There is nothing quite like the excitement of waiting for a new baby. Except, maybe, decorating that baby’s nursery! I had so much fun decorating Annabelle’s nursery, and enjoyed every second of planning Callahan’s as well. Today I am excited to show off Callahan’s navy buffalo check nursery.
Decorating for a baby boy is definitely different than a girl, but I loved playing with a more masculine color palette, textures and materials. Callahan is now nine months old and his nursery has served us well in terms of design and function.
In this post I will share my design inspiration for the space, how Callahan got his name, and sources for all the furniture and decor.
Buffalo Check Baby Boy Nursery Inspiration
From the get go I decided I wanted buffalo check to play a key component in the design of Callahan’s room. It’s preppy and classic – just my style. I also love all things blue and white, and navy seemed like the perfect color to run with.
When searching for design inspiration I found two images that really stood out. The preppy buffalo check fish-inspired big boy room Sarah Tucker designed for her son caught my attention as well as this cute nursery from Smitten Design.
In looking at these photos I realized I needed to use the buffalo check pattern strategically and avoid overusing it since it’s such a strong pattern. I searched for fabric high and low, and couldn’t find just what I wanted at teh right price. I ended up purchasing two panels of these buffalo check curtain panels to use throughout the room. (Tip: Purchasing curtains is a sneaky way to get away with saving money since you’re buying panels and not fabric by the yard.)
I also realized I wanted to find a secondary theme like the fish. My husband, Andrew, loves deer hunting and is an avid bow hunter. In fact, Callahan is named after the county where Andrew’s family’s ranch is located. (More on that later.) I didn’t want to do a hunting themed nursery, but I did decide I wanted to incorporate few subtle nods to the sport in Callahan’s room.
Buffalo Check Cornice Board and Curtains
Since we didn’t want to paint the room, I knew I wanted to make a statement with the drapery. Also, the baby’s room faces east and the sun shines brightly directly into the windows in the morning, so I wanted to do my best to create as much of a blackout scenario as possible. (The more baby sleeps, the more mama sleeps!)
The cornice board Mallory at Style Your Senses created for her daughter’s nursery inspired me to create one for Callahan’s room. I knew a cornice board would anchor the window coverings and create a major statement.
My mom and dad worked to help build the navy buffalo check cornice you see on the wall. Dad used MDF to create the frame and then mom used batting and fabric from the buffalo check curtain panels to cover it.
I used a room darkening curtain rod from Amazon to hang the curtains, a set of Pottery Barn Kids Quincy Cotton Canvas Blackout Curtains that I bought second hand on Facebook marketplace for less than $50.
I love being in this room and looking at the cornice board which will forever remind me of my dad.
- Cornice Board Cover: Buffalo Check Curtains
- Curtains: Pottery Barn Kids Quincy Cotton Canvas Blackout Curtain Panel
- Curved Curtain Rod: AmazonBasics Room Darkening Curtain Rod
- Curtain Hooks: Metal Curtain Hooks
- Curtain Rings: Oil-Rubbed Bronze Curtain Rings
Crib & Bedding
Since Annabelle is still sleeping in her crib, I needed a new crib for Callahan. My mother-in-law bought us this beautiful cherry wood Jenny Lind crib for Cal’s room. I love the classic look of it.
For bedding, I found this cute navy deer print crib sheet on Amazon which when perfectly with my subtle hunting theme. This sheet is silky soft and wears well as you wash it. Plus, I love that it’s wrinkle resistant!
For the bedding I wanted to use the same Belgian flax linen set that I used in Annabelle’s nursery, since it is so classic, and I love linen. I waited for it to go on sale, which happens from time-to-time, but never found a great deal. That is, until I drove down to the Pottery Barn Outlet in San Marcos.
At seven months pregnant my big bellied self dug through giant bins of linens in the back of the outlet that they hadn’t sorted yet. I looked for over an hour and ended up scoring the Belgian linen crib skirt and pillow sham for $12 and $5 respectively.
It’s not pictured, but I also purchased coordinating Euro shams to put on the full bed that’s also in Cal’s room.
