Everett's nursery

P&N’s Nursery Tour: A peek into fabulous baby rooms across the country.

Ashlee Gadd, photographer and creator of the blog, wheremyheartresides is mom to Baby Everett Hudson in Sacramento, California.
What was your vision for the nursery?
Mostly I just wanted something fun and cheerful. I wanted Everett’s nursery to reflect a spirit of adventure, which led us to our travel theme!
What would you consider your most essential piece?
Hands down, my rocker. After a failed attempt to refurnish a glider we bought off Craigslist, my husband surprised me with a beautiful grey upholstered rocking chair. It was more than we wanted to spend, but in the end I am so glad we did! The neutral grey color will easily transition to future nursery themes, and eventually become part of our living room furniture. It was a good investment.
Is there a history or a story behind any of the pieces you chose?
My husband’s grandfather gave us an old aviation calendar that we used in the collage above Everett’s crib. It was from 1962 and in great condition. I noticed right away that the days in 1962 matched up with the days in 2012 (i.e. May 7^th fell on a Monday in both years), which made it even more perfect.
I also found a beautiful music box at an antique store that we put on Everett’s bookshelf. When you wind it up, the airplane moves up and down and plays “Fly Me To The Moon.”
What are your favorite pieces in the room?
I have so many! I love the “Learn to Fly” tin sign, which Brett and I picked up in New York from a street vendor in Central Park. I also love the personalized map of Greece, which represents the number one item crossed off our prebaby bucket list.

And of course I love all of the DIY projects we did (chalkboard globe, map lamp, map pinwheels, map banner, cloud mobile).
How did you come across these awesome finds?
The tin sign was purchased from a street vendor. The personalized map of Greece was ordered from the Etsy shop, DefineDesign11. Most of the DIY projects were Pinterest-inspired.
What is your best tip for decorating?
Take it slow. We spent months decorating Everett’s nursery, step by step and piece by piece. I think if you rush a decorating project, you don’t enjoy the process as much. Ev’s nursery became my sweet escape while I was pregnant; whether I was shopping for airplanes or painting globes or folding teeny tiny onesies to put away in his dresser, all of it made me feel closer to him. I loved scouring the web and local thrift stores for unique treasures and watching the room come together week after week.
A word of advice: don’t buy a glider from Craigslist!
Okay, what is your biggest secret confession?
Ha! This is super gross but we don’t empty our diaper genie as often as we should. It fills up SO fast and it’s not uncommon to find 8 dirty diapers piling up on top of it. I know. Disgusting. Those things are not big enough!
Does your little guy have a favorite spot in the room?
Everett loves lying on the changing table. He is one of those weird babies who loves to be changed (both diapers and clothes). Probably because I always tickle him!
Where’s your favorite spot?
The rocking chair. I could sit there all day rocking Ev, even though he’s getting a little too antsy now to enjoy that.
Give us your best advice for designing a stunning nursery.
Some day, your child is going to want to decorate their room the way they want it to look. A baby’s nursery is just as much for the parents as it is for the baby. Don’t feel guilty about spending time and energy on it. When you’re sleep deprived and covered in spit-up, it’s nice to enjoy a beautiful nursery. You won’t always get to decorate your child’s room, so take this opportunity for all it’s worth!
Photo credits: Ashlee Gadd Photography, ashleegaddphoto.com