INTERIOR DESIGN AND FURNITURE GUIDE

BABY FURNITURE IDEAS

Decorating a Green Child’s Room – product spotlight

December 31st, 2009

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to be kinder to the environment, Ecotots can help. When designing a room for your child, you can select furniture that is made of eco-friendly materials by companies, like Ecotots, that adhere to environmentally conscious business practices. It’s also very contemporary in style, with spare, clean lines, yet no sharp edges. Whether you’re decorating a boy’s bedroom or a girl’s bedroom, their unisex furniture is designed with both kids and the environment in mind. 

The fun aspect about Ecotots children’s furniture products is that they are available in Fire (Red), Leaf (Green), Cocoa (Brown), and Natural colors that can be matched or mix-matched. If you have two or more children, this will allow you to create an atmosphere of fun and amusement in their rooms that will be unique to each child. 

Contemporary in style, the bed has lines and forms that tend to be simple yet chic and trendy. Its toddler bed’s distinctive design boasts a footboard that can be used as a workspace or bed bench for active kids.

You’ll need someplace to put a lamp and the treasures they need to keep close by their bed, so they can drift off to sleep. Choose either the sideboard storage unit or the Ecotots Surfin Kids Eco Friendly Boogie Board Desk. Since a toddler’s bed is generally lower to the floor than a standard twin sized bed, it makes sense to select a piece of furniture that is multi-purpose and practical, while adding functionality to the room. Don’t forget to some matching stools – pick a different color from the desk; it will add visual interest to the room.

Complete your child’s bedroom furniture design with some pretty nifty storage pieces like the Ecotots Surfin Kids Eco Friendly Beach Locker, the Ecotots Surfin Kids Big-Kahuna Bookcase or the Ecotots Surfin Kids Eco Friendly Bonsai Book Caddy. Ecotots has a great collection of storage units for kids’ knickknacks, books, and clothing.

Ecotots’ activity tables and centers, beds, coat racks and other storage solutions designed to keep your child’s room organized are with favorites with parents for several reasons: furniture pieces are made from a renewable species of birch; are 100% formaldehyde-free; and finished with non-toxic stains. They can be totally assembled in minutes without the use of tools. There’s no hardware to worry about either, making them ultra-safe for curious little fingers. 

Ecotots embraces fun colors and contemporary designs, resulting in a collection of children’s furniture that perfectly complements their inquisitiveness, creativity and sense of adventure.

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Armoires for Kids

December 30th, 2009

When designing and decorating your child’s room and making a list of furnishings you want to include, an armoire might not seem like a priority. But there are several reasons why an armoire is a good choice. Since most armoires are multi-purpose, if you buy one for your child’s nursery, it can adapt as your child grows, providing many years of storage, from toddler to teen, for toys, clothes, shoes and accessories, no matter the developmental stage. 

A nursery armoire is ideal for storing clothes, blankies, bibs, shoes and other accessories; even toys. As they get older, the armoire’s multiple compartments become more and more practical. Especially if it can accommodate a television or computer, this type of armoire becomes particularly useful when they reach the tween and teen years. And no matter how adequate the closet, a child always needs plenty more storage space. The best part of a children’s armoire is the doors; it’s easy to hide things away and keep the room neat. The following guide will tell you how to choose a children’s armoire that will last through all of your child’s developmental years.

Versatile storage 

Manufacturers offer children’s armoires, designed with kids in mind, in a wide variety of styles, types, configurations and colors. A well-built, multi-purpose TV/wardrobe armoire will have a number of functional and organizational features. Select an armoire that will best suit your child’s needs.

