How to Create the Perfect Ralph Lauren Inspired Nursery

Creating a baby's room with a Ralph Lauren-inspired design is a beautiful and timeless way to welcome a new addition to your family. Combining classic elegance with a touch of whimsy, a Ralph Lauren-style nursery is both stylish & practical.

When it comes to color, Ralph Lauren's signature palette is a perfect starting point. Soft shades of blue and green, paired with neutral tones, create a serene and soothing atmosphere. Punch it up with red accents and your room is ready to shine. If you're not sure where to start, consider using one of Ralph Lauren's classic bedding collections, such as the "Lullaby" or "Sweet Dreams" collections, as the basis for your color scheme.

In terms of furniture, choose pieces that are both functional and stylish. A crib is the centerpiece of any baby's room, and a classic white crib with elegant detailing, such as the "Princess" crib from the Ralph Lauren Baby collection, is a perfect choice. Complement the crib with a matching dresser and changing table, and add a cozy rocking chair for those late-night feedings.

When it comes to decor, mix and match patterns and textures to create a layered and inviting look. A plush white rug, such as the "Bear" rug from the Ralph Lauren Baby collection, provides a soft and comfortable place for baby to play. Or even a blue rug with a global inspired motif. Add throw pillows, blankets, and wall hangings in coordinating colors and patterns to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Don't forget the finishing touches! A mobile featuring classic Ralph Lauren motifs, such as horses or polo players, adds a playful and whimsical touch. A soft and cuddly stuffed animal, such as the "Bear" from the Ralph Lauren Baby collection, provides comfort and companionship. And a collection of classic children's books, arranged on a bookshelf or in a basket, completes the look and encourages a love of reading.

With a little effort, you can create a beautiful and timeless Ralph Lauren-style nursery that is both practical and stylish. Your baby will love spending time in this peaceful and inviting space, and you will enjoy the classic elegance and sophistication of the Ralph Lauren design aesthetic.

Outdoor Patio Design: Relaxing Tangerine

Being outdoors is on the top of my "list of loves" in life. It makes me so happy to breath in the fresh air and take a pause from the four walls that envelope most of my day. Over the past few years this sentiment towards being outdoors has been shared by more and more people and because of this, indoor/outdoor living spaces in homes have been raising in popularity and manufactures of outdoor safe furnishings have kept up with the pace. In honor of the summer season coming to an end and beautiful Autumn weather rolling in, here is a design you could easily do for your own outdoors. I call it, Relaxing Tangerine: A relaxing casual style with clean lines and natural textures.

1. Arrow Accent Pillow - Pillows are some of my favorite ways to update a space. This charcoal arrow on a cream background has a fantastic modern casual vibe. $60

2. Tone on Tone Striped Pillow - These contrast against the charcoal, of the other pillow and add structure to the space. - $79

3. Natural Trellis Pillow - I love how these bring in the mid-tone of all of the neutrals. $98

4. Tangerine Bohemian Style Rug - Adding just a touch of color is perfect to give your outdoor patio just enough color without overwhelming. $629

5. Woven Natural Stools - These wicker stools add visual texture and an extra place for guests to sit when you are entertaining. $250

6. Copper Bowl Planter - Adding a little bit of shine plays well against the softer tones of the design. I love the warmth in the metal. $175

7. Copper Cylinder Planter - This is the sister planter. It has all of the same material elements, but allows for something a little different. $175

8. Outdoor Safe Table Lamp - Electric lamp outside? What! That is awesome. This outdoor lamp will keep the mood casual. $279

9. Antiqued Side Table - Everyone needs a place to put a drink down, and this small antiqued side table is perfect for that. It also connects well with the planters and cocktail table. $199

10. Gray Sofa/Chaise with Casual Washed Wood - Upholster is where you splurge! These well constructed pieces are going to last you a lifetime. They are the perfect classic high end look for your outdoors. $3579

11. Gray Chair with Casual Washed Wood - A perfect compliment to the sectional above. I love how this chair is oversized. Makes me want to curl up with a cup of coffee and a good book. $1125

12. Rusted Top Round Coffee Table - A show-stopper of a cocktail table. The simplicity in the shape is lovely and the rusty top is a worry-free way to live outdoors. $855

Learn to hand render like the pros!

Have you ever seen a hand rendered design and thought, "WOW, how do they do that?" or, "I'll never be able to hand render like that." I am an interior designer and I also have those same thoughts. In college I had to learn the skills of hand rendering, however, with such a fast paced world, it was one of the skills I let slip. 

I recently reconnected with a friend from university, Shannin Williams, and she absolutely  amazed me. Shannin has fine tuned her hand rendering skills since our time as Lumberjacks at SFA in Nacogdoches, TX.  "My goal is to help you learn the basic techniques of hand rendering and sketching and apply those to your client presentation boards in a creative way so you can sell your design proposal." Shannin says. I love how she inspired me to get back to the basics by putting pen to paper and immerse myself into my designs on another level. Here are some of the tips she gave me for sharpening my hand rendering skills that will help you too.

Tip 1 - Use good quality paper.

Using good quality paper can change the way the final rendering can look. I’ve used several types of marker paper and I discovered the ones I like the most. If I want my hand rendering to have a softer look I use Bienfang Lightweight drawing paper. This paper allows the marker to bleed perfectly for me. If I want a sharper look with defined strokes and marks and no bleeding I use x-press it blending card. Others I use are Canson pro layout marker paper, and Borden& Riley #234 bleedproof paper. I suggest trying a variety of papers until you find the one you like and achieve the look your aiming for. See more of my favorite tools in the link here. 

Tip 2- Use a straight edge when you hand render or draw. 

I always use a triangle that has an inking edge when I draft floor plans or hand render. The purpose is to keep your marker lines straight. I like seeing crisp, straight lines in my illustrations. A crooked line makes me nuts which is why I own several adjustable triangles in different sizes. My favorite is the Staedtler Mars 8” adjustable triangle. I even keep a smaller one in my purse when I travel along with a sketchbook, pen, and pencil. 

Tip 3 - Use good quality markers. 

I use Copic Sketch markers due to the 380 + colors they offer. I also like Copic Sketch markers because you can refill them and change the tips when they get bad. Buying a $6 marker seems outrageous but I look at it as an investment since I have the ability to refill them when needed. That beats buying a whole new marker like you would with other brands. If you want to start with a set of markers I recommend purchasing any of the Copic Sketch cool, toner, neutral, and warm gray markers first. You can achieve a lot of colors with a range of grays. And don’t be afraid to layer and mix your marker colors to create a new color. 

Tip 4 - Define your own style of hand rendering. 

There are several architectural illustrators out there that have different hand rendering techniques. I have learned from them all and developed my own rendering style that portrays the look I want to achieve. My style includes a loose and quick mark that is not perfect allowing my final hand rendering to be natural and not forced. It took me months of practice to achieve the style I wanted and I recommend you doing the same. Your style of hand rendering needs to stand out amongst others to get gain attention. 

To see more of my work visit my website at www.shanninwilliams.com or follow me on instagram @shannin_williams. If you want to practice hand rendering jump on my website and sign up for my mailing list and download your free line drawing or you can see try out my hand rendering course here.