Special Delivery: A chic, tasteful baby! (Part 2)

It's not everyday you get to pick the brain of an interior designer, and get truly inspired design solutions from a professional in the industry. Well, not for free anyways. And since you all probably need a break from my ramblings and how my brain relates the twisted adventures of my dating life to interior design, I figured I would enlist the help of New York interior designer Lindsay Macrae to walk us through part two of this "Special Delivery" edition of homeboy.

 
                                                              Lindsay Macrae (www.lindsaymacraeinteriordesign.com),


Lindsay seen here, being fabulous.

a veteran designer with experience in both high-end residential design as well as commercial applications has worked for some of the most renowned design firms in the country, including Marc Michaels Interior Design and Gensler. I was lucky enough to snag a walk through of a recent nurseryproject she completed, to give you a professional perspective of how a soon-to-be bedroom comes to life. This particular project, located in a shoebox-sized nursery in Manhattan, is a perfect prototype for space saving solutions as well as overall scheme inspiration. Tres Chic!

 



What is the name, location and s/f of the project? A nursery for Bailey, New York City, 105 SF

 



What types of wants and needs, if any, did the clients have pertaining to this particular room?  Bailey was my clients’ first born so they did not know what they needed for their nursery.  I had no clue myself.  I did some nursery research online and interviewed several new mothers to get an idea of what we needed.  My clients were my dream clients.  They did not have any preconceived ideas for the overall design scheme.  They only told me that their daughter was going to be very sophisticated and they wanted the room to be calm.  I used that info to develop a couple of design schemes for them to choose from. 

Where do you normally take your inspiration from when you approach a design project, and where did it come from for this one?  My inspiration depends on the type of project.  For a retail project, for example, I may be inspired by the location of the store or the merchandise itself.  For a workplace project, my inspiration might be the heritage of the company.  For this nursery project, we wanted to create a calm and elegant space.  I was inspired by the softness of clouds and the muted blues and lavenders of an evening sky. (<-- Love that)

What considerations did you specifically have to focus on for this project (Colors? Storage? Etc)  This project was in a true Manhattan apartment so space and storage was a big concern.  I needed to make sure that I didn’t fill the room with anything that wasn’t functional.  I searched high and low to find a glider that wasn’t oversized.  This room did not have a closet so I used a towel bar mounted on the underside of a wall shelf to create a clothing rod.

 

What was your overall goal for the project? My main goal was to have a happy client and relieve some of the stress associated with preparing for a new baby.  As an Etsy shop owner, I also wanted to support fellow shop owners by furnishing as much of the nursery as possible with items from Etsy.com.

 If you could colonize and design any of the planets in our solar system, which one would it be? What would be the design concept be? Venus – because it’s warmer there!  I would juxtapose futuristic furniture with old paintings of the Greek goddess, Venus. (<-- Obvi.)

Were there any challenges to this project?  The room was small, there was no closet, and there was a large free-standing air conditioning unit in the corner.  The A/C unit had to stay so I had to find a way to disguise it without blocking the flow of air.  I ended up using a folding screen/room divider which added to the charm of the room.  Also, My client’s due date got pushed up by 3 weeks so time was a concern.  I was in a mad rush at the end to get everything installed by the time my client returned home from the hospital. 

What tips do you have, as a professional, when it comes to clients who would like to design their own spaces like this one?  Don’t limit yourselves to standard children’s furniture and furnishings.  Think outside of the box.  Turn to local flea markets, antiques stores, and sites like etsy.com for one-of-a-kind furnishings.  If you’re on a budget, check ebay.com and craigslist.com first for nursery items – there’s a lot out there. (So true! Design is accessible, people!) Don’t limit yourself to a blue scheme for a boy or a pink scheme for a girl.  This is your baby’s first impression on the world.  Don’t be afraid to make a sophisticated, artsy, or wacky room.  Chose whatever colors and inspiration you like and have fun with your project!  (I love her.)
 

  What is your favorite color, pattern or feature you like to try and implement into a space to give it your signature?  A Louis Ghost Chair (by Philppe Starck for Kartell).  It’s the perfect mix of historical style and modern materials. (Fab.)  For this project I got to use a child-sized Louis Ghost Chair. (Baby fab.)

 What is your favorite candy? Chewy Nerds.  Hands down. (Bet you didn't see that one coming.)
 
By using cool greys, whites and touches of antique shimmer, Lindsay has concieved a really sophisticated baby room, hands down. This is also a great example of how you may think that your space doesnt have the square footage you need to properly execute a design this flawless, but it's all about proper planning. Good luck on your new adventures future mommies and daddies, and make sure to check out Lindsay Macrae's website at www.lindsaymacraeinteriordesign.com for a more detailed glimpse into her portfolio!

homeboy.