Mark Emmanuel… such a strong, yet calming name.

Capturing Mark’s maternity and newborn sessions was a highlight for me personally because I have a special relationship with his sweet mama. Lauren was a pageant coaching client of mine a couple years ago when she placed as 3rd Runner Up to Miss Arizona USA. We spent months working together before the pageant and I’ve know her entire family for years. Witnessing Lauren become a mom was a great honor.

You can catch a video glimpse of the behind-the-scenes from Mark’s nursery and session here.

What is your nursery’s theme?

Bright and Airy with Endearing Elephants

What was the inspiration for your nursery design?

Mark’s nursery was inspired by a desire to make a calm and beautiful space for baby and I to bond in. I felt relaxed by a neutral color pallet with lots of bright and creamy white tones. I prioritized introducing diverse textures to keep things bright and airy.

Lastly, I used a dichromatic blend of white and grey tones to incorporate the elephant characters and finished by adding a few wheat and pale blue colored items to complete the room.

Did you utilize help from any professional designers?

No.

Did you have a particular budget in mind for your nursery?

I tried to keep the nursery budget as reasonable as I could. We were very blessed to receive much of the nursery decor and furniture as gifts from my generous family and friends.

On which items did you splurge vs. save?

I splurged on the furniture, all of which came from Pottery Barn Kids. Since Mark is our first baby and we plan on having more babies in the near future, I tried to pick out timeless pieces that I absolutely loved and would be happy to repurpose or reuse later on.

Did you experience any challenges with your nursery design?

Many of the items that we ordered were delayed by weeks or months, because of the pandemic. Luckily, the nursery recliner came in time for the photos, however, the super cute elephant rocking horse did not come until about a month later.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your nursery?

I want to say a special thank you to my parents who spent many weekends working on constructing the nursery for me! My dad did all the carpentry for the wood paneling. He even installed dimmable ceiling lights while I was in labor! My parents are truly the best. Mark’s nursery wouldn’t have been nearly as dreamy without all the time, effort, and love that they invested.

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Kendall Convertible Crib | Kendall Extra-Wide Nursery Dresser | Dream Swivel Glider and Recliner | Cotton Pom Blackout Panel | Linen Crib Skirt | Flying Elephant Musical Crib Mobile | Lawson Safari Toddler Quilt | Animals Fabric Applique Art | Elephant Critter Nightlight Buddy | Elephant Critter Plush Pacifier Holder | Noah’s Ark Wooden Toy Set | Metal and Wood Wall Shelf| Round Nursery Name Sign | Kroma Area Rug | Crib Sheet Set | Uncle Goose Uppercase Alphablank Blocks | Scrub Baby Teether | Hape Elephant Wooden Push and Pull Toddler Toy | Room Decoration Camera | Wooden Baby Rattle | Mini Artificial Plants | Bashful Blue Bunny Plush | Home Goods – Elephant Hamper | Home Goods – Whicker Round Side Table | Sherman Williams Repose Gray | Sherman Williams Snowbound