A Nursery Full of Island Joy
Nursery Tour
A Nursery Full of Island Joy

It's easy to feel the ocean breeze in Alana Spencer's nursery. Outfitted in sun and cloud shaped fixtures, a warm palette, and locally thrifted photography, the nursery radiates love for Hawaii—and the perfect fit for a baby named Skye. Read on and stroll through the shores as Alana shares about this special room.

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Photography by John Doe

First off, tells us a little about yourself!

Hi Nestig! I'm a new mom, born and raised on the North Shore of Oahu, professional photographer, lover of all tropical destinations, and I'm married to my best friend, Kyle Spencer.

What is your interior style?

Scandinavian, tropical, nostalgic

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What was the inspiration for your nursery?

I had always imagined the nursery feeling like an extension of my style throughout the home, just more playful and baby friendly. Our daughter's name is Skye, so naturally I started looking into items with clouds. I loved the idea of having a couple smaller rugs to layer in the room. The walls are adorned with art and photographs from friends and sentimental items I've collected over years of travels, all having a common thread of tropical places.

You are documenting your first home in the Instagram account @houseoftworivers—tell us a little bit about this project! 

The House Of Two Rivers account is a place for me to document the transformation and trials of renovating our first home. The home was originally built in the 1950s, so there was a lot of work that needed to be done. From closing to move in day, it was about 7 months of renovations; and move in day being 2 weeks before Skye was born.

What’s one advice you would share with someone who’s designing their nursery?

Enjoy it! And don't worry if it's not finished when the baby arrives. I thought I needed to have it done and all set up when Skye was born, but in reality we spent more time in bed and the living room the first few months.

Are there any pieces, products or decor with a special story you can share?

All the items on the walls are sentimental to me, but there's a photograph in the nursery that is particularly special. It's a film photograph of a tropical clothesline scene that I found at a thrift store in Maui nearly 10 years ago. Clotheslines have always been something I look for and photograph when I'm in different countries, so it just felt like fate when I found it. I love the juxtaposition of this public display of people's private lives. The colors, garments, and way they're arranged is always unique and interesting. As a photographer, this image has all the elements that make me feel warm and fuzzy inside; a clothesline by the ocean, shot on film, somewhere tropical, and seemingly sometime around the 1960s.

We like to think about nurseries as spaces for everyday magic, any favorite parenthood memories in the room so far?

The most memorable moment I've had in this room so far is holding my daughter for the first time. Skye was born at home in this room, her future bedroom. Everytime we're in there together I can't help but remember that day and how incredible my life is with her in it.

Photography by John Doe