When Cindy first designed a room for her daughter Sarah, it was a joyful, focused project. Plans changed, though, when the family discovered they were expecting a third child. With a three-bedroom house, the new baby would need to share a room, so Cindy adapted the space into a thoughtful shared nursery for a toddler girl and her baby brother, Levi. She relied on a mood board to guide her choices, hunted for pieces she loved, and found smart deals along the way.
Hello John & Sherry! I want to share the latest update in our home. In the beginning of the year we decided to let our kids have their own room. Around March of last year this room became our little girl’s bedroom…
Cindy’s initial design worked well until the family expanded. Rather than start from scratch, she created a shared-nursery design board that balanced feminine touches with baby-friendly elements for a boy. The mood board helped her stay on track with color, patterns, and key accessories that would appeal to both children.
She largely followed her plan and transformed the room into a fresh, functional shared space. The result feels cohesive and intentional—suitable for daytime play and restful sleep. Smart layout choices and careful selection of décor let both personality and practical needs coexist.
One standout find was a giraffe figure Cindy had admired on Pinterest. The original piece she loved was more expensive than she wanted to spend, so she searched until she found a similar option online for a fraction of the price. That giraffe became one of the first purchases for this updated nursery and set the playful, whimsical tone for the space.
Another favorite element is the mobile, which inspired much of the room’s color palette and overall feel. A well-chosen mobile not only provides visual interest for a baby but also reinforces the design direction for the entire nursery.
It’s impressive how much the room evolved in just a year. Cindy reused many items from the first makeover to be sustainable and budget-friendly, but she removed overtly pink elements and stored them away to better suit a shared space. Despite the changes, her daughter still adores the room and is excited to share it with her baby brother. The result is a bright, adaptable nursery that reflects both children’s needs and personalities.
This makeover shows how a few thoughtful tweaks—guided by a clear mood board and strategic shopping—can refresh a room without major renovations like repainting. If you’d like more photos and a full list of sources used in Cindy’s nursery update, you can view her blog post and the detailed nursery source list she shared.
Psst—Want to make your own mood board? Cindy created hers in Adobe Photoshop, arranging and sizing images of favorite items. If you don’t have Photoshop, there are alternative mood-board tools and online platforms that can help you assemble inspiration and product ideas for a nursery or kids’ room.