Whimsical Mural Wallpaper Makes This Nursery Feel “Calm and Cocoon-Like,” but Not “Overly Sweet”
While working on a project for her clients’ grandson, Hattie Sparks Collins of interior design studio Hattie Sparks intentionally incorporated details that you might expect in a more mature space. And they really work.
“The starting point was the Rebecca Atwood mural wallpaper,” says Hattie of the eye-catching, painterly landscape of Hampton Park in Charleston. “I fell in love with it immediately and knew it could anchor the entire room. From there, I wanted to create something that felt calm and layered, but not overly sweet or babyish. The goal was a space he could grow into, not grow out of.”
Before the baby was born, the homeowners had lived in the house for three years and used the nursery room for storage. Hattie appreciated being able to start “from scratch” and build on the Rebecca Atwood wallpaper with blue-green accents (like Farrow & Ball’s Oval Room Blue on the trim and ceiling).
“We leaned into a blue-and-green palette, mixed in vintage furniture and a beautiful rug, and layered in drapery that echoed the wallpaper,” Hattie says. “It feels collected and thoughtful, but still soft and welcoming. Of course, we also made sure to include the practical necessities, like a really comfortable glider the homeowners brought in, along with a great crib and other everyday essentials.”
Hattie’s team was hired as a gift by the baby’s grandparents (who were her original clients) halfway through the pregnancy, so they had a tight deadline to complete the room. All in all, it took about two months from start to finish, and that’s thanks to clever furniture selections, including in-stock pieces.
“We chose a crib that was registry-friendly, which was important to us, and then layered in vintage pieces like the dresser and side table,” Hattie shares. “From there, it was about editing, styling, and making sure everything could come together before the baby arrived. The due date was the deadline, so it was definitely a focused, efficient process.”
Using high-quality, timeless furniture and decor means they’ll last — and can evolve — as the child grows up. And while the pieces are sophisticated, the room still feels like a warm hug.“I love how enveloping the room feels,” Hattie says. “The mural wallpaper almost wraps around you, which makes the space feel calm and cocoon-like. It functions as artwork in itself, so the room feels finished and layered without needing a lot of extra decor.”