When I was expecting my first baby, I spent months researching nursery products, convinced that if I found just the right things, I'd feel prepared for motherhood. Like many first-time parents, I equated preparation with accumulation.

By the time my second pregnancy came around, my perspective had changed completely. What I wanted most wasn't more gear. It was less mental clutter—and, by extension, fewer things to keep track of.

This mindset shift was informed by the dramatic difference in my parenting approach that took place in the pivotal space between reading the baby books and actually birthing a living, breathing, grunting and hungry baby. Case in point: the solid birch crib complete with toddler bed conversion kit that sat largely unused in the middle of my daughter's nursery. Perhaps most surprisingly to me, we became a co-sleeping family in the first months and used it for little more than occasional naps. 

So, instead of filling my new son's room with things, I used my lived-in knowledge of what truly matters. Which, it turns out, wasn't very much. Instead of asking, "What else do we need?" I found myself asking, "What can we live without?"

The result is a room that feels calmer, simpler, and far more functional for our family. Below is a tour of the nursery by zone, along with the pieces we reach for most often and the small decisions that have helped create a space that feels peaceful, practical, and lived in.

The Floor Bed

After an initial period with a bedside sleeper, we removed our queen size bed frame and graduated to a floor bed. To the uninitiated, this is simply a mattress on the ground, which is safest for co-sleeping.

Beyond the safety considerations and Montessori philosophy, I came to appreciate how visually quiet a floor bed feels. Because the bed itself is so simple, the materials become more important. Soft natural bedding, a favorite blanket, and a few thoughtfully chosen textures create warmth without visual clutter.

• Babybay Bedside Bassinet
• Organic Cotton Sheets from Boll & Branch
• Down-filled duvet and pillows from Boll & Branch
• Our favorite family cuddle blanket from AU Baby
• Natural fiber sheepskin stuffies

The Bedside Table

Because this is also my bedroom after all, I love having my essential items close at hand (and out of sight in a drawer). This includes my eye mask, earplugs, current read and favorite red reading light.  

What makes this table unique is what's not on it. I no longer keep my phone in the bedroom, we don't use a baby monitor, and there's not even a clock. Instead we have a soothing white noise machine and a small lamp with a pink salt lightbulb. That's it.

• RH Callum Nightstand
• My sleep essentials
• White noise machine
• Pink salt light bulb

The Rocking Chair

After two kids I can safely say a rocking chair really is invaluable in a nursery. Bedtime stories, contact naps, sick days, early mornings...so many of the coziest (and most challenging) moments I remember most happened in that chair. 

We opted to invest in a chic, well made rocker that would suit any room after the babies are grown. A comfortable chair draped with a blanket is infinitely more valuable than a perfectly styled corner that never gets used. Additionally, the ottoman can do double duty as a newly postpartum pumping station. Simply move it close to the bed and top with a tray to hold all the pump parts, nursing pads, nipple cream, water bottle and snacks that come with those blurry early weeks. If budget is a concern, I caught wind of a tip on Reddit suggesting a portable camping rocking chair - genius.

• Linen Rocking Chair and Ottoman from Monte
• Personalized Cuddle Blanket from AU Baby

The Bookcase

We chose a simple bedroom set from RH that matches my daughter's in the hope they can blend together and share as their needs evolve over time. It's GREENGUARD Gold certified, which is the safety seal I look for most in wooden furniture because it limits formaldehyde and VOC emissions to a very low (and strict) threshold.

I'll be honest, I had no idea how to style this bookcase for the few first months of my son's life. A quick trip to Pinterest helped immensely and I learned to make little clusters of books and toys to beautifully style his tiny things. 

Like everything else in the nursery, I prefer keeping it simple. A curated collection of well-loved books often feels calmer and more inviting than shelves packed from edge to edge.

• RH Callum bookcase in Weathered White

The Dresser & Changing Table

This area became even more Spartan as my son's grasping hands kept pulling on the framed artwork above the table during every diaper change. Eventually, we just had to remove it! A simple dresser topped with a changing pad keeps essentials close at hand without introducing another large piece of furniture into the space. Diapers, pajamas, baby clothing, and blankets all have a home, while the room itself remains visually calm. Drawer organizers are an absolute must.

• RH Callum Dresser & Topper Set
• Naturpedic organic changing pad
• Organic cotton changing cover from Pottery Barn Kids
• Coterie diapers
• Primally Pure baby skincare essentials
• Healthy Baby zinc diaper cream
• Sleepy spray and tummy oil
• A basket for diapering essentials
• Drawer organizers

The Open Space

Perhaps the most important element in the room isn't a piece of furniture at all. It's the breathing room between objects - the space to just be. 

We often think of design as the process of adding things, but some of the most peaceful rooms are created through thoughtful editing. After mood boarding several framed print options, I realized our hand-painted rainbow mural did enough colorful, joyful lift in the art department. If you're interested in how to approach a wall design of your own, we shared a how to guide as one of our first journal entries.

Babies don't need perfectly designed spaces. They need safe, comfortable ones that provide room to sleep, grow, play, and that eventually become a space of their own. Looking back, the most meaningful part of this nursery isn't anything we bought. It's the space we intentionally left empty.

Take the Nursery Tour

Prefer to see the room in motion? Watch the nursery tour below.