  • A children’s TV or computer armoire should have wrap-around or pocket doors so that they stay out of the way when watching television or working at the computer.
  • Especially if you plan on using and re-using the armoire, adjustable shelves will allow you to easily adapt it for a variety of uses.
  • Drawers, in the base of the wardrobe armoire or in its interior cabinet, make it easy for children to store and locate things.
  • When purchasing a TV or computer armoire, consider what kinds of features, such as an adjustable keyboard tray, storage slots for discs or cork board, will be most useful to your child.
  • When selecting a TV armoire for your child’s or teen’s room, choose one with shelves about the TV area. Depending on the size of the television, not only does this prevent from the opening from appearing too large, but it also adds more storage capacity.
  • Purchase a children’s TV armoire with a slide out panel. This will give you the option of converting it to a wardrobe armoire at a later date.
  • A removable clothing rod increases the functionality of the armoire. When the clothing rod is in place, your child can use the armoire for clothes; once removed, it makes a great TV armoire. 

It Has To Look Good 

A well-chosen armoire enhances the room by adding charm and sophistication. Particularly when buying an armoire for a younger child, if you want the bedroom set to last through a couple of developmental stages, choose a style that will have lasting appeal over the trendy armoire that might not be as appealing in two years. Decorating a child’s room today is an adventure. Gone are the days of yore when parents had limited choices, mostly available in basic white. Today, with all of the choices manufacturers give you, you can design your child’s room to exactly fit his or her both current and future needs.

Traditional 

Lea Jessica McClintock

Traditional style has an understated elegance that is adaptable. Furnishings typically have lots of decoration, flowing lines and curved profiles. Traditional style children’s furniture is generally made of wood, with finishes that range from dark wood finishes to painted finishes in bold or pastel colors. They are often distressed for a worn or antique look. Traditional styles such as Sheraton, Queen Anne, Neo Classical French Provincial are modeled after historical fashions, periods and trends. A Victorian reproduction armoire has a fanciful and romantic feel that is perfect for princess-themed rooms; a traditional style bedroom for a child that will last until the college years; or a classic décor for a teen with discerning tastes. 

A bedroom is as much a play area as a place to sleep. In addition to creating a more formal and sophisticated feel, a traditional décor has proportion and symmetry that is soothing, welcoming and inviting. A computer armoire or TV armoire is exceptionally useful in accommodating modern technology while maintaining the room’s timeless atmosphere. 

Contemporary 

Berg Furniture

A child’s bedroom in a contemporary style has a clean, streamlined look that is both inviting and practical. Contemporary style armoires have smooth, clean lines and can use geometric forms in unique ways. While the emphasis is on function rather than decoration, contemporary style still includes decorative elements. Contemporary furnishings are typically made from lighter woods. Profiles tend to be relaxed, lending the room a calm and uncluttered appearance. 

Contemporary furniture for kids, tweens and teens is specially designed to appeal to them while being well-constructed, durable and suited to your budget. Contemporary style is comprised of several sub-styles diverse enough to appeal to many different tastes. A contemporary style armoire is simple in form while decorative detailing is stylized or spare. 

Country 

Alligator Enterprises

Country style is rooted in the traditional, but has been adapted from its original location to reflect newer geographic locations and regions away from major city centers. Country style furniture characteristically is made of wood with lighter wood finishes such as pine or maple, possesses simpler decorative detail and is smaller in scale. Other popular finishes range from milk-painted finishes in white and pastels to finishes that have exposed grains or are distressed. 

Country style armoires are universally appealing with their unpretentious designs yet elegant and charming looks. This is a perfect choice for a child’s or teen’s room because decorative details like stenciling, a scalloped apron, blunt arrow or bun feet and wainscoting lend the décor an inviting and comfortable air. A country style TV or computer armoire will add a stylish touch while increasing the room’s functionality.

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Armoires for Kids

December 24th, 2009

When designing and decorating your child’s room and making a list of furnishings you want to include, an armoire might not seem like a priority. But there are several reasons why an armoire is a good choice. Since most armoires are multi-purpose, if you buy one for your child’s nursery, it can adapt as your child grows, providing many years of storage, from toddler to teen, for toys, clothes, shoes and accessories, no matter the developmental stage.

