-have in the nursery?
A: Other than the fact that they, of course, knew they had to have a crib, the mother really wanted to have pretty wallpaper. She also wanted to have shiplap in the room for that fresh, modern farmhouse kind of look. Other than that, she told me to do whatever I wanted!
B: What essentials did you put in the nursery for the parents themselves?
A: We made sure that the recliner was a very comfortable chair. There are going to be a lot of sleepless nights spent in it, I would imagine. There’s also a little accent table next to it so there’s always a place for the baby’s bottle or for a cup of coffee.
Pictured here: Glass and metal side table (out of stock). See similar styles here.
B: How do you select a rocking chair for a nursery?
A: You really want to check your dimensions because, since they rock, you need a lot more space around them than you would with a regular chair.
B: Nurseries tend to be small, any storage tips for them?
A: Small space or large space, we always put organizers in drawers because drawers become catchalls. When a drawer has compartments or baskets, you get into the habit of sorting things into those spaces because they don’t fit just anything. We always try to do this for every client.
Pictured here: Geometric metal wire table lamp, silver tree wallpaper (out of stock). See similar styles here.
B: Any decor tips to help baby sleep?
A: One of the most important things in the nursery is curtains that are designed for optimal sleep. Drapes were custom-made with an extra blackout lining so that, when those drapes are closed, there is no light escaping into that room.
B: How far ahead of the baby’s arrival should you start decorating the nursery?
A: I think the sooner you can get it done, the better. That day is coming faster than you know! We did this nursery about 6 months before the baby was born.
B: How is designing for someone you know different than designing for a new client?
A: It actually wasn’t quite that different. I approach all of my projects in a similar way. What do they need? What’s the wish list? What do they have to have vs what would they like to have? But they were so excited to have been selected for this opportunity that they gave me free rein and let me do whatever I wanted! That’s a big difference from other clients who usually have a direction they want to go in.
B: Any last nursery decor tips our readers need to hear?
A: You want to be mindful of all of the surfaces you use because you should be able to wipe everything down. At the end of the day, you want it to be pretty and practical, but I wouldn’t blow the bank on it because, in 3 years, you’ll be starting to change it again.
Decorating your baby’s nursery?
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