A No-Rules Nursery in the Netherlands

Name:Baby R
Location:Leiden, The Netherlands
Room Size:About 11 square meters

I’ve always been drawn to Dutch and Scandinavian-style spaces. There’s just something about the bright whites, vivid pops of color, and amazing vintage pieces mixed in with the modern decor. Baby R’s nursery is no exception. Fuchsia drapes, bold patterned wallpaper, fabulous frocks, and washi taped walls – this space has it all.

How would you describe the look and feel of this room?
Fun! I wanted the nursery to look colorful and eclectic. Our daughter is a very vibrant and happy girl, and this room really matches her personality. I like lots of bright colors (I think that is a Dutch thing?) and patterns and I prefer to use them all together. There are no rules. I just like to mix and match and see what happens. All the floors in our house are white, so the room still feels very light. Almost all the furniture came from thrift shops. We like the idea of making old furniture beautiful. We have adopted our baby girl, and while waiting for a baby (it took a while for us to become moms) we collected all these nice things: posters and cards that have a special meaning to us, vintage wooden toys, shoes and cute little clothes.

What is your favorite piece or element?
Definitely the crib. We bought it at a thrift shop (for only ten dollars), and it was old fashioned and dark brown, but we saw the potential. Grandpa Z carefully restored it, and now it’s in great shape and it looks so nice. I’m also very happy with the wallpaper. It is very yellow and the busy pattern drives you crazy, but it makes us happy and our baby loves it!

What was the biggest challenge decorating this room?
房间并不大(但交流tually for a Dutch house we call this an okay size). It was quite the challenge to fit all the furniture and to arrange it in a logical way.

What do your friends say about the room?
They say it is so ‘us’, especially the wallpaper. We are a funny and very happy family, and we like lots of colors. Our daughter has a lot of clothes and I like to display them in her room so she can see them. I think you should surround yourself with beautiful things, but that is just a personal choice of course.

Do you have any advice for parents creating a room for their child?
Just start with something you like: a color, fabric or pattern and work from there. We started with the wallpaper for example. And also take your time. It doesn’t have to be perfect right away. You can let a room grow, together with your baby.

If money were no object, what’s your dream source?
Wow, that’s a difficult question. I think if I had a big budget I still would have made the same nursery. Using old (fashioned) furniture just fits us and our vision in life. But still, I think an Eames Plastic Armchair (RAR version, rocking chair) in green or orange would be a great addition to the room.

Thanks, Marieke! Readers, you can see more of Marieke by visiting her blog,PatriciaMariaStudio.

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