When Meagan McCormick, Director of Marketing for The Everygirl Media Group, and her husband bought their house in 2021, she always knew a little room down the hallway would be the perfect nursery. After struggling with infertility for two years and finally finding out their IVF transfer had worked in 2023, the expectant mom couldn’t wait to get started on a space to bring her new daughter, Miller, home to. “We knew from day one that we were having a girl thanks to the IVF process and genetic testing,” said Meagan. “But I wanted the nursery space to have a gender-neutral aesthetic that felt calm and soothing—and would not require a ton of updates should we ever have another baby.”
She started by saving inspiration photos to a nursery Pinterest board, using search terms like “vintage nursery,” “Scandinavian,” and “neutral nursery.” Meagan found herself gravitating toward lots of scallops, subtle floral prints, and neutral gray/green hues. “I knew I wanted to do beadboard and wallpaper in this space, so that’s where I started,” she said. Here, Meagan is sharing a tour of her aesthetic neutral nursery design, most of which she and her husband did themselves! Plus, links to shop all the elements of the adorable space.
Aesthetic neutral nursery inspiration
Designing a gender-neutral nursery
Meagan knew she wanted to start the neutral nursery design with wallpaper. “I love how wallpaper can add so much charm, especially to a small space,” she said. “I found this neutral illustrated leaf-print wallpaper and thought it was the perfect foundation for the rest of the nursery design. From there, the furniture, rug, art, and details all came together.”
What did you DIY, and what did you hire out?
We did everything except the wallpaper! We purchased the beadboard and trim from a local lumber store and installed it ourselves. I painted all of the beadboard with a mini roller and a brush.
Which nursery items did you register for?
My mom bought us the crib when we shared our pregnancy with family and friends. The changing pad and monitor were both on our baby registry, but everything else we purchased on our own. I’m a planner, so the nursery was largely done by the time we had our baby shower! I also shopped the rest of my house to pull the room together. The dresser was “stolen” from our bedroom, the pom pom baskets came from our living room, and the gingham pillow came from the guest bedroom.
What was your nursery design timeline? Was it done before she was born?
Yes, it was “done” probably six weeks before she was born. I’ve continued adding to it and tweaking it over the last year, but the foundation and furniture were all there before we brought her home. Because we knew we were pregnant so early on, we really got a head start on everything.
Any special design details you love about this room?
The rug is a vintage find from Etsy; this room is very small with square dimensions, so I couldn’t find a standard rug that would fit. Etsy has the best vintage rugs, and you can find options in every dimension and style. I have them all over my house!
But the gallery wall above the dresser is my favorite design moment in this room. I found this bear print from an artist I love while I was going through IVF, and it felt like the perfect sentiment for this room.
Now that Miller is here, what’s been your favorite place to hang out in her nursery?
It used to be in the glider: feeding her, rocking her, soaking in all of the contact naps. The glider is so comfortable and fits the space well, so I would definitely buy again. The room is pretty small, so it was tough finding a glider that was going to be narrow enough to fit in this corner and still be comfortable enough to spend a lot of time in. Now that she’s older, we hang out on the floor in front of her bookshelf as she pulls out all of her favorite books, and we read them together.
How much time do you spend in her nursery now that she’s a 1-year-old?
We do spend quite a bit of time in here, but not as much as I expected. Mostly because she’s just taken over the entire house. We’re usually playing downstairs or in my office-turned-playroom, but she does still nap and sleep in here every night, and we have our very specific bedtime routine that all takes place in her nursery.
Anything you wish you’d done differently?
No, I love it all! I do wish the room was a little bit brighter, but the blackout curtains are an absolute necessity, so it is what it is.
Any nursery item you can’t live without?
Drawer dividers and organizers! It seems like extra work, but honestly having all of her clothing and items separated and organized in her drawers makes getting her dressed and putting away laundry so much easier. I can reach in in the dark and know exactly what I’m getting.
Any final thoughts on building Miller’s gender-neutral nursery?
I fear I am not escaping the sad beige mom allegations, but her toys and wardrobe are full of color—don’t you worry!
Meagan McCormick, Director of Marketing
As the Director of Marketing, Meagan oversees all things social media, email, and video along with various brand collaborations. When she’s not at her desk, you can find her wine tasting around California, trying the latest workout class, or snuggled up on the couch with her husband, Matt, their daughter, Millie, and mini poodle mix, Honey.
Kathy Sisson, Senior Editor
Kathy Sisson has been a key contributor in the editorial parenting space for eight years, not only as a full-time editor at The Everymom but previously as a freelance writer for top parenting sites, including Scary Mommy, Motherly, Parent Co., and more. As an editor at The Everymom, she has produced hundreds of articles on a range of parenting topics, reviewed dozens of family-focused products, interviewed leading experts in the children and parenting world, and created viral parenting social media content. A mom of two, she is committed to sharing the honest, helpful, and often humorous stories of motherhood.
