18 Feb 2013 Funky Frugal: Haven's nursery
by Tanner Cangelosi
A sweet mama named Ashley Bibby recently contacted me about painting her nursery. It was so unique, and her excitement made me excited!
Ashley is a Conway native. Her husband, Lamar, moved here from El Dorado to attend the University of Central Arkansas. They met at Walmart, went to college together at UCA and were married in 2006.
They recently welcomed baby Haven.
I recently had a chance to ask Ashley about her family and what her tips were for decorating a nursery:
How did you come up with the name Haven?
We actually had a different name picked out for more than four years! We even had the name monogrammed on a diaper bag, but over the years we knew of several people that had named their children something similar.
Once we decided to start a family, we decided to change the name (to the surprise of everyone). We wanted a name that would be unique. After picking out several names, Haven was the only name that we both agreed on, and it seemed to fit the baby perfectly! We later removed the old name from the diaper bag and had it replaced with Haven!
Tell us about the room decor and the inspiration behind it:
We wanted a nursery that would be unique to Haven. Lamar didn’t want an all pink nursery, and I wanted a cozy nursery that would transition with Haven as she grew up.
We picked an eggplant purple for the bedding with a coordinating bird themed crib sheet. We also used small pops of hot pink, silver for the metal finishes and a dark cherry for the wood.
I used the “Daddy, Mommy and Baby Bird” theme from the crib sheet as inspiration for the wall murals. Haven‘s name means “safe place,” and this was coordinated with a nest holding eggs in the wall art as well.
One of our favorite scriptures, Jeremiah 1:5, was also incorporated into the wall art.
Do you have any money-saving tips for someone planning a nursery?
When purchasing furniture make sure that the pieces can be used for the future. Pick gender-neutral, sturdy, quality pieces. Haven’s crib can be converted into a toddler bed and full-size bed.
Instead of purchasing a changing table, I picked a dresser that will transition with each stage of her crib/bed and get many years of use.
Also, quality crib bedding can be expensive, but if you pick the statement pieces only, you can save money. Haven’s bedding came from Restoration Hardware, but I eliminated the crib bumper (which isn’t recommend due to SIDS risk) and purchased my crib sheets from Pottery Barn to save money.
Also, I purchased the crib blanket in toddler size so that it will get some use once the crib is converted into a toddler bed.
What is your favorite thing about Haven’s room?
Lamar and I both have the birth information cards that were placed in our hospital cradles at birth. I had them matted and framed together with a space left to place Haven’s card. I can’t wait to pass the frame on to Haven.
It’s the one thing in her nursery that will hopefully go into her children’s nursery, and she can keep it forever!
