The Circus Tent Nursery

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Leo's nursery had gorgeous mountain views and more skylights than any baby's nap schedule could survive. Rather than add walls and doors that would interrupt the flow of the space, the solution was a freestanding structure — part 19th-century Normandy beach changing cabin, part traveling circus tent — built to create a fully blackout room within the room. A space designed so that Leo could eventually crawl in and out on his own, one that belonged entirely to him. Every night ends the same way — saying goodnight to the hot-air balloons after reading Goodnight Moon.

Interior of a cozy nursery with hot air balloon decorations hanging from a blue and white striped ceiling canopy, a gold crib on the right, a small shelving unit with books and a plush teddy bear on the left, and a colorful rug on the floor.
Colorful hot air balloon decorations hanging from a canopy with blue and white stripes.
A cozy nursery corner with a white armchair, a small pillow, a teddy bear, a basket with books and toys, and a golden crib on a patterned blue rug. The wall has floating shelves with stuffed animals and framed pictures, and colorful hot air balloon d
Interior corner of a play area with a sign reading 'The Lion's Den' hanging on the wall and a small section of soft play area with a curtain and some stuffed animals.
A toy tent labeled "The Lion's Den" with a group of plush stuffed animals and a wooden rocking cradle in front of it, situated on a blue patterned rug in a playroom.
A nursery with a striped blue and white canopy and hanging colorful hot air balloon decorations on the ceiling. There is a small child sitting on a rug in front of a shepherd's cot, playing with toys. The room has a beige armchair, a nightstand with
Close-up of a vintage-style suitcase used as a side table, with a stack of children's books, a silver dumbbell, and a pair of white baby socks on top. In the background, a colorful ceramic table lamp with a geometric pattern.
Child's room with a brass bed, a blue knitted sweater hanging on the bed, a vintage-style lamp on a small trunk, and a security camera in the upper left corner.
A cozy children's room with a blue and white striped canopy, wooden double doors leading to a balcony, a blue polka-dotted rug, a blue ride-on toy motorcycle, a white dresser, and a wooden wardrobe with hanging clothes and stuffed animals.
A toddler reaching into an open wooden closet with clothes hanging inside, shoes on a shelf, and a stuffed animal hanging on a nearby pocket organizer, on a blue patterned rug.
White dresser with five drawers, with a small cream-colored sweater hanging on a hook on the left side, and a woven basket on the right side. On top of the dresser, there is a fabric-covered changing pad. The floor is dark wood, and a fringed rug wit
Five colorful paper lanterns with straw hats hanging from the ceiling, aligned in a vertical row over a blue and white striped background.

Learn more about the details of the project in Cullen Ormond’s article, published by Cubby.