Finding out she was pregnant with her first baby was a literal dream come true for The Everygirl Media Group’s Deputy Art Director, Kirra Wallace. “My husband and I were so thrilled (and surprised) when we found out we were expecting,” she said. “In my heart, I knew it was a boy. I have had dreams (like literal dreams) of us with a son. Fast forward, and that is exactly what we got!”
Blessed with an easy pregnancy, Kirra designed her new baby boy’s vintage nursery herself. She even painted the whole room when she was 30 weeks pregnant. “My husband helped, but in our house I am definitely the more handy one, and the project ended up being pretty therapeutic. I loved those quiet moments by myself to reflect on all that was about to change in my life.”
“The project ended up being pretty therapeutic. I loved those quiet moments by myself to reflect on all that was about to change in my life.”
The expectant parents already had a name picked out for their new baby boy: Campbell James, using Kirra’s mother-in-law’s maiden name. “Family is everything to us, and our nursery reflects that, as a lot of the items in it were created by our loved ones.” Keep scrolling to see all the vintage finds, meaningful touches, and new baby items that went into creating Campbell’s timeless baby boy nursery.
Vintage boy nursery decor inspiration
Shop the look
- Glider
- Hot air balloons
- Lamp
- Crib
- Rug
- Crib sheet
- Dresser pulls
- Changing pad
- National Park print
- Red + cream print
- Diaper caddy
- Wall shelving (similar)
- Dog stuffed animal
- “Skylight” paint color
- Dashchund print
- Framed horse print
Creating the perfect vintage baby nursery
The gingham chair was the first thing on my vintage boy nursery mood board, and I knew I really wanted it. I was prepared to splurge on it, knowing everything else in the room was thrifted. But my in-laws gifted it to us, and it’s my favorite piece! Almost all of the art in the room was collected over the past two years from different estate sales or flea markets.
I knew I wanted to use all the pieces together and started looking for a color story that would work with the art. I fell in love with the idea of a dusty blue room with accents of a bold red and earthy tones mixed throughout. Once I set my mind to that theme, everything else started to come together pretty organically.
What search terms did you use to find nursery design inspiration?
- Vintage nursery
- Vintage baby boy room
- Chic blue and red nursery
- Collected boy nursery
- Eclectic chic nursery
What was the nursery design process like?
My older sister is actually an interior designer, so I, of course, looped her into my plans, and she helped a lot to bounce ideas off of. She persuaded me that the room needed a rug. Then once my son, Campbell, was born, she actually hung all the artwork on the wall for me, as that was not finished (he came a week early, and I was procrastinating). She helped style the shelves in the room and advised on the best placement of them.
What was your nursery design timeline?
It all kind of feels like a blur at this point, but the room was pretty much ready with the exception of the art on the walls and the hot air balloons before my son was born. The longest part of the process was painting the room. It took me about two weeks, and the room is TINY. But I am still so proud of myself for getting it done, and I am obsessed with the color; it is the most dreamy baby blue (Farrow & Ball Skylight).
What did you register for, and what did you buy yourself?
The only item in the room we registered for was the crib. Everything else we already had with the exception of our gingham glider. We purchased a fun ABC rug to ground the crib. I also found the book shelves off of Facebook Marketplace, and all of the art was already collected.
What special decor details do you love about this vintage nursery?
My sister also surprised me with the CUTEST hot air balloons that really tied the whole room together. She glued the sweetest little red pendant flags on the baskets and added a tag she found of my grandma’s that said “with love by Nancy” and added that to them. Those little sentimental touches still make me cry when I see them. I’m so grateful for her help.
My younger sister made two of the pieces of art in the room. She drew the little “scout” print after my dog, and, wow, it was such a perfect piece for the gallery wall. She also sewed a collection of my grandma’s buttons onto an heirloom shape piece. The whole room has touches of our families’ love for our son, and it makes me feel so grateful to have such amazing people in our lives.
Lessons learned after designing a vintage boy nursery
The room is pretty small and was a den before his nursery. But my favorite corner is actually the changing table with his books. He is always giggling on the changing table, and we already have so many fun memories distracting him from diaper changes by pointing to books and the pictures on the wall. The dresser was also my parents’ old dresser from when they got married 34 (!) years ago, that I redid. It makes me feel so sentimental when I think about the fact that even though it’s just a piece of furniture, it has been so loved throughout the different rooms and seasons it’s been in.
Anything you wish you’d done differently?
Every time I see a nursery with wallpaper, I think, DAMN, that looks good. So sometimes I think I should have done wallpaper, but there is always the future! My favorite thing about decorating is that nothing ever needs to be permanent. There is always room to change your mind!
“My favorite thing about decorating is that nothing ever needs to be permanent. There is always room to change your mind!”
Any favorite nursery item you can’t live without?
The diaper pail. I really didn’t understand the need for it before baby boy. But oh my gosh, it’s so convenient to have a trash can specifically for diapers right next to his changing area. It is nonnegotiable.
I also would definitely recommend the glider in our nursery. A few friends asked, “I know it’s cute, but is it comfy?” I am happy to report I will be moving the glider into our room as an accent chair once Campbell needs that corner of his room for toys, and I am genuinely looking forward to it. It’s just so cute and comfy, and I love sitting in it so much!
Any final recommendations for parents designing a nursery soon?
A lot of people ask why you need a nursery for the baby if they sleep in your room for the first six months minimum. I am so glad I never listened to that logic, and I still built out a nursery. We actually use his room SO much. We have a pretty small house, and his room is the primary place he naps and plays, and I am so grateful we made it a space that is beautiful and will hopefully inspire him and his little growing imagination.
Kirra Wallace, Deputy Art Director
Kirra leads The Everygirl Media Group’s visual identity and leads a team of talented graphic designers. Her work includes graphics with hand-drawn elements, engaging article graphics that draw you in, and monthly tech backgrounds.
