A cowboy theme is popular for a boy baby-to-be, but a Western theme can often become too rugged and masculine, so remember to keep it fun and youthful.

The first step is to decide on a wall treatment -- in this case, a blue-and-white plaid/stripe combined with wainscoting. The plaid/stripe is applied to the top half of the walls; then a plain chair rail and picture-frame molding are added to the bottom half. The molding is accented with a second wall-covering design -- a red-and-white bandanna print -- and trimmed with a dry-brush paint technique.

All you need to create this technique on the wainscoting are two parts glaze to one part satin latex paint, a wide paintbrush, some rags and a pair of protective gloves. Dip the brush into the glaze only about a third of the way down -- you want most of the brush to be free of paint. Use the side of the paint can or a rag to remove any excess drips from the brush. Holding the brush at an angle, apply paint to the surface in one continuous motion. You want to let the base color show through, and you want the brushstrokes to appear in order to give a wood-grained look. Consider practicing on a piece of scrap wood before you actually apply glaze to the walls. Then, when you have mastered the technique, start on the walls.

Allow the glaze to dry for 30 minutes to an hour.

The fabrics for the nursery include blue denim -- a natural choice for a boy's room, as it's both durable and washable -- and a red bandanna fabric.