Delta Convertible Crib  //  Red Airplane

One of my favorite things about my *first* pregnancy was the amount of time I could devote to the details. I had the time to look at 14 paint swatches in both daytime and fluorescent lights to find my favorite- and with my second baby, his nursery still wasn’t even done when he turned 1! Here is a fun look at our nursery, filled with vintage maps, globes, suitcases, and more!

World Travel and Adventure Baby Nursery Theme

When we got married, we began praying for our children to impact on the world and be used for God’s glory. During our struggle to conceive, I got the idea to create a nursery that would help our child realize from day one that the world is so much bigger than the city and people he is surrounded by. We are very intentional about traveling and exposing our family to different cultures and perspectives. So, this nursery is especially meaningful to me! (For our second son, we channeled our deep love of the Pacific Northwest into a woodland adventure nursery!)

(This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through them, your price won’t change- but you’ll be helping me feed a toddler who literally eats more than I do!)

Our very favorite part of the nursery was this hand-painted wall mural of the world. Yes! We (and some patient friends) did this by hand using one of those old-school projectors. I just printed out an outlined world map, traced it using tiny brushes, and then filled it in with low-VOC paint from the hardware store.

Low-VOC Paint for Baby Cribs and Nurseries

Did you know that it’s really important to choose low-VOC paint for your crib (and for the entire baby room, if you can swing it)? Those paint fumes can get pretty nasty and are filled with chemicals. Either way, be sure to air out the room while painting and for a while afterwards! 

Similar Dresser  //  Similar Glider  //  Airplane/Map Bedding

I was so proud of this DIY project! I found a used dresser at a garage sale with “good bones/structure,” then painted it red. When it was dry I brushed some blue paint on there randomly for a more textured look. Finally, I was sure to update the hardware with Rust-Oleum metallic spray paint (I use this stuff all the time!!). Who would’ve known that this project cost me less than $35?! If you don’t have that kinda time, I found a similar one here. 

Similar Chest  // Similar Suitcases

Sweet “The Lion’s Paw” Golden Book // “B” Initial to Paint  //  Similar Airplane Curtains (so cute!!)

World Travel Decor for Nurseries

It’s all in the details! We love to travel, so on our last-minute babymoon cruise we picked up some cute little trinkets from Mexico. Our son Banner is now almost 3 and it’s so fun to watch him play with the maraca that used to stay on that shelf! We also used a hand-carved wooden giraffe from an earlier trip to Jamaica. I picked up a cute little kids chair and painted it just like the dresser. I also found a red toolbox at an antique shop that was perfect for his stuffed animals. 

We were also really blessed to have friends bring books instead of cards to our baby shower! I highly recommend this idea, because cards are so expensive, and books bring joy for years to come! My boys absolutely love reading, and I’ll have a post soon about the board books they’ve loved the most. 

As I looked for these products online, I fell in love with several new products that would also be adorable:

Adventure Wall Art // Red Trunk // World Map Rug
Adventure Pillow // Airplane Shelf // Vintage Luggage Set

And there you have it! Thanks for checking out one of my favorite projects ever. It’s so nostalgic to look back on, especially as I design my sons’ new “big boy” rooms.

What theme are you planning for your baby’s nursery? Is there a special meaning behind anything in the room? Leave a comment below! And don’t forget to join me on Pinterest as I plan for Banner and Anchor’s new rooms!