At two weeks before my due date we’re wrapping up the final nursery updates: painting the closet door a cheerful green, organizing the clutter, hanging a few more pieces of art, and making a last-minute curtain switch (because of course we did).

We decided on the green closet door after Clara kept saying, “my baby will like a colored door like mine but not pink.” A bold green door had been on the original plan back in January, so we stopped hesitating and went for it.

After hanging apple-green curtains and adding a kelly green sheet to the changing table, we worried a bright door might be too much. Then we remembered a pair of breezy Ikea curtains we had from our last house, so we hung them briefly to see how everything looked together. They used to hang on our deck sliders, and since they were already on hand, we figured we had nothing to lose.

Even though I spent time making the colorful curtains, each set was under ten dollars, so it felt silly to stay attached to them if it meant losing another look we liked in the room. I had also mocked up a faux changing-pad cover with a fabric remnant to picture a green cover, but once we committed to the bright closet door, I took that off.

We still think the curtains need a finishing touch — I want to line them with blackout fabric and perhaps trim the edges with ribbon (black, brown, or even another green). We also still need a proper changing pad cover, which remains on the to-do list.

To choose the perfect green, we taped up several swatches and observed them in different lighting — early morning, afternoon, and late evening with the light on. The winner was Irish Moss by Benjamin Moore: not too dark, not too light, not neon, and with a neutral balance that avoids being too yellow or too blue.

I used a quart of semi-gloss paint and applied three coats for good coverage and a shiny finish. Bold colors often look rough in the first coats and then come together beautifully at the end. A tinted primer might have saved a coat, but since I didn’t have one, three coats of paint did the trick. I started with a brush for the first coat, then switched to a brush plus a small foam roller for the remaining coats, which sped things up. We used the same method on Clara’s door and it’s held up well with regular use for months.

Getting the closet ready was mostly about organization: lining up shoes, placing empty baskets on the top shelf for future use, putting a few extra toys in a floor bin, and moving overflow items to the hall closet. The hall closet is larger and better suited for items we won’t need right away, like a bumbo and a play table. I expect the nursery closet will evolve into a more sophisticated system — cubbies, baskets, or a reading nook could be added as our needs change — but it feels good to start with a clean, functional space.

For wall art, I had two wooden frames I wanted to hang along the curtain wall. Inspired by a simple pear poster I remembered, I drew a pear on white foam core and used green and brown finger paint from Clara’s stash. As the baby grows we’ll probably swap it for a family photo or a subject he likes, but it’s sweet for now.

I also made a “Love You Forever” lettered piece using black construction paper and another sheet of white foam core. I roughly sketched the letters, cut them out, and arranged them on the board. John suggested adding color to the letter V’s, so I used decorative paper from my craft supplies and a glue stick to attach them. The whole thing took about fifteen minutes and cost nothing, but it feels meaningful — especially since Clara already has a “You Are So Loved” print in her room. It’s nice to echo that sentiment in our son’s space.

The wooden frames sit nicely with the stained tops of the built-ins and the dark drawer hardware, tying together the look across the room. They also complement the frames of other artwork near the changing table, creating balance and continuity.

We found a small wooden rocker at a local thrift store for $15. Clara adores it and insists her brother will love it too. It looks delicate but holds her weight easily — a charming thrift-store find that adds warmth to the nursery.

The room is shaping up. We’ve been brainstorming the wall behind the crib and may wait until the baby arrives to decide: wallpaper, a stencil, slatted wood, or an accent color are all possibilities. Meanwhile, the built-in toys, the elephant-patterned crib sheets, and the new green closet door are making us even more excited to bring home our son.

We worried we might miss re-taking our family photo before the baby’s arrival, so we retook one recently. Pregnancy has changed my profile considerably — I laughed asking if John had inflated my bump in Photoshop, but it turns out I really do look that far out. #watermelonsmuggler

Looking back at how the room looked before we moved in last summer highlights how far it’s come. Even with a few tasks left, it already feels like a baby-ready space.

So our to-do list currently looks like this:

• Get a changing pad cover
• Line the curtains with blackout liner and add some trim detail in black, brown, or green
• Tweak the wall behind the crib with wallpaper, a stencil, slatted wood, or an accent color (we have ideas)
• Make a small rustic cuckoo clock to match Clara’s
• Add an overhead light on a dimmer (we haven’t agreed on a fixture yet)
• Possibly paint the ceiling a soft color, like sky blue, to introduce another hue into the mostly green/yellow/neutral palette
• Add sconces between the built-ins in a few years to serve as reading lights after the crib becomes a twin bed

Are you working on nursery art, changing your curtains at the last minute, or painting a bold, saturated door? We never expected to fall for so many colorful doors, but they’ve become oddly addictive and each one adds personality to our home.