You probably remember where we left off with the nursery refresh: the walls painted a soft pear and the ceiling a light aqua. With that cheerful palette in place, it was time to shop—intensively. We set out on a Saturday with one ambitious game plan: find five items by the end of the day to bring the room together.
- A light fixture—either a bold patterned pendant or a playful chandelier
- A plush 5 x 8 100% wool rug with no rubber backing or synthetic materials to keep the nursery low-VOC
- Enough fabric to make three curtain panels (two for the window and one to replace the nursery closet door)
- A simple, clean-lined curtain rod to hang the panels
- A vibrant mirror to hang across from the window and reflect light
It was a specific list, and we weren’t sure it could all be checked off in a single day. But after nearly seven hours of driving and popping into about eight stores, we returned home with everything on the list. It was a serious shopping blitz—one that began the same morning we picked up paint—and our car looked like evidence of a very productive day.
We usually decorate in one of two ways: either we create a mood board around a single inspiring piece (a rug, pillow, or even a hardware finish) or we decorate in stages, letting a discovered item nudge the room in a particular direction. Both methods end up being similar in practice. Whether you start with a definitive piece or find inspiration as you go, the key is building around that initial choice. This time, without a formal mood board, our pear-and-aqua walls were the starting point. Tip: always bring paint chips when you shop so you can see how new items interact with your chosen colors.
Our first stop was a discount fabric store in Richmond. The first bolt we noticed echoed both the pear wall and aqua ceiling, but we were aiming for something that felt modern yet a little more traditional—clean lines with a lived-in charm rather than stark modernity. Then we found a fabric that felt like love at first sight. A deeper aqua background, a warm modern-charming print, and a perfect match to our paint swatches. Even better: the fabric was an indoor/outdoor textile by P Kaufmann/Waverly—soft to the touch but fade-, dirt-, and water-resistant. Practical and pretty—ideal for a nursery.
The price was reasonable for designer-level fabric, and after calculating yardage for three full-length panels (with extra for mistakes or pattern matching), we decided the splurge was worth it. We rationalized that our other curtains had been inexpensive, so investing in this fabric for the nursery made sense. We also found a clean-lined oil-rubbed bronze curtain rod with ring hooks on clearance at Target for about $12 for two packs and a rod—an affordable finishing touch that helped justify the custom panels. We later made the curtains ourselves, and they made us unexpectedly emotional when they went up; they truly transformed the room.
From the fabric store we moved on to a local lighting and decor outlet where we hoped to find a chandelier and maybe a rug. There we discovered the perfect aqua capiz chandelier—light, playful, and textured. It felt like the nursery’s personality in fixture form, and it was even marked down substantially. Since the nursery is visible from our bedroom, we loved the idea of a longer, punchier capiz chandelier across the hall from a softer white one in our room. It strikes a nice balance between coordinated and slightly different.
The outlet also had a rug sale that felt almost too good to be true: many in-stock rugs marked 50–75% off. We had our heart set on a 100% wool rug with no synthetic backing, and after sifting through patterns we found a hand-knotted, plush powder-blue 5 x 8 wool rug. It wasn’t an exact aqua match to the ceiling, but its subdued gray undertone would be more forgiving of wear and would add depth to the palette. It was marked down to a price we couldn’t pass up, so we bought it and were thrilled when it all came together at home.
For the mirror, we swung through TJ Maxx and Marshall’s—our go-to spots for large, affordable mirrors—and scored a dramatic 30″ solid wood mirror for about $39. It’s currently black, but we plan to paint it a color that complements the room; it won’t be white, so expect something bolder when the reveal comes.
By the end of the day we had fabric, a rod, a chandelier, a rug, and a mirror. The trip was long, but it reminded us of the value of visiting local shops and specialty outlets—about 70% of our finds came from small local businesses. The rest came from big-box stores, which also offered great deals. The lesson: don’t overlook neighborhood retailers, search online for local gems, and ask neighbors for recommendations. Sometimes the right piece appears when you least expect it.
Now the nursery is well on its way—painted, softened with a new wool rug, framed by custom curtains, lit by a playful capiz chandelier, and ready for a colorful mirror. We still need furniture, art, and storage solutions, but this shopping day carved a huge dent in the to-do list.
What about you? Do you have favorite local stores where you always find something special? Any big-box steals that made you giddy? Share your best finds—there’s nothing like that serendipitous moment of coming home with the perfect piece at the perfect price.
Psst—if you want to follow the whole nursery transformation, check out our earlier posts about clearing the room and painting the walls and ceiling.