Style expert and first-time mom Julia Hu breaks down how she created a soothing nursery for her new arrival.
Julia Hu of @hulovesdecor is known for her classic and calming style - think neutrals and soothing, yet striking, tones with textures and design elements that are both cozy and airy. We caught up with Julia - virtually - at home in San Diego shortly after she welcomed her first-born, sweet little Mason. Julia has brought her fans and followers on her styling journey for her new home, so we wanted to get her take on the process to create Mason’s nursery.
lulujo: What was your inspiration for the nursery design?
Julia: I had a vision of a peaceful, calming space with personal touches. I really liked the idea of a sage green accent wall and neutral furniture. I love a timeless, classic look as well so I definitely wanted to incorporate all these features when thinking about Mason’s nursery.
lulujo: Did you know the gender as you were designing the nursery?
Julia: Yes we did! I wanted to keep it gender-neutral though so we can continue using it in the future. That is why I chose sage green and neutral tones.
lulujo: Did you design and execute the nursery yourselves, or did you get some extra help?
Julia: I designed the nursery and came up with the vision for it, while my husband and a professional painter helped bring the vision to life.
lulujo: Now that Mason is earth-side, what features of the nursery do you love the most?
Julia: I love the personalized elements with his name such as the wooden name sign above his crib that we added. Since he hasn't been sleeping in the room yet, I love the rocking chair area. We spend a lot of quality time there.
lulujo: What roadblocks did you run into during the design phase, and how did you overcome them?
Julia: With the Covid-19 pandemic, delivery delays for furniture were a big challenge. We waited quite a bit of time for different pieces to arrive so that was tough to visualize the room without it all coming together at the same time. It's also tough not seeing some elements in person (such as paint color swatches) so I just tried my best to do all my research online. Thankfully it all worked out!
lulujo: What lessons did you learn from the process?
Julia: I learned not to take things too seriously and to have fun in the process. It might be stressful trying to put together a space before baby arrives, but it's so important to take a step back and really appreciate the time and love you put into the room and details. I loved the nights my husband and I worked together on building furniture and seeing the room come together. It made it just that more exciting for baby's arrival!
lulujo: What recommendations do you have for parents creating a nursery for their little one?
Julia: I have a couple of recommendations! Know that it's a gradual process and so worth it when everything comes together at the end. I would recommend starting off with a style you would like to explore more of and then find inspiration, whether that’s on Instagram or Pinterest to see what others have done. This way you can see visually what you like and take different elements from different designs.
I recommend starting with the major items like the crib and furniture and then work on the details and smaller elements so everything ties together nicely.
Sometimes it makes sense to invest in pieces you love but it's also more than okay to find affordable pieces especially if you plan to change things up in the future for your little one. For example, instead of purchasing an expensive changing table that I would only use for a few years, I purchased an affordable dresser from Ikea and swapped out the drawer knobs to stylize it. Instead of paying upwards of a thousand dollars from a furniture store, I was able to score one for under $150!
And most importantly, have fun with it and enjoy the moments before your baby's arrival! It’s such an exciting time so savor each moment.
Lulujo product feature: Rainbows & Suns Swaddles / Fish Change Pad Cover