- DaVinci Jenny Lind 3-in-1 Convertible Crib in Cherry
- Navy Deer Print Crib Sheet
- Pottery Barn Belgian Flax Linen Crib Skirt in Navy
- Pottery Barn Belgian Flax Linen Decorative Shams in Navy
- Bla Bla Fox the Socks
Changing Station, Dresser & Rocker
Dresser
The dresser was the last thing I found for this space. I found it just two weeks before Callahan arrived. I had been looking for the perfect dresser that I could use as a changing table, and I had pretty specific requirements.
First, it needed to fit in the space. The wall there is short and there is a full bed opposite it, so I needed the dresser short and skinny to fit properly in the space.
Second, I wanted something that had storage cabinets, not just drawers. The dresser I found for Annabelle’s room had a cabinet and it was perfect for storing diapers and wipes as well as linens. (Our house has one linen closet that is bursting at the seams so I like to keep the kids linens in their rooms.)
Lastly, I didn’t want a project. I am usually one to redo furniture, but given how long I procrastinated the purchase and how pregnant I was, I wasn’t up for a ton of sanding and painting.
I ended up finding this beauty on Facebook marketplace. It was plug-and-play, fit the space and was ready to go. It’s technically painted a matte black, not navy, but it surprisingly works well in the space. The many drawers and cabinets are perfect for storing baby clothes, burp cloths and accessories.
- Dresser – Facebook marketplace
Changing Station & Gallery Wall
My mom sewed a custom changing pad cover using leftover fabric from the cornice board project. For the artwork above the changing station I wanted to create a little gallery wall to incorporate some bow hunting related items. I found all the accessories, including the shelf, plant, arrow and deer silhouette at Hobby Lobby.
My favorite piece on the wall is the “Callahan County Line” sign I had custom made at RoadTrafficSigns.com. My husband’s family’s ranch is located in Callahan County, Texas. The ranch is Andrew’s happy place, and we both liked the name for a baby which is how Callahan got his name. I love that this little road sign pays homage to the story of how he was named.
- Changing Pad
- Changing Pad Cover – Sewn by my mom out of buffalo check curtains
- Pottery Barn Kids Navy Harper Changing Table Runner
- Arrow Wood Wall Decor
- Deer Head Silhouette Metal Wall Decor
- Galvanized Metal Letter Wall Decor – G
- Contemporary Metal Frame – 4″ x 4″
- Industrial Wood Wall Shelf Set
- Callahan County Line Sign
- Antique Wood Mirror – Garage sale find
Rocking Chair/Recliner
After nursing Annabelle for 16 months, I knew just how important having a comfortable recliner would be for breastfeeding the new baby. I absolutely loved the recliner we chose and considered purchasing another, but instead I oped to move it from Annabelle’s room to Cal’s nursery and go ahead and convert her to a big girl room.
If you are looking for a rocker for a nursery I would highly consider the Tryp Swivel Glider Recliner by Best Chairs from Buy Buy Baby. It is super comfortable and the perfect size.
I also loved the table lamp we used in Annabelle’s nursery which has a touch off/on feature, so I bought it in navy for Callahan’s room.
- Tryp Recliner by Best Chairs
- Pottery Barn Zig-Zag Embroidered Pillow Covers
- Glass Table Lamp with Touch On/Off Navy – Pillowfort™
- Belgian Flax Linen Toddler Quilt in Navy
Wall Art & Mobile
I knew I needed artwork to go above Callahan’s crib but was having a hard time finding the right look. There was already a lot of wood in the room so adding another wood element felt like too much.
These cool jumbo galvanized metal letters at Hobby Lobby ended up being just the ticket. While I debated using his initials, I ended up going for his nickname instead. I love the color and texture they add to the room, plus I think I might put them to good use in future birthday party decor.
For the mobile I repeated the craft I made for Annabelle’s nursery, creating a DIY Fabric Scrap and Ribbon Nursery Mobile. I love the extra touch this adds to the nursery and the new textures, colors and patterns it introduced to the room.
Overall I’m so happy with how Cal’s nursery turned out. I tried to link everything, but if you have any questions about the space or sources drop me a note in the comments below!
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