Interior stylist and plant aficionado Hilton Carter knows his way around a nursery—he’s just used to them looking a lot greener. So when it came time for the dad-to-be to tackle the challenge of designing his daughter’s new sleep space, great foliage was a given. Carter’s other requirements for the room? That it feel “magical, warm, inviting and wild,” he said. “I wanted to create a dreamscape.” And create an oh-so-dreamy space, he did.

The wow factor when you first step into the room is the fantasy-inspired mural. The ceiling-high stunner, created by family friend Drury Bynum, features dinosaurs, unicorns and a plethora of life-like whimsical creatures. The jungle scape was a concept the two had collaborated on while creating the cover art for Carter’s first book. “I knew this would set the tone, so I told him the color palette was a mix of neutrals and muted pinks. The muted pink just felt right,” said Carter. He let the artist’s imagination run wild, and from there, the island theme quickly began to take shape.

The color scheme of the room was, perhaps usurpingly, inspired by the foliage outside of it; this is Hilton Carter after all. “My wife and I are huge fans of a neutral palette but get energized by pops of color. For the nursery, I wanted a warm color that would sit against the black framed windows and make the greenery outside of them come alive,” he said. Before committing to any furniture, Hilton recommends using a bit of an unconventional method: tape outlines. “Make sure you measure out the room and then tape out [the measurements] on the floor and walls where you envision the pieces going. This will help you walk the space to make sure it flows first before making purchases.”

Filling the space with safe, intentional pieces that worked for the family’s every day, was the couple’s top priority. “With our nursery being on the smaller side, making sure we selected the right GREENGUARD Gold Certified pieces that would all work together was important [to us]. Bringing in furniture that was safe [for our daughter] mattered,” said Carter. A few of those key pieces ended up being the west elm x pbk Mid Century Crib and Sloan Extra Wide Nursery Dresser & Topper Set with removable changing topper.

For Carter, it’s really the smaller items that stand out and elevate the style of the room: the mirror that reflects light from the Dahlia Chandelier and the greenery outside the window. His wife is particularly fond of the shelving–for it’s functionality and the fact that it turns books into art.

As he admired the finished space, Carter said, “The vision and the result were mirror images of each other. Honestly, the mural came out better than I imagined, and the furniture and decor just took it all to the next level.” The only thing missing from the room is their little girl, but Carter is confident he’s already incorporated what he hopes to be a few of her favorite things. “We haven’t met our daughter yet, but if she’s anything like me, she’ll be a dreamer, a creative and love nature.”