Carly Cardellino knew that she wanted to get Sandro’s bedroom done first when she moved from Manhattan to Westchester with Giovanni Vaccaro, her husband, and Delfina. Woman was pregnant at the time and was running out of time so she enlisted the assistance of her friend, an interior designer. Emily and Carly worked well together, Emily helping Carly bring her vision to life and pushing her beyond her comfort zone in design. Wolowitz says that Carly is a creative, fun and imaginative person. “She was an ideal client. She had great ideas and wasn’t afraid of taking risks. Their designer-client collaboration led to a room that was loved by both of them. Below Carly and Emily share their design choices as well as the top tips for designing a nursery.
The safari wallpaper
It was the inspiration for the design elements in the nursery. Emily says, “We looked at the wallpaper to determine a few colors we were going to pull from there.” Carly was drawn to cream, blue and green. Those three colors helped create a color story that linked all the items in the space.
While the animal print is very youthful and playful, making it great for a nursery, Emily mentions that the level of craftsmanship also makes it feel very sophisticated. As Sandro grows older and the crib is taken out of the room you can put a “big-kid” bed in it and still make it feel cool.
Use Social Media for Inspiration
Carly says that they would save photos of items we liked and then send them back. Emily adds that she enjoys following other designers to see which brands they work with. “I feel like there are endless opportunities and that everything design-wise is at your disposal.
One of those special pieces the two found on Instagram was a green Chevron-printed lamp that sits on top of Sandro’s bookshelf. It was a little trouble for Carly, as it required an EU plug.
Don’t Get Too Matchy-Matchy
“I wasn’t looking to get a wood dresser,” says Carly. “I was looking for light grey options to match my crib.” Emily was the one who recommended against matching materials. She says, “When you enter a room, your eyes should immediately wander.” So we have stripes, boucles on the rocking chairs, and the natural texture of the wooden dresser. All these textures will make your eyes more interested in what they are seeing. “If everything is the same or you buy a set, then you have seen all of them.”
Invest in a Few Long-Term Items
Yes, Emily admits that a crib is in this group. “It’s not a forever piece for your room,” she says. It’s not something you want to spend a lot of money on.
For Sandro’s room, the big investments were the wallpaper, the carpet, and the custom window treatments. They were more sophisticated with everything else and bought pieces from Urban Outfitters as well as Target.
