To say that Shelley Westerman’s three-year-old daughter, Isabelle, likes giraffes would be understating things a little. “My daughter loves giraffes,” Shelley says. “She has stuffed giraffes taking over her room.”

Indeed, Isabelle (Izzy, for short) shares a bedroom – a “big girl room” designed by her mother – with quite a few long-necked friends, including our very own Baby Giraffe.

“Without question, I knew The Animal Print Shop’s baby giraffe prints were for her,” says Shelley. I went with a white mat and frame so the giraffe would take center stage. I didn’t want anything taking away from that cuteness.”

The room’s furniture and decor reflect a thoughtful balance of old and new. “My favorite details are the dresser and the wingback chair she inherited from her great-grandmother. They were reworked so they would work in the space, but I love having these pieces as part of Izzy’s everyday life.”

Many of the room’s other heartfelt touches – the sapphire-hued throw pillow, the polka-dotted sock monkey, the paper pom poms in various shades of pink and red – are handmade. “Not only does making my own accessories slash cost, it’s also nice knowing she has a one-of-a-kind item made special just for her,” says Shelley, who managed to design and decorate the room for just $350.

“When decorating her room, I wanted to make sure I chose items that would have staying power. I didn’t want it all to feel so young now that everything would need to be redone in a couple of years – I think a child’s room can be mature and sweet at the same time.”

And speaking of sweet: “One of Izzy’s favorite things to do is feed the giraffes at our local zoo,” says Shelley. “Her favorite is a male named Emmett – he always licks her. When she first saw the giraffe prints, she asked it they were of Emmett. I might have told her they were his baby pictures.”

We love that. Thank you so much for sharing, Shelley and Izzy!

One day, he’ll be King of the Jungle. For now, though, we’re smitten with this lovable kitten. Below, five kid-friendly picks inspired by one of our favorite Little Darlings, Lion Cub.

Grayson William’s Chapel Hill, NC nursery may be baby-friendly, but don’t get the wrong idea – the decor, punctuated with shades of blue and gray, is decidedly un-babyish. “Overall, I just wanted a clean modern vibe for the room,” says his mother, furniture and interior designer Tracy Kalman Jordan.

“My favorite details in the room are the animal prints – particularly the babywhite tiger; he has the sweetest face – and the nostalgic items, such as the vintage wooden train set that belonged to my brother when he was a child,” says Tracy.

“I used white Ribba gallery frames from Ikea for the prints, which are simple, clean, and work well with the room’s modern look. I loved all of the animals, but in the end, I chose based mainly on color scheme and facial expression. I didn’t have a particular animal theme for the room, so I was open to choose the ones that spoke to me.”

Baby Grayson is a fan of the prints, too-he will stare at them forever! He loves the baby kangaroo, in particular,” Tracy says. “Not sure if he’s drawn to its ears or what!”

Tracy’s nursery-ware shops of choice? Ikea (for my pendant light fixture, the bookcase, and several stuffed animals”), Overstock.com (“great for rugs”), and West Elm (where she found her patterned drapes and felt storage bins). Birch tree wall decals came from the Etsy shop Artwall Project.

“The best place to shop, however,” she says, “is in your own home. I pulled in lamps and a side table from another room, and repurposed an old dresser by painting it gray. Moving items from room to room helps keep everything fresh and new.”

Thank you so much for sharing, Tracy!

Nursery photos by Tracy Kalman Jordan.