NATURALLY SWEET

WRITER TIFFANY ADAMS PHOTOGRAPHER RETT PEEK STYLIST STEPH SMITH

NaturallySWEET

Designer Heather Krijt creates a sweet and sophisticated nursery for her daughter

W

hen Heather and Arnoud Krijt built their five-bedroom home in Little Rock (featured in our April 2020 issue), there was one room they intentionally didn’t finish before move-in day. “We always knew this would be the nursery, and were hopeful to start a family soon after we got married and moved here,” Heather says. As the owner of HK Designs, she had several ideas in mind for the space when the couple found out they would welcome a baby girl, Charlotte, at the end of 2020.

“I knew I wanted a little pink but didn’t want to go fully in that direction. I’ve really been into green and felt like this was such a pretty shade for a nursery,” she says of the color that wraps the room. A pair of framed Gracie panels provided an opportunity to incorporate pink and add a fanciful feel to the space. The custom panels include Charlotte’s name written on a leaf as well as a bird perched on a teacup. “I think these bring a bit of whimsy to the room,” Heather says. “I also wanted the nursery to have a slightly sophisticated feel and to use pieces we could take into her next room as she grows.”

Heather applied this same philosophy to the nursery’s functional pieces. For example, the changing table was crafted from an antique buffet she spotted in Arnoud’s garage while the pair were dating. She applied a few coats of paint and added the changing pad to complete its transformation. Nearby, a pair of gliders covered in a linen velvet offer a luxurious spot to sit and rock before naptime. “We don’t have any immediate family in town, so I knew my mom and other relatives would be coming to stay. I wanted us to be able to sit together in the nursery to rock her,” she explains. “And, Arnoud and I love that we both have a place to sit in there at night.”

Other pieces, including a quartet of watercolors by Riley Sheehy, add to the playful feel. “Charlotte is a very alert baby, and any time I’m changing her she loves to stare up at these,” Heather says.

“Palisades Park” by Benjamin Moore

Design Resources INTERIOR DESIGN Heather Krijt, HK Designs ACCESSORIES, ART, FABRICS, FURNITURE, AND RUGS HK Designs BEDDING AND WINDOW COVERINGS Interior Creations FRAMING Louie’s Unique Framing & Gallery PAINTING Color Me Bad