Last month, we designed a nursery for the sweetest South African couple who are expecting their first child, a little boy, in the new year. When we met, they had just moved into their new home on The Palm and were understandably very eager to get the nursery done before the big holiday.

Our clients had a clear idea of the the look and feel they wanted to have in the nursery so the design process was a breeze. It was also the fastest project we have completed with the time between our initial meeting and a fully installed space spanning a mere 25 days. A process made possible by prompt feedback and speedy approvals from the new-parents-to-be.

Given the tight timeframe we were aiming for, we tried where possible to keep most of the sourcing to local options that didn’t require shipping or waiting times. We also managed to take advantage of some great sales!

The excitement of seeing a design go from mood board concept to a real room never gets old for me.

Our client was very specific about wanting something cool and calm for this room, so we kept the colour palette simple with white and grey accompanied by varied pops of green and blue shades. We used one of our favourite shades of grey on the walls, Jotun’s Oxford River. There was no getting away from the baby boy blue cliché with those bright cobalt window frames that we had no choice but to embrace. We are really happy with the way the nursery came to life, and the clients were thrilled too.

Some of the gems that are key pieces in the room were sourced from some stores that may surprise you, like that stylish cot with the beautifully simple Scandi-inspired lines from Home Centre and the pouf and armchair cushion from Dubai Garden Centre.

The rattan geo pendant light is a personal favourite that adds much character to the room. We also love the soft and cosy wool rug and those adorable animal prints above the cot. But let’s take a moment to appreciate the show-stopper in here – that amazing wallpaper from a newly discovered local supplier, Paper Pop, and the random alcove that looks like it was actually made just for this wallpaper and  cot combination. The paper is the peel and stick kind that I love and there are all sorts of custom options with this fabulous product.

This nursery is blessed with ample wardrobe space so extra storage wasn’t a high priority and we got to focus on some of the cuter details like the little gallery that includes some IKEA box shelves above the changing table and small decorative accessories around the room – some old and some new. This special little space boasts a touch of genuine vintage with a wooden toy passed down from dad’s childhood collection and some not so old favourites of our own, like the perspex book shelves custom made for us by The Party and our go-to IKEA string lights (which I’m devastated to hear have been discontinued). 

Now that the room is ready, there is not much left to do but wait for the little guy’s arrival.

All images by Natelee Cocks