What advice to you have for first-time parents who are designing their baby’s nursery?
I will be forever grateful to my friends Jeff Lewis and Christina Zoumas who are both amazing interior designers. Jeff selected beautiful soothing colors for the walls from his paint line -- Jeff Lewis Paint. Christina helped me choose peaceful shades of blue and grey for bedding, drapes, rugs, and chair fabric, which created an amazing and peaceful oasis for this new parent and her baby. I had no idea how helpful that would be. A comfortable fabric rocking chair where Alianna and I shared many magical moments was an investment I am glad I made. I found convertible furniture to be a wise investment. The crib we purchased has now converted into the "big girl" bed of a three-year-old. Alianna has now taken over decorating duties with strong opinions about the color pink and princesses in multiples. We have since added reclaimed wood shelves because she is a elegant princess with a twist of awesome!
Do you have any new and easy approaches to nursery design?
I can only recommend time and money-saving research to find the best fit for your space and budget. Give serious thought to every purchase. Read the product reviews before you buy! A baby's first atmosphere created with thought and care will bring out the best of everyone who enters. I found stencils on Etsy, which we used instead of expensive wallpaper. Choosing white for all the painted furniture proved to be a good idea, and it's easy to clean.
Is there a certain design element that parents probably aren’t considering, but should, when decorating a nursery?
In addition to a place of rest, the nursery is a workroom, so you should have easy access to everything. There a lot of things that first-time parents wouldn't even know they need to have! A diapering station with organized storage spaces was heaven for this first-time mom. When you are an exhausted new parent, it really helps to be able to locate the right things easily, even when it's dark.
You didn’t find out the sex of your daughter and instead waited until she was born. How do you design a great gender-neutral theme for a nursery?
There are now a wide variety of neutral colors and color combinations you can enhance and layer when you have a boy or girl. Infancy goes by so quickly, and before you know it, someone is telling you what they want/need in their room.
You're a working mom. What's some general advice for working moms with young kids?
There is no way at times to escape the heartbreaking difficulties of being a working mother. Find and build a great support system. The importance of the people your child spends time with cannot be overstated. I am so grateful when I leave for work that my daughter is taken care of by someone she adores and who is an excellent example of capable, organized, mature, and loving womanhood. Honestly, her caregiver has made me a better person, as she is incredibly calm and patient. She often nannies both of us.
You know how hectic it is just to get out the door with a toddler. What’s the one lifesaving item that you never leave the house without?
I'd say my cell phone for FaceTime and pictures with Alianna throughout the day. She knows I am thinking about her, and she can see me and knows I can see her. Her crying was heart wrenching when I first starting leaving her to go to work. Luckily now, for the most part, we have progressed to blowing kisses and sometimes she is so busy with the dogs and her caregiver Monica that I just get a "See you soon, raccoon." She has her own full schedule which includes school, tap lessons, and this year for the first time, summer camp.
Jenni and her family
