There's something that happens to a woman when she's pregnant. It's a phenomena that creates an urge to design a space that is a haven for the pending bundle of joy. The desire to "nest" inevitably hits new parents and the nursery dreaming begins. Serena & Lily takes the dreams of new parents and presents them in beautifully created collections of furniture, bedding, gifts and necessary gear.

A nursery needn't be looked at as a diaper-changing, baby-napping, toy-storing room of the house. This is a room that can be made to be a wonderful sanctuary for baby and the new parents. Practicality and functional furniture pieces are certainly necessary but, with just a few small touches, the nursery can be a place that you love to be. When it's four in the morning and you're up for the third time that night, a nursery that is pleasant looking and elegantly comfortable will ease the pain of no sleep.


I'll admit that with both of my children, the beautifully put-together nursery was only a dream. After receiving the Nursery Style book from Serena & Lily and pouring over pages upon pages of amazing looking nurseries, chic styles and wonderful tips, I'm almost to the point of wanting another baby.


The Nursery Style book from Serena & Lily, which would be a fabulous present for an expectant mother, is perfectly laid out. It starts with a foreword from one of my favorite designers, Kate Spade. I find the first chapter: "Defining Your Style", extremely helpful. This is always an obstacle with me. I am a fan of so many different "looks" and often have quite mish-mashed ideas. This chapter helps to simplify the process of designing the perfect room. I love the nursery styles that are broken down amongst the pages. After careful consideration I've decided that I lean mostly towards the Vintage Nursery. This Serena & Lily book even breaks down that style for me and gives wonderful ideas.


I like that the Serena & Lily Nursery Style book is so adamant about a nursery being unique to the family and stresses finding objects and decor that are personal. The book goes on to show how to create a room with different focal points. I love the nurseries that use the walls as the focal point and keep the rest of the room simple. Small tips in clever places of this book make reading a joy even for someone like me, looking to decorate a toddler's room.


While flipping through the book I began to see that this is so much more than a nursery book. The design ideas and decorating tips are easily implemented in every room of the house. I plan on using the Color Combinations charts from the Serena & Lily book when I start to redecorate my children's rooms.


One of my favorite tips from this book is about changing tables. Serena & Lily tells it's readers to go beyond the traditional store-bought table. When my son was a baby I used an antique dresser with a pad on top as his changing table. I loved the way it looked and because it was a dresser, all of his diapers and clothing were well hidden in the drawers.


From checklists to safety tips, storage ideas to bedding choices, the Serena & Lily Nursery Book contains everything that is so essential when planning for a new addition to the family. In my opinion, this book should become as sought after and useful a companion as the What to Expect books. I know that this will now be my go-to gift for women close to me who find out they are expecting.


I must say that in addition to the beautiful and useful Nursery Style book, Serena & Lily's online store is full of must-have items for nurseries, children's rooms, guest rooms and more. You'll find gifts for babies, moms and children amongst all the beautiful bedding and decor. With the Nursery Style book by your side and Serena & Lily's website at your fingertips, designing and decorating a nursery or other bedroom is completely a reality.