A “Dark and Dull” Nursery Gets a Nature-Inspired DIY Mural
When professional DIYer Carrie Kline, who runs the Honey Do Honey Home blog, moved into their eclectic, organic modern home in Monticello, Minnesota, she wanted to create a happy environment for her kids — she already had two boys and another on the way.
Her two sons, Rolly and Ruben, shared a colorful room that Kline muraled herself (based on their wishes), but her new baby’s nursery needed a bit of love. “When we moved in, the room was plain gray,” Kline says. “It felt dark and dull.”
Kline researched nursery inspiration but kept coming up short with ideas. She wanted to create a more colorful and playful space than she had been finding. “My inspiration was to create the feeling of being outdoors in nature,” Kline shares. “If I could bottle up the feeling of camping, hiking, roasting marshmallows, and going on adventures – I wanted the room to feel that way.”
So, being an avid DIYer, it’s no surprise that she decided to paint a mural in the space. Here’s how she created a calming oasis that’s reminiscent of the great outdoors for her son.
How Kline Painted a Mural Inspired by Nature
You might be shocked to learn that Kline only used items she already had on hand to create the wall designs, so the project cost her virtually nothing. And it only took her a couple of hours to complete. The family had spent the day in Duluth, Minnesota, and when they got home, Kline got straight to painting.
Kline started by painting the entire room white using Benjamin Moore’s “Chantilly Lace,” which she thinks helps the artistic process when it’s a “bright, blank space.” Next, she used a cleaning sponge (yes, you read that right!) to create the wall with the lines by dipping one end in paint and pressing it onto the wall in different directions.
Knowing that she wanted to do something outdoorsy in the space (their family day in Duluth could’ve been inspiring her), she started on the main mural by painting a flowing line and filling it in with Benjamin Moore’s “Cider Spice” using her favorite Zibra brushes.
Kline continued that process, using Benjamin Moore’s “Pewter Green,” “Renoir Bisque,” and a light blue “oops paint” from Home Depot, she says.
Since the room was complete, her three children’s favorite thing to do in the space is to hide behind the curtains playfully, and, according to her, they “really believe” that she can’t find them when they’re hidden. On the other hand, her favorite part is the paint colors. “I love how the room feels whimsical and adventurous and not too much like a ‘baby’ room,” Kline explains. “It feels like a room you could grow up in.”
While this nursery is gorgeous, it isn’t the only room with sentimental value and eye-catching details. To see the results of Kline and her family’s labor and love, visit the full house tour on Apartment Therapy.
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