A nursery armoire is ideal for storing clothes, blankies, bibs, shoes and other accessories; even toys. As they get older, the armoire’s multiple compartments become more and more practical. Especially if it can accommodate a television or computer, this type of armoire becomes particularly useful when they reach the tween and teen years. And no matter how adequate the closet, a child always needs plenty more storage space. The best part of a children’s armoire is the doors; it’s easy to hide things away and keep the room neat. The following guide will tell you how to choose a children’s armoire that will last through all of your child’s developmental years.

Versatile storage

Manufacturers offer children’s armoires, designed with kids in mind, in a wide variety of styles, types, configurations and colors. A well-built, multi-purpose TV/wardrobe armoire will have a number of functional and organizational features. Select an armoire that will best suit your child’s needs.

  • A children’s TV or computer armoire should have wrap-around or pocket doors so that they stay out of the way when watching television or working at the computer.
  • Especially if you plan on using and re-using the armoire, adjustable shelves will allow you to easily adapt it for a variety of uses.
  • Drawers, in the base of the wardrobe armoire or in its interior cabinet, make it easy for children to store and locate things.
  • When purchasing a TV or computer armoire, consider what kinds of features, such as an adjustable keyboard tray, storage slots for discs or cork board, will be most useful to your child.
  • When selecting a TV armoire for your child’s or teen’s room, choose one with shelves about the TV area. Depending on the size of the television, not only does this prevent from the opening from appearing too large, but it also adds more storage capacity.
  • Purchase a children’s TV armoire with a slide out panel. This will give you the option of converting it to a wardrobe armoire at a later date.
  • A removable clothing rod increases the functionality of the armoire. When the clothing rod is in place, your child can use the armoire for clothes; once removed, it makes a great TV armoire.

It Has To Look Good

A well-chosen armoire enhances the room by adding charm and sophistication. Particularly when buying an armoire for a younger child, if you want the bedroom set to last through a couple of developmental stages, choose a style that will have lasting appeal over the trendy armoire that might not be as appealing in two years. Decorating a child’s room today is an adventure. Gone are the days of yore when parents had limited choices, mostly available in basic white. Today, with all of the choices manufacturers give you, you can design your child’s room to exactly fit his or her both current and future needs.

Traditional

Lea Jessica McClintock

Traditional style has an understated elegance that is adaptable. Furnishings typically have lots of decoration, flowing lines and curved profiles. Traditional style children’s furniture is generally made of wood, with finishes that range from dark wood finishes to painted finishes in bold or pastel colors. They are often distressed for a worn or antique look. Traditional styles such as Sheraton, Queen Anne, Neo Classical French Provincial are modeled after historical fashions, periods and trends. A Victorian reproduction armoire has a fanciful and romantic feel that is perfect for princess-themed rooms; a traditional style bedroom for a child that will last until the college years; or a classic décor for a teen with discerning tastes.

A bedroom is as much a play area as a place to sleep. In addition to creating a more formal and sophisticated feel, a traditional décor has proportion and symmetry that is soothing, welcoming and inviting. A computer armoire or TV armoire is exceptionally useful in accommodating modern technology while maintaining the room’s timeless atmosphere.

Contemporary

Berg Furniture Armoire

A child’s bedroom in a contemporary style has a clean, streamlined look that is both inviting and practical. Contemporary style armoires have smooth, clean lines and can use geometric forms in unique ways. While the emphasis is on function rather than decoration, contemporary style still includes decorative elements. Contemporary furnishings are typically made from lighter woods. Profiles tend to be relaxed, lending the room a calm and uncluttered appearance.

Contemporary furniture for kids, tweens and teens is specially designed to appeal to them while being well-constructed, durable and suited to your budget. Contemporary style is comprised of several sub-styles diverse enough to appeal to many different tastes. A contemporary style armoire is simple in form while decorative detailing is stylized or spare.

