At almost a year old, Lyla Blue Martini prefers to be outdoors. When she’s not going on bike rides with her father Rob or visiting him on Siesta Key Beach where he works as a lifeguard, Lyla spends time indoors in the nursery designed by her mother Jill, a local artist and designer. The coastal couple, who frequently took to the salty trails pursuing surf trips to destinations like Australia and Nicaragua before Lyla was born, wanted their first daughter’s room to reflect their adventurous lifestyle. The result was a nursery with a “contemporary beach vibe” brought to life by a palette of pinks and aquas, blended with earthy elements of wood, sand and sky. Color prompts inspiration, and for Jill Martini, that includes the color white. “I really liked the idea of a white canvas, and then incorporating pops of color through furniture and artwork,” she says. “Once Lyla gets older, I want to do art projects with her and display those on the wall. White walls will make a great backdrop for that.” The Martinis were inspired by one of the first pieces they bought for the room, a wood plank with the phrase “Dream Colorfully” painted on it. “When you are dreaming, there are no boundaries,” Jill says. “I wanted to evoke that sense of fun and energy.” The room was the first nursery Jill had the opportunity to decorate. Establishing a modern nursery aesthetic that ties with the couple’s personal style in a way that resonates with the rest of the home was one of the project’s challenges. “The house is small and the room is in a central location where you can see all the other rooms,” she explains. “They all have to blend together to make it work, and I think the way Lyla’s room came together plays off the rest of the house.” Apart from aesthetics, the couple also had to consider how the room would function. “I didn’t want to get too crazy about the design,” Jill says. “It is a baby’s room so we had to carefully consider functionality.” They selected furniture they knew would grow with Lyla. They opted out of buying a changing table, and instead focused on investing in timeless pieces for a smooth transition from nursery to kid’s room. Until then, Lyla is enjoying the cozy intimacy of her beachy sanctuary where design, function and longevity thoughtfully come together to create a serene, sophisticated and playful space. SRQ

Photos by Evan Sigmund

PHOTOS BY EVAN SIGMUND