Italian Inspiration for Newborns
If you have a little one on the way, consider taking inspiration from two of the enchanting places in Italy when decorating your baby’s nursery: Tuscany and Venice!
A nursery inspired by the hillside towns and countryside landscape of Tuscany is the perfect haven to relax with your baby. Tuscan homes tend to be furnished and decorated with natural materials like wood and pure cotton. For a bed, choose a rich walnut sleigh crib. If you are crafty, you might consider giving furniture hand me downs a new look with an antique paint treatment.
Choose colors that are soft and soothing. Paint the walls in colors such as yellow, sage green, lavender or cream. A mural or “fresco” can be commissioned for the walls or if you are creative, you can paint it yourself. Create a scene from Tuscany complete with mysterious cypress trees, a stone farmhouse, a vegetable patch and baby animals.
Italian designed nursery
For luxurious and authentic Italian baby linens, Sferra makes beautiful white embroidered duvet covers, sheets, and pillow shams. The “Wooly Sheep” style features embroidered lambs frolicking among fields of grass and daisies. For a sweet and feminine nursery, the style “Annie Smocking” is a charming and classic choice with hand-smocked and hand embroidered lattice of soft blue or pale pink and delicate rosebuds scattered throughout the quilt. The simple “Dots” pattern, composed of embroidered satin stitched dots with an “oval” frame in the middle for a monogram is Sferra’s best selling design. Each of Sferra’s quilts and pillow shams can be monogrammed with your choice of a 3 letter initial, first name, full name, birth date and weight. The high end Italian line also makes cashmere baby blankets perfect for snuggling under.
Accessories are important for giving your baby’s room a complete look. Shop at flea markets or an estate sale one weekend to find a small antique crystal chandelier or a rustic wrought iron chandelier for the ceiling. Tie sprigs of dried lavender and attach on the wall or stash scented sachets in the dresser drawers. Store diapers and folded towels in woven baskets. Hang pretty handmade butterflies or honeybees from the ceiling with clear fishing thread.
Venetian Fantasy:
There is no city in the world like Venice and the splendid palazzos on the Grand Canal. In your baby’s room, you want to capture some of the drama, opulence, and splendor of Venice. A suitable crib for such a decadent room would be a 4-poster wrought iron crib. Don’t be shy when it comes to selecting colors for your baby’s nursery. Picking a color that isn’t common in a nursery will make a statement and wow visitors. Imagine emerald green, deep red, eggplant purple, or royal blue.
Pair sumptuous velvet and silk together for the baby linens. For pure luxury, www.JenKlairKids.com has bedding by an LA designer who imported faux fur from Italy. Stick with cotton sheets and blankets for practical reasons. This nursery is anything but juvenile, but remember, you will spend most of your time in the room feeding and playing with your newborn so it should suit your tastes too.
Have fun with a wall mural. Venice is a land made of children’s fantasies: the speedboats, the canals, the gondoliers, and the Rialto bride!
An old world nautical theme is adorable for a little boy’s room. For bedding, select an ensemble with anchors or boats stitched on, available at www.poshtots.com. Frame colorful antique maps or photos of Venice and hang them on the walls.
For lighting, a glass Murano chandelier is an obvious choice. You can find Murano chandeliers that have clean lines and a modern design or ones that are very intricate and fancy. Display Venetian puppets and animal masks in the room.
These online retailers feature stylish Italian baby nursery furniture, bedding, and accessories:
By Meredith Paslawsky
