Nursery know-how

Southern Living, Oct 2003 by Lynn, Sandra Allen

These parents dreamed up an imaginative room.

Henry Matthew Gage has creative parents. Kathryn, an artist, and Matt, an archeologist and woodworker, did most of the handiwork you see in their son's nursery. Inspired by the twig bed and an alphabet fabric, Kathryn and Matt had lots of fun putting the room together.

Kathryn mixed fabrics and drew the designs for the linens. Bumper pads are two-toned-the outside is a white cotton matelasse and a red-check fabric faces inside the crib. Ties are fashioned from the alphabet print that is also gathered into a full skirt for the crib. The red check is repeated as a panel along the bottom of the skirt. A crisp ecru crib sheet shows off a bright red monogram. A wooden mobile fabricated by Matt and painted by Kathryn hangs over the crib.

For the twin bed, Kathryn used the check to fashion the bed skirt and the underside of the coverlet. The top of the coverlet was made from the white matelasse piped in the check. The alphabet print was sewn into a blanket that lays across the end of the bed. Red rickrack gives special treatment to the plain sheets and pillowcases. One large square pillow combines the red and white with a touch of moss green for a geometric design.

With only a small room to work with, Kathryn had to develop some creative organizing and storage ideas. She found a small armoire at a garage sale that was an ideal closet for baby clothes and blankets. She stripped the armoire, removed the original mirror panels, and inserted wire mesh in the doors. The red-check fabric was gathered and mounted into the panels for a softer look and a punch of color. A small cupboard beside the crib houses books. Kathryn tacked a fabric organizer to the inside of the door for additional storage of baby essentials.

On top of the cupboard are simple bookends constructed by Matt and decorated with antique cars. The couple finished the room with framed black-and-white childhood photos of themselves and family members.

SANDRA ALLEN LYNN