When we found out we were having a girl for our second, I was instantly obsessed with all things girly. I think I was planning Goldie’s nursery before we ever left the ultrasound room! One thing I knew: I had to keep myself in check. Because I could already see how easy it would be for me to go waaaaaaaaaay overboard in terms of how much money I’d be spending to make this little dream nursery happen.
With some bargain finds, DIY projects, and some amazingly generous friends and family, we were able to put together this pretty little space for my pretty little girl. I’m thrilled with how it all turned out and I’m even more excited that we didn’t break the bank to make it happen.
I’m so excited to share it with you guys, and have detailed a few ways we were able to save some money along the way. Lots of items in the room were either gifted, thrifted, or crafted; but I’ve linked to similar, affordable items. Some of the items were also seasonal finds (hello summertime flamingos!), but luckily Amazon knows no seasons! So I’ve also linked those similar items for you as well.
Tips for Decorating a Nursery on a Budget
It’s sooooo easy to get tunnel vision when you’ve envisioned your dream nursery, and you just want to make it happen…at any cost! But at the end of the day, it’s just a room. And it’s just stuff. And the “newness” will wear off, and you’ll be left wondering why you spent so much money on something that doesn’t seem like a big deal anymore. So to avoid decorator’s remorse, remember these tips:
- Shop your home. You probably already have a few items that would go great in your nursery…right in your home! Look around and see what you already have. This is especially true for making a gallery wall, which can be put together using just about anything.
- Shop the sales. This is ESPECIALLY true for Hobby Lobby! They have a very predictable sale pattern in which each department’s items ususally go on sale every 2-3 weeks…most of the time 50% off! So if you see some HL decor that you love, do NOT pay full price! I repeat….do not pay full price! Scout the ads and wait a couple of weeks until it’s half the price.
- Accept gifts. If someone wants to throw you a baby shower….let them! If people are asking if you have a baby registry, register! It doesn’t matter if it’s your first kid or your fourth. If friends and family are offering, it’s because they want to…and there’s no need to feel bad about it. You may not feel comfortable registering for nursery decor, but definitely add bedding, changing pad covers, or other nursery “necessities”. The fun patterns can add alot to the room, and it’s something the baby will use.
- DIY. This may not be for everyone, but don’t be afraid to make some stuff yourself. Or if you have a friend or family member who can sew, ask them if they’ll sew some items for the nursery if you provide the fabric. DIY can also literally mean spray painting dollar store frames and slapping a free printable from Pinterest in there.
Goldie’s Floral and Flamingo Nursery
I snagged this dresser up at our local Goodwill for only $55 (whoop whoop!), and I used Annie Sloan’s Antoinette chalk paint to paint it this pinkish/lavendery color. [You can see before pictures on my Instagram.] In case you don’t know…Annie Sloan paint ain’t cheap, and it seriously hurt me to spend $50 on a quart of paint, especially when I’m used to buying more affordable chalk paint. BUT, Annie Sloan had the color I wanted…and I was SET on using it (see?? total tunnel vision!). In hindsight, I wish I wouldn’t have spent that much because the paint color turned out just “okay”. If I were to do it again, I’d definitely try to find a color I liked in a much more affordable brand.
To see how to complete a project like this quickly, check out my Busy Gal’s Guide to Chalk Paint.
wire heart | gold mirror | big flamingo | paper flower
I’m a sucker for a good gallery wall, and I especially love this one because it did not cost a dime to put together. Everything on the wall was either gifted, crafted, or shopped for in my home….which is the whole point of a gallery wall, amiright?
You can find the floral G and paper flower tutorials here. My mom made these, and they turned out soooo cute! But, if DIY isn’t yo thang you can find something similar linked above.
changing pad | clothes hamper | rolling cart
Both the changing pad and the gold polka dot hamper are from Target, and they have the most adorable nursery patterns! If you’re wondering what’s up with that random rolling cart, you’re probably gonna wanna check out this post. I’ll put it to you this way: it basically saved my life (and sanity) the first 6 weeks of newborn life.
lamp | “diaper caddy” | wipe basket
I snagged that lamp up for $30 at Ross (don’t they have the best decor, though?), and although it was a little more than I wanted to spend I decided to go for it. No regrets! I wanted something that was versatile and could be used in other rooms of the house if I ever decided to steal move it to another part of the house later on. I’ve linked to another gold lamp (which was my next choice) here. Just remember to take advantage of Hobby Lobby’s 50% discount when their lamps go on sale.
