Painted Toy Chest

At 27 weeks pregnant, my mom, Amanda Cannell-Boone, was set to visit LA and I knew I wanted to create something with her for our baby’s nursery. My mom is an artist and has been an art teacher in the DC area for the past 20 years. Our baby will be her seventh grandchild and she has made it a tradition to paint a piece of furniture for each baby’s nursery. I reached out to Nestig and they very sweetly gifted us their Lane Toy Chest for this project. If you don’t know Nestig, they make the most beautifully designed nursery furniture and decor.

Working on this toy chest with my mom was such a special time together. As we worked, I got to ask her so many questions about parenting, newborns, what I was like as a baby, and so much more. Below I’ll take you through all the steps and share everything you’ll need to paint your own nursery furniture.

The unpainted Lane Toy Chest with two of Nestig’s little animals.

STEP ONE: gather inspiration

Before my mom visited, we started a shared google slides where we pulled inspiration of designs, colors, and styles. I wanted the final design to feel in line with my mom’s designs for her clothing company, Animal Family, but also pull from my personal style as well. It was helpful to look at references together and discuss ideas before jumping right into creating.

STEP TWO: START SKETCHING AND MAP OUT YOUR DESIGN

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STEP THREE: DRAW YOUR DESIGNS DIGITALLY (OPTIONAL)

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STEP FOUR: LIGHTLY SAND THE WOOD TO PREP FOR PAINT

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STEP FIVE: MIX YOUR COLORS

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STEP SIX: TWO COATS BASE COLOR

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STEP SEVEN: TRANSFER YOUR DESIGN

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STEP EIGHT: PAINT!

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STEP NINE: VARNISH

Varnish is not always considered safe during pregnancy, so my mom did this step on her own.

STEP TEN: ASSEMBLE