Country

Alligator Enterprises Treasures

Country style is rooted in the traditional, but has been adapted from its original location to reflect newer geographic locations and regions away from major city centers. Country style furniture characteristically is made of wood with lighter wood finishes such as pine or maple, possesses simpler decorative detail and is smaller in scale. Other popular finishes range from milk-painted finishes in white and pastels to finishes that have exposed grains or are distressed.

Country style armoires are universally appealing with their unpretentious designs yet elegant and charming looks. This is a perfect choice for a child’s or teen’s room because decorative details like stenciling, a scalloped apron, blunt arrow or bun feet and wainscoting lend the décor an inviting and comfortable air. A country style TV or computer armoire will add a stylish touch while increasing the room’s functionality.

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Making Room for Creativity

December 22nd, 2009

Is your child constantly scribbling, coloring and drawing? Does he or she revel in making up stories about their friends or goings-on in the neighborhood? Does your child like to work on crafts and various other projects, but only if he or she can have friends over? You can design a workspace for your child that appeals to their inner artist, writer or life of the party. It can be a corner of their bedroom, family room or anywhere else in your home that can be converted into a place to sit down and be creative.

The Artist

Alex Toys Super Art Table

Bring out your child’s inner Klee or Picasso with a table designed to hold plenty of paint brushes, pencil crayons and other neat stuff. The tabletop of the Alex Toys Super Art Table encourages creativity with its chalkboard surface and built-in paper roll. Add a bookcase to the space with at least one or two shelves filled with baskets for arts and crafts supplies and recyclable materials like newspapers (for papier mache) and magazines (for collages and other projects). 

The Writer

Leg Vanity Writing Desk

KidKraft Desk in Honey

The writer is a dreamer, but also a doer and the desk for the little writer in your life should inspire great works or at least a four-page story. For a girl author, pick a writing desk that Charles Dickens might have sat at to pen A Christmas Carol; something with flourishes and curvy lines. For a boy author, select something similar with fewer decorative details. Make sure to include drawers or cubbies for pencils, pens and paper. And when they get older, a writing desk is also a great place for a laptop. 

The Life of the Party 

Pkolino Craft Table

The life of the party is the child that draws people in. They tend to travel in a group; have fun is a group; and work/play/create in a group. When they go off to college, they will be the ones who will draw up a group study schedule in preparation for the big exam. If your child is so inclined, give him or her room at the table to share with friends. A picnic style table would provide perfect workspace for several young children to work on crafts together.

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Pets and Kids during the Holidays

December 21st, 2009

Evenflo Clear Gate

You’re number one priority is keeping everyone in your household safe, including the family pets, and of course, especially your children. But what about the holidays? Your beautifully decorated Christmas tree with dangly ornaments and blinking lights; candles and bowls of Christmas treats dotted around the living room or family room; the potted poinsettias and pine boughs adorning the hallways, tables and stairways all can pose potential hazards to children and pets alike. Particularly if there are very young children in the home, there are things you can do to keep everyone safe and happy during the holidays.

The Tree

Choose decorations for your tree that will not become potential choking hazards. Avoid tinsel and both children and pets can choke if it is swallowed. Some cats especially like to eat tinsel. Ditto for angel hair.

Save the really dangly ornaments for the higher branches where they won’t pose a temptation to be grabbed or played with (by little fingers or paws).

Make sure the tree is level and secure. If possible, place a screen around the tree to keep pets and toddlers away.

Potential Poisons

Fake it! Holly, poinsettias, mistletoe and pine cones call all be dangerous to pets and young children if ingested. Use artificial versions of these holiday plants to be on the safe side.

Bubble lights sometimes contain methylene chloride, and even if they are labeled non-toxic, can pose a threat to children they drink it.

Avoid using snow sprays on windows, mirrors, etc. that are accessible to children.

When young children are around, don’t leave drinks unattended. Whenever possible, clear away the glasses with left-over alcohol in them before you go to bed. Young children and pets can be very susceptible to alcohol poisoning.

