This Forest-Themed Nursery Makes You Feel Like You’re Standing in a Treehouse

Growing up, it was a dream and hope of mine that my parents would build a treehouse for my brother and me in our backyard. However, reminiscing on our outdoor space, I realize our slender red maple trees would never be strong enough to hold the ultimate imaginative play setup. 

So, when I came across the nursery in Alexandra Bennett’s cabin-esque Minneapolis, Minnesota, family home — my interest was piqued. “The thought was that it is a nest in the trees, surrounded by branches, protected and snug for little ones,” Victoria Sass, founder of the interiors firm Prospect Refuge Studio and who designed the home, writes. 

The upstairs nursery Sass and Bennett dreamed up brings all the best qualities of a forest — tranquility, depth, and wonder — indoors. Stylish design choices create the feeling that you’re standing in an elevated treehouse from the warm comfort of the interior home (just like this treehouse-inspired basement mural). 

The wallpaper, which is “Raphael” by Sandberg, was professionally hung. The print comes in multiple colorways, including light blue, charcoal, and yellow (among many others), but Sass and Bennett chose green, likely to complement the views of the leaves and trees through the windows. 

Feeling like you’re perched among the tall trees adds a childlike wonder to the space — but the wallpaper isn’t the only element that encourages that feeling. “The whimsical light fixture that reminds me of balloons,” Sass says of her favorite detail in the nursery. “My imagination starts to wander into childhood places every time.”

Bennet’s favorite detail is the print that hangs above the crib. It’s a family heirloom that was picked up throughout travels in India. Hanging a sentimental art piece in a nursery is a great way to connect the past with the present — which is what designing nurseries are all about, Sass says. 

“Nurseries are really for you, the parents,” she writes. “If you have nostalgic memories of your own childhood, this is a great place to keep traditions alive or start new ones.”

Product List

• Wallpaper – ”Raphael” by Sandberg
• Rocker — CB2
• Caravan Crib by Kalon 
• Rondure Chandelier by Triple Seven