Home: Nursery Rhyme Time

Tiny space, big ideas: A former office in a Denver Victorian becomes a charming nursery, thanks to designer Angela Ireland.

Stylish pink Nursery with a lamb stuffed animal in the crib.
Courtesy Malvitz Photography

It all started with a fairy. That was the takeoff point for Angela Ireland when the owners of a Victorian in downtown Denver, whose main floor she was already redesigning, told her they were pregnant and would need her help with a new upstairs nursery, too.

“They knew they were having a baby girl,” she recalls. “I have two young boys, so I was super-excited to do a girl’s nursery. She had already bought the black-and-white fairy that you can see on one wall, and her only other request was that we include a pink-coral color. Other than that, it was like, ‘Go for it.’ ”

Nursery window, crib, and ceiling light.
Courtesy Malvitz Photography

The biggest challenge: The room’s small dimensions and lack of a closet. “I needed the space, first and foremost, to be functional, and second to be pretty,” says Ireland, who knew she’d need to fit in a crib, changing table, armoire, and cushy chair. She started by making an unusual decision: placing the charcoal-gray Hudson crib (from Babyletto) in the center of the room, grounded by a fuzzy rug (from Home Goods) and adorned in sweet bedding from Carousel Designs. A matching changing table (also from Babyletto) was upgraded with a quick change-up of the hardware. The crib sits squarely under a subtly glam Shadwell fourlight chandelier from Wayfair, meant to both make a statement and entertain the baby, just as a mobile might.

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Stylish nursery with wall art
Courtesy Malvitz Photography

In the corner, Ireland placed a rocking, upholstered swivel chair from Overstock next to a small table, for days and nights feeding the baby. The pieces sit under a quartet of framed art that picks up the salmon color of the Bed, Bath and Beyond curtains. “Because they were on a tight budget, I picked up four photo frames and used a roll of colorful wrapping paper to fill the interiors. In the future, they can fill the frames with photos.”

Wall art and shelves of the nursery.
Courtesy Malvitz Photography

The other pieces of art in the room—framed butterflies over the changing table and a large abstract print with salmon highlights—are striking but equally cost effective, also coming from Home Goods. The salmon painting tops a pair of shallow white shelves, meant to hold books, photos, and knick-knacks.

“It’s such an exciting time in your life when you have a child,” says Ireland, “and being able to create a nursery like this gets you as parents even more excited. It’s a way to welcome your child into your home in a way that’s really meaningful.”

Angela Ireland Interiors
970.402.7788