Rooming in

When the Heiligenthal family found out that a baby boy would be joining 2-year-old Leo in the nursery of their Minneapolis home this December, they made a few simple adjustments to create a space that’s perfect for both the newbie and his big brother. “I knew I wanted to create a room that fit their needs now as well as something they could grow into,” says mom Brianna. She kept the décor simple but added in plenty of fun elements for the kids—like a tent (Leo’s first birthday present!) and some classic wooden toys.

On finding balance
“I wanted a room that was fun for [the kids] to play in during the day but that encouraged them to sleep at night. That meant whittling down the number of toys in there to only those we use on a daily basis. I also wanted it to be obvious that it was a room meant for kids but for it to flow with the rest of our home.”

On not following trends
“Even though it can be tempting to buy everything that is trending, I think sticking with the basic necessities and adding a couple fun pieces makes the room a more enjoyable space to spend time in. We tried to choose pieces that felt timeless versus trendy and that could be mixed and matched with pretty much anything.”

On staying within budget
“As much as I loved the $700 cribs I kept stumbling across, you really can’t beat $67 at IKEA. I love that this crib is lower to the ground, and I feel like it fits the style of the room really well.”

On choosing wisely
“We tried to be intentional about choosing pieces that were fully functional and served a purpose while also fitting the aesthetic of the room.”

On easy storage 
Heiligenthal relies on lots of good-looking bins and baskets to keep the boys’ room tidy. “They’re an awesome place to store toys,” she says. “It makes it super easy to clean up at the end of the day and [prevents] the room from getting too cluttered with little knick-knacks.”

On quirky décor
“I found [the phone] in the basement of the house my parents bought, and it has been with me ever since. People always get a kick out of seeing it. We get asked a lot if we have it hooked up!”