While we’re visiting with family and friends, it’s easy to forget about putting away food that has been sitting out for awhile or immediately wiping down a counter where raw egg was spilt. Because incidents of food poisoning rise during the holiday season, remembering simple food safety rules is important.

You may have managed to train your kids not to feed the pets from the dinner table. But during the holidays it may be tempting for them to give their pet friends a little taste of chocolate or other holiday goodies. Chocolate can be toxic to pets. Foods like cheese and rich pastries can really upset an animal’s digestive system. Pets can choke on the small bones in pieces of meat like chicken and turkey. Discourage family and visitors alike from feeding the pets.

Other Safety Tips to Keep in Mind

You’ll be doing a lot of baking and cooking during the holidays. Be extra vigilant regarding kitchen safety.

Put candles out of reach. Never leave a burning candle unattended.

Dogs and cats can react differently to strangers or having a lot of “extra” people in their space. Give them down time or a place of there own that will be visitor-free. This will prevent them from becoming agitated and perhaps prone to biting or attacking.

Never assume that just because there is an adult or older child in the room, that they will watch the younger ones or keep an eye on the pets. If you have to leave the room, “assign” someone to be the “room monitor.”

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Children, Christmas and Commercialism

December 18th, 2009

Stokke in Olive Green Chair

It makes me chuckle a little when people express the opinion that Christmas has become so commercialized. To my way of thinking, business does what it always has done – companies come up with new and inventive products they think people want and then they come up with new and inventive ways to get people to buy things they may or may not want or need. Yes, I admit, it annoys that the beginning of the Christmas advertising season seems to start a little earlier every year.

But if Christmas has evolved into being all about the gifts and how much each one costs, perhaps we should hold advertising responsible and not blame the holiday for something it didn’t do. After all, Christmas is us: it’s a celebration of our religious beliefs; it’s a holiday we take part in irregardless of what we personally believe because it’s an integral part of the cultural fabric of our country; it’s a day off from work. Whatever the holiday means to each one of us personally, it’s up to each individual to decide how they will enjoy the holiday season, and that includes how much to spend.

There’s no denying that advertising intensifies around holidays like St. Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. And especially around this time of year, the ads for all kinds of new games, activities and toys are aimed directly at children. That does concern me, since their little minds are like sponges and they eagerly take in everything around them. I’ve been lucky with my daughter Louisa: after a trip to Toys R Us when she was four she kept asking me to explain how toys can be us since toys aren’t people. To this day, she questions everything she sees in an advertisement that doesn’t make sense to her. Of my two children destined to buy a brand name product just because they’ve seen it on TV, my son Bobby is more likely to be influenced by ads than my daughter.

The experts warn us that while commercialism can affect children at an early age, its negative side effects, including materialism, unrealistic expectations and destructive financial management, might not manifest themselves until later in life. If commercialism during the holidays (and year-round) concerns you, there are ways to combat its overpowering influence.

  • Limit TV watching to a specific amount of time per day.
  • Until they are five, restrict their TV time to programming for children that doesn’t include advertising. If the local station or cable company in your area doesn’t offer this alternative, borrow or rent kids’ movies and TV programs from the library or your favorite DVD rental place and let your children watch these instead.
  • Set the example. Break the habit of buying things: check first to see if it can be repaired, repurposed or recycled. Instead of buying more decorations for the trees, make them (spending crafts time with your kids is the pay-off). Rather than decorating the front door or the dining table with a store-bought wreath or centerpiece, design and make your own.
  • Buy toys for your children that don’t need updates, add-ons, etc. Giving them toys like a jump rope, a rocking horse, drawing materials like a coloring book or a pad of paper and chalk/water colors/crayons or a dollhouse will help them discover their creativity and develop their imaginations.
  • Encourage and promote activities that don’t require any money, such as walk to a nearby playground or park; sidewalk games like hopscotch; an impromptu family picnic.

