A Neutral City Nursery by Serena & Lily
Serena Dugan creates a sweet space for her friend, and Hatch Collection founder, Ariane Goldman's new little one
Maintaining a long-distance friendship can be tricky. Designing a beautiful nursery for that friend from 3,000 miles away? Well, thank goodness for shared Pinterest boards. Hatch Collection’s Ariane Goldman, who lives in New York City, and her good friend, San Francisco–based Serena & Lily co-founder Serena Dugan, joined forces to create the perfect neutral space for Goldman's new baby. “Serena lovingly offered to help me out. I’m such a fan of her products so I’m glad we decided to collaborate on creating this little world,” says Goldman, whose own company designs incredibly stylish maternity clothing.
“New York can be quite harsh," says Goldman. "So I really wanted this room to be a safe haven for someone so new.” With that in mind, she and Dugan set out to create a space that exudes serenity. Shades of white, cream, and beige provide a welcome contrast to the bustling streets just outside.
“Ariane didn’t know the sex of the baby and I find that a lot of people in that situation opt for something neutral,” Dugan says. She chose Serena & Lily's Hudson crib and Harbour Cane bed, both in a fresh white, for their simple, chic designs, then layered in worldly touches to keep things from feeling too austere. "There’s a little bit of Indian cutwork," she points out. "There are some beautiful ceramic pieces, some lovely art on the walls—but it all comes together to feel very soothing.”
Intricate embellishments and subtle variations in tone add depth to the small space. “We got the natural hide rug to pull all the whites and neutrals together,” explains Goldman. The cowhide's handwoven patchwork also mimics the delicate contrast stitching on a Moroccan pouf. “Some of the textiles that we picked have this beautiful needlework too,” she adds. It's a layer of luxe detailing not often found in a space designed for little ones.
For all the design's grown-up detailing, the friends didn’t forget to add a little bit of whimsy. “One of my favorite parts of the room is these amazing felt animal heads that hang on the wall,” Goldman explains. “I often walk past the room and they’re the first things I see, and I smile every time. They just bring this light to the space that makes me so happy.” In fact, there's a subtle thread of animalia tying nearly all of the room's accessories together. An elephant side table finds its companion on the window sill, where a leather stitched pachyderm and giraffe are perched. Another graces the twin bed's accent pillow.
Needless to say, the completed project got everyone's seal of approval. “I love so much of the space,” Dugan says. “I think ultimately the success of any room comes down to its inhabitants. If you feel someone’s spirit in the room then you know you've done a good job, and this nursery is definitely filled with Ariane’s spirit.”
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