Color and Pattern Play in a Happy New Nursery

Lani Zervas relied on love and luck to design daughter Daphne's nursery, choosing everything from paint color to pillows based on instant attraction. For some of us, this technique would end in a Technicolor mishmash. But somehow Zervas' cheerful pear green walls, pom-pom mobile, antique furniture and playful patterns looks just right. "I'm kind of crazy when it comes to putting things together," says Zervas, who lives in Milton, Massachusetts. "I have no real rhyme or reason, but I know it'll work out in the end somehow."

Photography: Jessica Delaney

A downstairs room with beautiful original windows proved to be the perfect spot for a nursery in Zervas' Tudor home. Sunshine fills the space during the day, creating a bright and happy space.

Zervas, shown here, started decorating as soon as she moved in, initially designing the room as a unisex space. But when she found out she was having a girl, she picked out a few accessories for a slightly more feminine look. "I was a tomboy growing up, though," she says. "I have a feeling my daughter will be too."

Crib, dresser: Mid Century, Dwell Studio; rug: HomeGoods; wall paint: Pear Green, Benjamin Moore; mini Ghost Chair: Kartell; sheepskin, bookshelves: Ikea; giraffe pillow: Jonathan Adler


The room's color came long before the baby. "I like to be decisive about my colors," Zervas says. A quick trip to the hardware store after moving into her Tudor resulted in the color palette for the entire house — this pear green suits the rest of the downstairs, too.


After painting the room, Zervas bought the two biggest and most expensive items: a crib and dresser from Dwell Studio. Although she lives in a Tudor, she wanted some modern furniture for an eclectic interior. "Everything in our house is kind of a random mix of old and new," she says.

Basinette: Ninna Nanna, Monte Design; toy bins: Dwell Studio; curtains: DKNY via HomeGoods; crib bedding: Udaiper Crib Set, Aden and Anais; girl mirror: Jonathan Adler


A plush glider (enjoyed here by Ty, Zervas' Chihuahua) was a must-have. Zervas loved the idea of an old wooden rocker, but comfort won out.

The framed portrait is a pastel of Zervas that her grandmother drew when she was a toddler. "I knew I'd frame this for the nursery, regardless of the baby's gender," she says.

Chair: Chevron, Land of Nod; orange pillow, side table, lamp: HomeGoods


France plays an important role in Zervas' life — she and her husband take a trip there every year — so she wanted the room to hint at her love of French culture. Several Etsy prints above the crib (including this "Je ne sais quoi" poster) playfully pay tribute to the family's love of all things French.

Felt dogs shaped to look like Zervas' two dogs hang among soft pom-poms on the custom mobile above the crib.

French prints: Sycamore Street Press; mobile: Sheep Creek Needlecraft


Near the closet, an embroidered chair from an auction house is another eclectic element. "Even though I bought a lot of very midcentury-looking pieces, I knew I wanted other things to be quirky and kind of balance it all out," says Zervas. "I hate being too genre-specific."

Shelves: West Elm; chair: Skinner Auctioneers and Appraisers


Zervas' intuitive approach to design has resulted in a nursery that feels genuine, simply like home.

French bulldog drawing: Sycamore Street Press

More: Oh Baby! 12 Ideas to Get a Chic Nursery Rolling

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