Maddy Zollo
When Megan Navarro and her husband, Carlos, found out they were expecting baby number two, there was one thing they knew for sure: They weren’t going to find out the sex. However, that wasn’t going to stop Megan, a local YouTuber and content creator, from going all-out on her little one’s nursery. Find out how the interior design enthusiast pulled everything together and learn her best decorating tips for taking your nursery to the next level.
Map Out Your Mood Board
With pink frills and a super sporty aesthetic out of the picture, Megan began to scour Pinterest for gender-neutral inspo. After a few scrolling sessions, it became obvious that there was a common feel to all the images she was pinning. “I realized I wanted something light and bright with lots of natural elements like wicker, rattan and greenery incorporated,” she explains. Once she had this relaxed vibe in mind, she honed her vision by making mood boards of items and décor she liked.
Choose an Anchor Piece
The one must-have was a cozy leather chair, and Megan designed the rest of the room around that element. COVID-19 forced her to do all her shopping online, so she turned to Etsy, Wayfair, Overstock and Facebook Marketplace. Her secret to seeing what pieces complemented each other? Taking screenshots of the items and using a layout app on her phone to create collages. “It’s a simple way to see how everything looked together,” Megan says. Before long, she began to fill the room with décor that she loved, from bigger things like a white crib and a wicker elephant end table to smaller details like a vintage plant hanger.
Don’t Go Overboard
Even though the last time Megan decorated a nursery was over 10 years ago, she still remembered the main lesson she learned from it: Avoid boxing yourself in with one very specific theme. “I wish I hadn’t gone all-out with Winnie the Pooh,” she says. “It gets boring very quickly, and you get over it. Plus, you don’t even know if your kid is going to like it.” Instead, she recommends keeping a theme to a few elements and investing in pieces that can grow with your child.
MEGAN’S NURSERY NECESSITIES
• A Versatile Dresser Instead of buying a changing table you may never use again, put a basket or pad on top of a dresser. Just make sure to put grip pads (like ones used for area rugs) underneath to avoid slippage. For added flair, switch out the drawer knobs.
• A Cozy Rug Ask any parent — mobile babies and hard floors don’t get along. Invest in a soft accent rug that will prevent bumps and bruises.
• Portable Diaper Station Place all your changing essentials like diapers, wipes, and rash cream in a basket that you can easily move around the house.
• A Lamp Set the mood before naptime and bedtime with ambient lighting that’s dim enough to calm your baby but bright enough to read in.
• Cute Storage Keep clutter and toys to a minimum with practical yet pretty shelves or bins.
• A Convertible Crib While the toddler bed days may seem far away, be prepared by investing in a crib that can change with your little one’s needs.
PLAYGROUND
