It may have been the first nursery commission of his career, but when it came to the design of baby Stefan’s soothing, sunlit bedroom, Patrick Hamilton was full of inspiration.

“My clients wanted happy, calm, and cool” the designer explains. “Also, the gender of the incoming resident was a surprise for all, so we had to be flexible. Notknowing made the choices really fun. Each decision had to be tempered by the next, to make sure we got a masculine-feminine balance – which all good rooms need, not just surprise nurseries!”

After settling on a gender-neutral wildlife theme, Patrick set to work, choosing a bold Marimekko printed fabric as a unifying element. A pair of portraits from The Animal Print Shop followed soon after.

“I knew pretty early on that I wanted Baby Chick, for its puff of soft yellow, ” says Patrick. And, Stefan’s parents refer to the little man as “Stefanchik,” making the print an especially apt choice.

“I also settled on the Lamb Close-up, primarily for the color – white was a very intentional color choice in this room. And then there was the whole “counting sheep” thing – which may be wishful thinking in a nursery, sometimes!”

White frames and custom 8-ply mats were selected for the prints’ display, while furniture from Room and Board, West Elm, and CB2; a mobile from Land of Nod, and animal-themed lighting from Jonathan Adler added tasteful, stylish flair.

Patrick’s favorite details?

“I love the stripes and the painted ceiling.” he says. “But really, I love how it feels, at all times of day and night. And it was a real joy to use the animal prints. I know that as Stefan gets older, they will help him understand things about the natural world beyond his door. I can’t think of anything better than that!”

We’re honored. Thank you, Patrick, for bringing this beautiful room to our attention!

Photos by Jody Kivort.