Lisa, mom of a son (5) and a daughter (11)

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How to Buy Kid-Friendly Furniture

December 17th, 2009

Pkolino Play Ottoman

You may have absolutely fallen in love with the plush suede sofa set in a pale cream color or the elegant traditional style wood coffee table with the etched glass top, but if you have children under eight years of age (or you are currently expecting), you may want to consider purchasing furniture that is specifically kid-friendly. When there are young ones around, furnishing your home with expensive furniture can be a recipe for disaster. Let’s face it; no matter how well-behaved children are, they do tend to be generally rougher on things than adults. They don’t need a reason; just they’re kids and they like to bounce, bang on a tabletop with your wooden spoons like a drum and get the occasional “good” idea that it might be fun to make the wallpaper in the dining room a different color. Yes, accidents will happen, but you can create a home designed to be comfortable and practical for everyone, even the adults.

First and foremost, select darker colors for carpets, furniture upholstery and window treatments. Also choose fabrics and materials throughout your home that will be easy to clean. Avoid the obvious colors like white and cream, as well as pale pastels and lighter neutrals like beige and gray.

You don’t have to buy cheap items for the rooms of your home, but don’t plan on spending a lot of money for furniture that’s going to take a bit of a beating. Well-made furniture doesn’t have to cost a lot. There are things you can look for that will tell you if you’re getting a bargain or if it’s just not constructed properly. Well-made living room, dining room and bedroom furniture constructed from wood should use good materials and techniques, such as glue and clamp, dovetailing, dowels and screws instead of staples in the construction of drawers and cabinets. The piece of furniture should sit on the floor perfectly level (no rocking back and forth). Especially when purchasing dining room furniture, tables and chairs should have finishes that are non-toxic and are easy to clean with a damp cloth.

Kidkraft Limited Edition

Select furniture that doesn’t have sharp edges, corners or angles. Keep furniture profiles simple so that nothing juts out or sticks up that might cause a small child to trip or get snagged. Particularly for kids eight and under, choose sofas and chairs that are lower to the floor; it will make them easier for children to sit in them.

Because you are buying furniture for a family that includes little ones, choose multi-purpose furniture that provides both seating and storage options such as benches, toy chests and ottomans.

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Barnyard Boy’s Room for 3 and up

December 16th, 2009

A barnyard themed young boy’s room has a rustic charm and appeal that can last until they move on to middle school. It’s a great theme for a child’s room because it involves animals, which can be incorporated into the room in any number of ways, from wallpaper borders to bedding to wall art to floor coverings. If you’re artistic or handy with stencils, you can paint one wall to look like a section of a meadow with grazing cows or horses; the side of a barn; or a vegetable garden as seen from the farmhouse kitchen window. This theme is flexible in terms of furnishing your child’s bedroom; you can pick from a number of styles including rustic, country and Southwestern. 

Color the walls in earth tone colors or deeper toned neutrals like taupe, beige and cream. Use primary colors like sky blue, barn red and sunshine yellow for accent colors. If you prefer to paper the walls, farm theme and farm animal theme wallpaper patterns are readily available. Popular barnyard theme subjects and characters include ducks, cows, horses/foals, chickens, roosters, Babe or Wilbur (from Charlotte’s Web), silos, barns and tractors. Peel and stick wall decals can be used to create a border or mini-mural.

Barn Bookcase

We’ll start furnishing our kid’s bedroom with the twin Powell Dakota Dark Rustic Pine Twin/Full Barn Bookcase Headboard. In addition to its plenty of charm, this bed has the added advantage of providing extra storage. And somewhere to stash treasures is always a good thing in a young boy’s bedroom. Paired with bedding that pops, in reds, warm browns or even dark chocolate, the bed will be an inviting place to sleep, read or just hang out. The Cozy Kids Rodeo 3-Piece Twin Bedding Set is ideal for our barnyard themed bedroom. 

