What’s that one room in your home where the door is always closed? 🤔 You know the one. That guest room turned Amazon box storage space. That office turned gym turned art studio. That closet turned makeshift tool shed or the “she shed” that never got completed. Well, this client’s catch-all room needed to transform into a newborn’s nursery in less than 90 days, so these super busy, soon-to-be parents came to BLB for help!

Jay and Blayne Bailey are the ultimate power couple. Jay is President and CEO of the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) as well as a philanthropist, entrepreneur and change agent in Atlanta, GA. Blayne, whom I met over a decade ago during my media advertising days, is a nationally and globally known broadcast reporter and Correspondent for NBC News that you’ve probably seen on the NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, Today Show or MSNBC. Needless to say, these two are “Booked and Busy,” and after nearly five years of marital bliss, they were preparing to welcome their first child into the world and their existing home.

The space we’d be transforming was once a guest room, but over the years turned into a catch-all spare room that housed a queen size bed, treadmill, storage boxes and now an overwhelming amount of baby shower gifts and supplies. After visiting their home, my first task for Jay and Blayne was too clear the clutter! They’d spend the next few weeks removing a lot of the items in the room through relocation, donation, and organization.

Once we got the space clean, we welcomed my friends, Ashan and Jessica of The Board Room Accent Walls over to turn our inspiration into reality for the beautiful backdrop of the nursery. Knowing that the Bailey family may move in a few years, we wanted to keep the design simple, but adorn it with a cheerful coral color that Blayne loved. Once the wall was designed and executed, the space took on a completely new identity!

Although the room was fairly large, we didn’t want to overwhelm it with a ton of nursery furniture. The couple wanted to focus on purchasing the most functional elements first, prioritizing a convertible crib, area rug, dresser, and bookshelf. Each of these furnishings were very modern and transitional in style, as well as cost-effective and space-conscious for the room.

Once all the larger furniture was assembled, the nursery just needed a little styling and added personal touches. I found the coral table lamp and gold side table at Home Goods to sit next to their existing accent chair until the new nursery glider arrived. We also adorned the walls with complementary artwork, a wall mirror, and a personalized, custom name sign with Baby Bailey’s chosen name: Sage Milan. “Sage” reflects exactly what Jay and Blayne wanted to bring into the world – peace, wisdom, good judgment, and a calming soothing spirit.

I think that’s exactly what we created with Baby Sage’s new home. Take a look!

I’m so elated about Baby Sage’s arrival and happy to hear that she’s loving her new digs. Thank you, Bailey family, for giving me the opportunity to create such a tranquil sanctuary for your first child. She deserves it, and so do you. I can’t wait to help you transform the main floor of your beautiful home this fall!