When we were getting our nursery ready I really wanted to create a space with a lot of neutral colors and pieces. We also wanted the main staple pieces and fixtures to be in neutral colors so that they could function for multiple kiddos too if our family grows. The best way I found to describe the room was dubing it a muted, or subtle jungle themed nursery. I love a neutral nursery because it's easy to update and decorate for different seasons. Decorating for fall and Christmas are probably my favorite!
I also was obsessed with this lion rocking toy and a wicker hippo basket we found, so, I used those as the main focal points to lean into the jungle or safari themed nursery.
More Kiddo Inspiration
- My Nursery Accent Wall-Using a Floral Wall Stencil
- Our Kiddo Easter Book Display
- Make a Kids Nativity Set
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This room had previously been my office, but it's the closest room to our primary bedroom so it made the most sense to turn into a nursery. Less steps to take at 3am can make a big difference!
The first thing we did was paint the room entirely white. I went with a pretty non-tinted white so the trim pulls a little more ivory/warm. It's the same white we used in the guest bathroom. Picking white paint can be daunting! But I wanted the trim to pull a little warmer because we were going with pretty neutral wood tones in other spots. Then we swapped the light fixture, it's actually a chandelier that we just didn't include the extension piece on! The chair and ottoman were a gift from my bosses, so sweet! It's the perfect size and I have the feeling it will be moving to my bedroom once the room is no longer a safari themed nursery.
I fell in love with this neutral jungle animals mobile. When I was putting his safari nursery together it was definitely top of the mood board! It was sold out for a while so I waited and waited and eventually found it on ebay. Facebook Marketplace and ebay are such great resources!
Looking for more kiddo content? Check out these posts!
- My GB Pockit Stroller
- Our Kiddo Easter Book Display
- The Cutest Easter Pajamas
- Valentine's Day Pajamas for the Family
The wicker hippo was one of the key pieces that gives the nursery a safari nursery feel or vibe. I filled it with toys that I had as a kiddo growing up, and now I can't help but smile when he grabs a toy from it! Nostalgic pieces are the best too.
The goal was to create a somewhat jungle nursery that would be calm, cozy and fun to be in. In the first year with a baby you are in that room a lot! One of my favorite parts of the room is the dresser. This dresser belonged to my grandpa and has been 3-4 different colors since it's belonged to me, now it's the perfect green for our safari nursery! It has a lot of sentimental value and I'm so happy my son will grow up with it. We kept the original knobs on the bottom two shelves and painted them green, then swapped the top drawers for a natural wood knob to match other parts of the room.
For art we picked some Bible verse prints from Etsy and used Ikea frames. These are verses that I want to be praying over him his entire life, so having them on the wall while I'm rocking him is the perfect spot for the reminder. I never want to take for granted the gift he is, and want to carry the responsibility of being his parent with grace. Hanging frames can be daunting- Mel shared all her tips for hanging frames and it's a huge help!
When we were trying to find a changing table I kept coming back to this bookcase one. I am really glad we went in this direction! Half the time in our house diaper changes take place on the living room floor. So once he outgrew the changing table pad we could easily make it his bookcase. I love making seasonal changes to his bookshelves! And for the subtle safari theme we added an animal puzzle and animal bookends. I think his fall and holiday set ups are my favorites, but we're adding more books every year. I think Valentine's will soon be right up there too! Anyone else have a Little Blue Truck fan in their house?
The curtains are the pom curtains from Anthropologie, Elsie recommends them and I'm so glad she introduced me to them! His little lion will be so fun as he gets older! The mirror was the perfect size to make faces in after diaper changes.
Thanks for letting me show you around our safari nursery! I had so much fun creating this subtle safari themed space for my son! xoxo, Claire
Additional Sources: Crib, lion face crib sheet, name puzzle
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