Tiny Little Pads

It's surreal. Opulent. A child's wonderland capable of whisking someone back to their own days of innocence, when fairytales were truths, and ideas were larger-than-life.

Nahla's nursery design started when I found the Wynn-like butterfly fabric I had envisioned for the feature wall. It wasn't the typical nursery fabric and could easily have been used in any other room in my house. With an array of soft, yet saturated colors, it had the sophisticated design I was looking for. I knew this wall would be the most important element of her nursery.

With the upholstered wall concept finalized, I went on to design the ceiling. I find that the ceiling is often neglected in homes, yet this is an excellent way of adding that little extra to your nursery.

I'll let you in on a secret -- when working with interiors of casinos, the ceiling design is one of the most important elements. We spent a tremendous amount of time on the ceiling design on the hospitality design projects I used to work on. So next time you go into one of the big casinos on The Strip, look up! There's an entire new world to discover.

Anyhow, with nearly a decade in hospitality design, I just had to have a unique ceiling in the nursery.

I designed the stunning faux carousel canopy centered around the chandelier in the room. The colors all came from the butterfly fabric. The design had been in my head since my first visit at Wynn Las Vegas when I saw all the amazing umbrellas hanging in the ceiling.

Trick of the trade: Simply bring a cutting from one of your key fabrics, bedding or accent pillows to your local paint store and you will never go wrong with selecting a color for your little one's room. This is an ideal way of selecting your paint colors, because designers have already gone through the thoughtful process of combining the right colors for you.

The next step was to find a crib to compliment the upholstered butterfly wall and colorful ceiling. The crib is typically the first element I select when putting together a nursery design, but not this time. The nursery design now lent itself to a fairly ornate crib. I landed on a grand, all-wood crib in an eggshell color. It added that Wynn elegance I was looking for.

With the main ingredients picked out, it was time to select the additional furniture pieces. In true Tiny Little Pads fashion, I opted to mix old and new. I love this combination because it adds soul to the space. The little chairs and table in the middle of her room were found in an antique mall and add something special to the design and won't be found in the children's rooms next door.

To me, this is one of the most important factors as to why you should hire an interior designer -- we actually do think about it all.

Another vintage piece I added was the adorable table by the window. It's a rolling teacart that I used to have in my living room! If you look around in your own home, there are so many hidden gems to be found -- it's all about giving them a "second look." These items add a little flair and sophistication to your nursery, plus a touch of the parents' personalities to the new baby's room. The best part? When it comes time to move on to a toddler room, you put it back in your living room and it's like having a brand new piece of furniture.

As a high-end interior designer, custom furniture, bedding and drapery are essential. Custom items are a special addition to a room because they are uniquely yours.

For Nahla's nursery, I designed a gorgeous over-sized nursing chair to match the upholstered wall. I also went a step further and created a matching Victorian toddler chair, another vintage find I had reupholstered. And, instead of the typical toy box, I opted for a round tufted ottoman, a safe option in the early days when stumbles are bound to happen.

The silk drapery panels with cute pom pom tassels were my custom design, too. I designed them with a blackout liner to allow for better sleep, especially during nap time.

To accessorize, I took advantage of the fact that Nahla wouldn't be moving around for quite a few months. I added -- what I like to call -- inappropriate accessories. I love doing this since it's the only time to mix valuable (and breakable) items with a child. With these little touches, I created a special dream world not only for Nahla, but also for us, complete with that glass teacart, vintage china, embossed glass vases and fresh flowers. I also added these beautiful hanging lanterns by her crib to serve not only as décor, but also as night lights with faux candles inside.

To finish Nahla’s nursery design, I added a cute little chandelier with exposed bulbs, some new knobs on her changing table, a shag rug, some of my favorite baby products and last but not least, some fun colorful toys and books to bring it all together.

Stay tuned for Tiny Little Pads next reveal!