There are so many ways to prepare for a new baby’s arrival, but perhaps one of the sweetest is putting together the nursery. From picking out furniture to choosing a color palette, every thoughtful detail is an echo of how loved and anticipated your soon-to-be little one is.
Here, we’re sharing inspiration for a girl’s nursery in Waco, Texas. Designed with both personality and functionality in mind, every detail of this room is magic. Take a look for yourself:
Let's start with a quick introduction. Tell us the facts.
Name: Hannah Ewing
Children: Norah, 18 months
Location: Waco, TX
Solly: What was the look and feel you were going for as you designed the nursery?
My first thought was that I wanted it to feel sweet and girly, but also timeless—something she could grow into. One of my best friends, who has an eye for interiors, was so kind to help me bring it to life. She created three mood boards to help refine my style: Eclectic/Folk, Colorblocked/Mid-Mod, and English Cottage. I was instantly drawn to English Cottage and we went from there!
Solly: Can you share a little bit about the process of putting it together?
We poured so much time into this room, and I had an absolute blast doing it. Our home is mostly neutral, so it was fun to step outside my comfort zone and play with color. I found this deep, purply-pink paint that I was completely obsessed with, and I already had an old Magnolia Home pink rug that matched perfectly—so that became the foundation for the entire room.
Since we live in a two-bedroom house, keeping a guest bed in the nursery was a must. Enter: the daybed of my dreams. It was the perfect addition (bonus: it had a trundle underneath!). We scored it on Facebook Marketplace, but it originally came from Ballard Designs (sadly discontinued). What I didn’t realize was just how much we’d use the daybed every single day—dressing Norah, post-bath lotion lathers, and even the occasional night of sleep while transitioning her to the crib.
The room is a great size, but with two walls mostly made up of windows and the other two having doors, there wasn’t a ton of wall space to work with. Because of that (and to fit the daybed), we went with a smaller dresser. To really bring in that cozy English cottage vibe I was going for, we chose Jenny Lind-style furniture for both the crib and dresser.
When it came to choosing a chair, I turned to my mom friends for advice—and wow, did they have opinions! Recliner? Swivel? Ottoman? Should the ottoman glide? Built-in charging port? The passion for the perfect chair was real, and honestly, I loved hearing everyone's take. After all, you spend so many hours in that chair, so it has to be just right. We ended up going with this glider from Namesake with the matching ottoman, and I love that both the chair and ottoman rock.
I wanted to add a little girly playfulness with scallops, and the bookshelf felt like the perfect spot. The only problem? I couldn’t find what I was envisioning anywhere. So I DIY’d it. I bought simple IKEA shelves, cut them down to size, and found MDF scallops on Etsy to glue onto the front. A fresh coat of paint to match the walls, and they turned out so cute! Quick, easy, and budget-friendly.
And then… the curtains. Ohhh, the curtains. I spent weeks trying to get them right. First, I bought these gorgeous deep golden velvet curtains, but they made the room feel too vintage—not playful enough. So I swapped them for bright yellow ones… too playful. Finally, I found my dream curtains—only to realize they were back-ordered for months. I was venting to my mom (and the best Goldie ever) about it when she said, “Oh honey, we can make those.” And she was so right.
She bought plain white curtains and dyed them a soft, light pink—that part was easy. The hard part was getting the bow colors just right. After a million texts, multiple dye attempts, and an hour-and-a-half drive to Waco to check them in person, they still weren’t right. (I know you’re thinking, Hannah, you’re doing the most. But I was pregnant with a vision and there was no stopping me.) Thankfully, she brought all her supplies with her, so we perfected the formula while she was here. She took them back to Austin to finish the rest, and now, they are perfect. A true labor of love, and the sweetest detail knowing Norah’s Goldie made them just for her. 🥹
Solly: Did you add or change anything once your little gal arrived?
I’m always a bit stuck when it comes to wall art, and it wasn’t until Norah arrived that we finally hung a few things up. I had ordered the sweetest little pennant to hang above her crib, and then I put together a gallery wall with art I’d created and collected over the years. A little later, I DIY’d bobbin frames to add a bit more playful charm to the space.
Solly: Favorite thing about the nursery?
Oh my goodness, how do I even pick just one favorite?! I think it has to be the way the morning light would fill the room. Before Norah was born, I’d sit in there in the mornings just to soak it all in. And of course, after she arrived, it quickly became our most frequented and favorite room in the house.
This was our first home, and we had dreams of starting our family there. We renovated it in 2020 (you can actually watch the process on Magnolia Network’s First Time Fixer), and I remember saying in the episode how excited we were to grow our family in that little house. Four years later, we did just that. The nursery was the realization of so many dreams—both big and small—just like the little girl it was created for. When we sold that house, leaving that room behind was emotional. It held so much love and so many memories, and I’ll cherish it forever.
