Oh She Glows’ Angela Liddon Unveils Her Son’s Sweet Safari-Themed Nursery

Angela began planning little Arlo’s nursery when she was pregnant, but she didn’t start decorating until he was almost six months old, working on it gradually each week. “I knew I wanted a modern safari theme. I’m a huge animal and nature lover, so I think that definitely influenced the design,” she says. “I also envisioned bright pops of colour.”

These modern honeycomb-shaped wall shelves from Land of Nod are one of Angela’s favourite finds. “They’re so unique! You can arrange them in different orientations to suit your room,” she says. “I bought three sets and positioned them against the wall to create a really great statement piece.” She uplifted the look with an assortment of sunny accents, from tiny rainbow-bright reads and a petite red alarm clock to potted succulents and personal photos.

When it came to choosing furniture, sustainability was a non-negotiable. Angela was careful to select eco-friendly pieces crafted from non-toxic materials. This modern rocker from Monte Design is Canadian-made and free from flame-retardant chemicals. The best part? She didn’t have to sacrifice style in the process.

“I love bright, modern spaces with pops of accent colour,” says Angela. Sunny yet subtle additions like this rounded wall mirror (a HomeSense score!) reinforce the room’s happy-go-lucky feel.

How does a busy mom of two with a booming business carve out time to create a design-worthy space? “I did most of my shopping online!” she says. “I purchased the furniture first – beautiful, modern pieces with clean lines – and went from there.” The wall’s earthy tone (“Hush” by Benjamin Moore) is a perfect envelope for the nursery’s outdoorsy vibe.

Just as whipping up inventive dishes from scratch requires a creative eye, so too does taking on an ambitious DIY project or two. Instead of installing wallpaper (an often painstaking process), Angela opted for removable wall decals. “I just eyeballed them. I have no patience for measuring,” she says with a laugh. “I put a few too close together at first, but the beauty is, you can remove and re-do. Sometimes you want it to look playful and effortless.”

“The artwork is the most important element in the room because it really ties the safari theme together and adds playfulness,” says Angela. These delightful baby animal prints were sourced from The Animal Print Shop.

Nature-inspired elements like a fiddle leaf fig, stuffed monkey and zoo-themed growth chart animate the space.

Finding fitting pieces doesn’t always come easy. “I looked for the perfect light fixture for months,” says Angela, explaining how she initially installed a modern walnut shade that proved too distracting against the white ceiling. Eventually, she spotted this luxe-looking number from Wayfair. “I find lighting can make or break a room. This new fixture has a bit of a rustic feel, but it’s still clean and doesn’t overpower the room.”

“I splurged on furniture – that was my big thing,” says Angela, referencing the sustainably sourced change table (pictured) and crib from Oeuf. Just like the modern rocker, this mama chose high-quality pieces that are green and gorgeous.

Large windows flood the nursery with natural light, shining the spotlight on the many playful pieces peppered throughout. Spotted: this joyful giraffe taking full advantage of the afternoon sun.

“This colourful print is another one of my favourite pieces in the room,” says Angela, speaking to the large animal-themed map sourced from Etsy that hangs above the book display. “It helps tie the nursery’s whole look together.”

At first glance, it’s hard to decipher the graphic prints from the colourful paperbacks – and therein lies the beauty of this vibrant art-meets-bookshelf display. “I was careful to select pieces that tied into the animal theme,” says Angela. “My daughter loves this area. She always comes in here and clears off the shelves!”

While Angela splurged on key furnishings, she managed to save in other ways. “I created a few homemade projects to save money and make the space feel personal,” she says. Exhibit A: These uber-trendy pom-poms that adorn a braided storage basket. Check out our super simple DIY pom-pom tutorial to recreate the look!

Angela also demonstrated her DIY prowess by making bunting using brightly patterned scrapbook paper and some twine. “I just winged this project,” she says. We love how it calls attention to the floating shelf above.

This braided ottoman with African influences layers in more texture and electrifying colour to the space.

Captivating swirls of neon fabric are mesmerizing enough to convince any colour-phobe to think beyond neutrals.

“I’ve always been hesitant to use a lot of colour, but I’m starting to get better and take more design risks,” says Angela. “This nursery was a really fun way to do that.” And her foray into design isn’t quite over yet. “My daughter is almost three and she’s asking for a big-girl room – so that will be our next big project!”