Nursery & Kids Room Tours

From the Stage to the Nursery: Inside Isabella Boylston's Baby Nursery

Written by Nestig

Between performing on stage and preparing for a baby boy, Isabella Boylston has a lot going on these days. We toured her warm, light-filled nursery and talked nursery inspiration, pregnancy surprises, and the design detail she spent way too much time debating.

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There's a lot you can do to prepare for a baby, but as Isabella Boylston points out, at some point you just have to be ready for the curtain to rise.

As she gets ready to welcome her first child, the American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer has created a nursery that's bright, warm, and designed to grow with her son. Inspired by pieces of her childhood, filled with meaningful details, and intentionally not too precious, the room feels both personal and lived-in from the start.

We caught up with Isabella to talk about designing the space, performing through her first trimester, and why a tiny swan mobile might end up becoming a family heirloom.

You're used to preparing for opening night. How does getting ready for a baby feel different?

Oh wow, that's a great analogy actually! I think similar to live performance, there's so much you can do to prepare, but when the curtain rises, you just have to be in the moment and open for whatever comes your way.

What was the very first thing you picked out for the nursery? Did you have a vision from the start?

The first thing I picked was the Rolling Meadow Mural. Growing up in Idaho, we had a family of foxes living in the yard, so I was immediately drawn to that. I wanted the nursery to feel bright and warm and not overly done up so we can eventually add art to the walls.

Shop the Room

  • Bundle & Save

    The Wave Crib

    A mini crib, full crib and toddler bed
    From $849
    From $849

  • Rolling Meadow Wall Mural

    Frolicking through
    From $599
    From $599

  • The Drift Glider Recliner

    From $1,099
    From $1,099

  • The Dusk Ottoman

    From $389
    From $389

  • Briar Montessori Bookshelf

    Sweet and storied
    $349
    $349

  • Gingham Organic Crib Sheet Set

    Check, please
    From $55
    From $55
  • New Arrival

    The Cloud 6 Drawer Assembled Dresser

    A dreamy, modern dresser
    From $1,399
    From $1,399
You've spent years making impossible things look effortless. What's something about getting ready for a baby that's been anything but effortless?

Honestly, working with Nestig made the nursery preparation feel extremely effortless and I'm so grateful for that! First trimester was the opposite of that. I was still performing really difficult repertoire up until 14 weeks pregnant, which was one of the most challenging things I've done in my life.

Was there a moment when the nursery finally made everything feel real?

The nursery used to be Dan's office. Once all his stuff was out of there and the first coat of paint was on the walls, I was like, "Oh wow, this is actually happening."

If your son could choose one thing in this room to keep forever, what would you want it to be?

Aw, maybe the little swan mobile. Maybe it's something he could pass on to his kids one day.

Fill in the Blank

If this nursery were a ballet, it would be...

La Fille Mal Gardée. It's a really charming and sweet ballet that isn't performed often in the U.S., but it's one of my favorites.


The design decision I spent way too much time thinking about was...

The curtains! I couldn't figure out which ones to get, and I'm still not convinced I made the right decision.


The thing I'm most excited to do in this room is...

Read and snuggle with my son and hopefully my cat, too.


The most "me" thing in this room is...

Definitely the swan mobile.


If this nursery had a soundtrack, the first song on it would be...

Definitely classical music, maybe some Tchaikovsky or Prokofiev. My son has already been exposed to live music throughout my pregnancy from taking ballet class with me.


If your son gives this nursery a review in three years, you hope they say...

"It's pretty cool."