House Beautiful

Vani’s Nursery

Who is that Halle Berry / Freida Pinto / Princess Jasmine-looking character under the umbrella, you ask?!  That would be one of my very dearest friends, Vani.  Vani is one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet… she’ll drop it like it’s hot at the sound of a hip-hop beat… can eat twice her weight in carbs and still rock a 22-inch waist (*cough* – hooker)… and in high school, she was a soccer star at a school with no girls’ soccer team…  so, she kicked it on the boys’ team.  Rock star status all around.  Oh, and she’s a surgeon.  Too bad she’s ugly.

If you think you’ve seen her before – you’re right.  The photo below is from my bio…  That’s her and her younger brother having a sweet, sweet moment at her wedding a few years back.

And this is Vani’s hubby, Shekhar – an ER doc, super nice guy and rock star in his own right.  Isn’t he cute?!?

On that note, won’t these two make cute babies?!!!  AHHHHHHHHHHH (!)  Well, it just so happens they’ve got one in the cooker and are expecting their 1st little peanut come Springtime.  And after I finished jumping up & down at the news, patting the baby bump and trying to find the bindi on the sonogram picture (what…  Indian babies aren’t born with those?!), I thought, dang.  That little bean has gotta have a sweet crib lined up.  And by crib, I mean nursery.  I’m picturing the munchkin that’ll be gazing up at its pretty new digs will look something like ZEESE!  …Eeeeeeeeeee (!)

So when I asked Vani for some initial direction to kick-off Operation Pimp Crib, she mentioned a mint & chocolate color palette (gotta be gender neutral – they’re kicking it old school and waiting to find out).  And when I asked her what else she had in mind, she said something like, “well, a crib, a dresser…  Oh, and a rug.”  Oh boy.  I also asked her what the existing ceiling fixture was and she said, “mmm hmm, yup.  It’s wall mounted.”  Haaaaaaaaaaaaa – God I love her.  Some of us decorate; others worry about little things like saving lives.  Decorating lingo aside, this girl has exquisite taste and a SICK eye for fashion.  Therefore, her child MUST have a gorgeous nursery.  Below are the inspiration boards I tossed together earlier to get us started:

MINT / CREAM / CHARCOAL / YELLOW


CREAM / CHOCOLATE / SAFFRON / SALMON

(…and maybe a pop of green with that dresser?)

We’ll see how the wee tot’s room evolves from there, but here are some thoughts thus far:

1) Vani has had a forever love affair with Barbara Cosgrove’s Foo Dog Lamps, so chances are, they’re finding their way into that nursery.

2) I’m leaning towards sweet and soothing decor that doesn’t read too “baby,” so the little one will be able to grow it with for years to come.

3) If that elephant hamper doesn’t end up in her kid’s room, I might have to put it in mine.  It’s the cutest *$#@ thing I’ve ever seen.

What do you guys think!?!

JAI HO!

*Photo credits:  Wedding photos (1), (3) and (4) via Amanda Wilcher.  All sources for inspiration boards available via my Pinterest page.

5 Responses to “Vani’s Nursery”


  • Totally love it! The green dresser and elephant are must haves!!! Wow, I should just go get knocked up!! Xoxo

  • Good lord – how to choose??? Both are beautiful, and Vani is one lucky mama to have your talent on board for getting that nursery up! That framed print of the lion is pretty darn adorable, and I’m with you – the elephant hamper might have to make it’s way to my house. YAY for the cutest baby ever!!! (after Elliott, of course;) )

  • I had a wicker elephant hamper as a child. It was wicker, then blue and finally pink. ..to contrast with my lime green shag carpeting and tulip jungle wallpaper. hey- it was the 70’s. How I’d love that elephant today!

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