The “diaper caddy” is actually a fruit basket I bought at Ross for $10. It’s perfect for keeping those diaper essentials right at arm’s length.
glider | flamingo pillow | pom pom mobile
I was pumped to snag this glider for FORTY DOLLARS on Facebook Marketplace. It was practically brand new, and it came with an extra seat cushion. I have to say, compared to the glider rocker I have in my son’s room, this one is sooooooo comfy! The flamingo pillow was sewn by my mom, but here is an adorable (and cheap…hello!) one on Amazon that would be just perfect. This mobile was also made by my mom…y’all, how lucky am I? Amazon has something similar, and soooo cute!
bookshelf | picture frame | flamingo | baskets | swaddles
That white bookshelf may have only been $20 from Target (which they no longer carry), but I love the way the flamingo fabric makes it look. And that was so easy to do ya’ll…I literally just stapled it to the cardboard backing.
The gold wire baskets are from Walmart: they came in a 2 pack for $3…making each one only $1.50. They’re perfect for displaying all of the cute bedding, swaddles, and blankets she has instead of hiding them in a drawer.
wall shelf
So this white shelf had been tossed away in the back of our attic and hadn’t been used since it was in my room as a little girl. Oh yeah, and it used to be brown. I painted it with white chalk paint (a cheaper brand this time!), and honestly didn’t even bother waxing it since I don’t expect it to get much wear and tear. Here’s a hanging shelf that I had my eye on before I decided to fix this one up.
The wire baskets were from the Target Dollar Spot and are currently holding her bows, headbands, and hats.
curtains | ribbon banner | wall decals
So, these curtains were $50 at Target, and honestly….I did NOT want to pay it. I stalked these curtains for months, waiting for them to go on sale, and they never did. I finally just bought them, and y’all….these curtains are amazing! They are so thick, and they really do block out almost 100% of the light.
The ribbon banner was a DIY project, but I gotta be honest-the work:reward ratio was a liiiiitle off. This one at Hobby Lobby is just as cute, and it’s the same price I paid in materials for the DIY version…cheaper if you get it 50% off!
crib | crib skirt | sheet | blanket
I chose to go the thriftier route and buy just the crib sheet and crib skirt separately, rather than the whole bedding set….which saved me about $45! But of course, I had to go ahead and get the matching blanket for those newborn snuggles.
As much fun as I had with her nursery, you know Goldie didn’t sleep in there a day before she was 4 months old! It just goes to show, elaborate nurseries are really more for the parent, right?
Rachel says
Hi! Where did you get or how did you make the circle banner above dresser? I love it all 🙂
Her Happy Home says
Thank you Rachel! The circle banner was used for my baby shower decorations, and I decided to use it in the nursery! I think it was from Hobby Lobby, but that was also 3 years ago.
Anonymous says
Hi, Amanda. I just discovered your blog and was perusing this nursery post. If your daughter still has this nursery/room (I think I saw in a comment above that you’ve since moved), this handmade flamingo cuddly would be perfect (and the company supports a great cause): https://ca.cuddleandkind.com/collections/hand-knit-dolls/products/penelope-the-flamingo
Jill says
So cute! One thing I’ve discovered is if you like a paint color by one brand, but want to buy the paint in another brand, paint stores will mix that color—they can look up the formula.
Amber says
What color are the walls?!
Her Happy Home says
Oh, I wish I could tell you! They were painted by the previous owners of the home.
Jamie says
What’s the wall color?!
Her Happy Home says
Hi Jamie! Unfortunately I don’t have the name of the paint color. The house was painted by the previous owners and we’ve since moved out…so I can’t even get you a match! So sorry!
Mallory says
Our daughter’s nursery is tropical- flamingos, some pineapples and the tropical leaves! Thank you for sharing!!!
Her Happy Home says
Her nursery sounds beautiful!
Irena says
Your nursery is sooo beautiful and I love all the little details! And many thanks for including our DIY paper rose, your mom is a great crafter for sure! xx
amanda.m.seamans says
Thank you so much! She’s pretty amazing. Love the addition it adds to our gallery wall!
Gina says
This is exactly my daughters nursery! This Cloud Island floral with gold accents and flamingos!! I love it!! I also did a coupe of DIY like a flower chandellier for above a chair.
amanda.m.seamans says
That is too funny! Great minds think alike. 😉 I’d love to see a picture of yours!
Jamie Schepp says
What color paint are the walls?! It’s amazing!
amanda.m.seamans says
Thank you! I wish I could take credit, but the walls were this color when we moved in! The previous owners had good taste 🤪