When Amanda Dawbarn and her husband Tim, the co-founders and creative directors of 100 Layer Cake and 100 Layer Cakelet, began designing a nursery to accommodate their growing family, they knew they wanted a modern, bespoke space. Judging by the photos below, they did a great job. The serene, tranquil space Dawbarn created with her husband is filled with natural light, neutral colors, and artistic touches.
As with most home renovations, things went differently than planned. She explained that her son Brooks’s bedroom design was an absolute joy, even though it was under construction for seven months while I was pregnant and when Brooks was a baby. She added, “Fortunately, newborns can sleep in their parents’ room. He was able to stay with us as construction on the opposite side of the home was completed.” Once he turned four months, the construction was finished, and we began putting together his nursery. She confessed that she collected pieces during her pregnancy without a solid plan. “I just hoped it would all come together!”
Continue to stroll and step into the peaceful space Dawbarn designed with her husband for their son. This neutral nursery tour may convince you to abandon color in your space.
Dawbarn and her husband wanted to create a calm and relaxing room with clean, modern lines and textures and an homage to the California beach culture.
The couple renovated their home to ensure the natural light flooded the space. Dawbarn revealed that they replaced a wide, high window with a vertical one and added French oak hardwood flooring, baseboards, and wide plank French oak hardwood flooring in the nursery.
Dawbarn’s style, which she describes as “relaxed and warm with a touch of midcentury modern and California craft,” was reflected in her design choices, including the color scheme and furniture.
She explained, “I am drawn to earthy colors with a simple palette and textures.” A neutral color palette dominates the nursery, but it has exciting textiles like this terracotta planter that add texture to the room.
Dawbarn’s husband played an important role in realizing their vision of a peaceful space. Dawbarn explained that her husband had made the toy bench from some plywood. We both love to make things, and I am glad that we were able to work together on something for his bedroom.
Dawbarn said, “We had a local Niknikstudio create a custom hanging above Brooks’s mattress, using wood and apricot-colored yarn. This influenced the other colors that we brought into the room.” We wanted to create a neutral background for his colorful toys.
The couple had already established a color palette, but the room started to take shape once they purchased the larger pieces of furniture. The first two pieces were the bed (from a local L.A. firm) and the Oeuf dressing table. From there, Dawbarn explained to MyDomaine.
Dawbarn confessed, “Our biggest challenge involved balancing neutral, simple, colorful, and fun.”
The most beautiful pieces that the couple has chosen for their space are also the most artistic. Dawbarn said, “The Niknikstudio hanging above his bed and his brass Electric Sun Creatives Mobile are some of my favorite pieces in the room.” She gushed, “But I also love his maple crib.”
Dawbarn said, “I have always loved the textiles of Caroline Z Hurley, and I was lucky that we included one of her pillows and quilts.” “Her textiles are a neutral aesthetic that gets better over time.”
Dawbarn loves the feel of the nursery more than any particular item. She said, “I feel instantly calmed as soon as I enter his bedroom.” It feels serene and an excellent place for our son’s growth and play.
The room is filled with beautifully curated purchases and personal touches by Dawbarn. She told MyDomaine that she photographed the ocean sunrise above his changing desk when she was four months pregnant during our babymoon to Hawaii.
A California-cool nursery is given a Californian feel with an indoor tree.
IKEA shelves can be used to display Brooks’ colorful book collection in the nursery’s reading area.
I took the photo of the surfers at the beach across the street from where we live a week before Brooks’ conception.