Lea Jackson

A nightstand that makes the room more functional with drawers and cupboard space is a must. It’s also an ideal place to put a lamp or a night light. 

Kidkraft Barnyard
At this stage, he will need someplace to draw, sculpt, paint or color. Keep to the fun barnyard theme with the KidKraft Barnyard Kids Table and Chair Set, which has farm animal backrests. With a different animal for each chair, this activity table has a whimsical and fun appeal that will keep him entertained for hours. There’s enough room for siblings and friends too! 

Accessorize your barnyard themed bedroom. Adding stuffed farm animals, wall art depicting farm life or lamps with bases in the shape of a horse or cowboy to the room will give your boy’s bedroom a polished interior designer look.

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Young Girl’s Bedroom Design Featuring the Daybed

December 15th, 2009

Sweet Country Trundle Daybed

Today we’re going to design a bedroom for a young girl that uses a daybed as the focal point of the room. Daybeds are ideal for a young child’s room because they are so versatile. They can have a charming, old fashioned appeal that will make a child’s room warm and inviting. Daybeds, especially in a girl’s bedroom that is traditional or country in style, have a whimsical appeal that enchants that can largely be attributed to classic daybed bedding which is often frilly in nature and is accompanied by ruffled bed skirts, pillow cases and decorative pillows. When decorating a child’s room, the daybed has an added advantage: it’s an economical choice because you don’t need to use a box spring; all you need is just a twin size mattress. While we will use the daybed to create a country style room, manufacturers today offer so many different types of daybeds, you will be able to match one to any décor style, from traditional to contemporary to anything in between.

I’ve chosen country greens (from Benjamin Moore) as possible colors for the walls. These soft colors should mix and match well with whites and creams when used to paint the windows, baseboards or the ceiling. The idea is to give the room a soothing feel with a just a touch of vibrancy.

Day Bed Set

The Coaster Sweet Country Trundle Daybed in White is perfect for our country style girl’s room because, while it is a daybed, it has decorative finials reminiscent of a poster bed. It also has other charming cottage country detailing such as the beadboard panels. This particular daybed includes a trundle unit, perfect for sleepovers. When buying a daybed with a pull-out trundle, you will want to select daybed bedding that does not include a bed skirt, since it will at the very least, hide the trundle bed drawer or even become entangled. Another option is to dress the bed with its bed skirt for everyday use, but remove it when you’re daughter is expecting company.

Hillsdale Westfield Nightstand

This nightstand has a beadboard drawer front, which perfectly complements the daybed. It also adds another element of country charm to the room’s overall design with its turned bun feet. Include the Little Miss Liberty Scallop Baby Nursery Nightstand as an accent table. The table’s scalloped edge is pure country style decoration.

Daybeds are versatile pieces of furnish and increase your decorating options while making any room they are in more functional. Because a daybed resembles a sofa or couch in shape, with a back and two arms, it can be used as seating during the day and a place to sleep at night. It also has the added benefit of growing as your child grows; change the daybed bedding set from “girlie” to country chic, and you will have designed a bedroom for your daughter that could take her straight through to college.

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A Day at the Fair

December 11th, 2009

Chelsea Armoire
Especially if you’re expecting your first baby and it’s a girl, you want the nursery to be a special and magical for your little one’s first years. When designing a nursery, pick a theme. This is an easy way to start decorating your baby’s first bedroom, because everything you select will be related to the theme, giving the room a cohesive, finished look that will be both stylish and inviting. Don’t forget that you will also be spending a lot of time in the nursery. So choose a color palette, nursery furniture and a theme that is pleasing to you. A festive fair, circus or carnival theme gives you plenty to work with in terms of decorating ideas. With a circus theme, you can make the nursery as simple or elaborate in design; as frilly or tailored in appearance as elaborate as you want. 

Carnival swatch

To capture the sights, sounds and flavors of a carnival or a circus pick colors that are sunny, bright and bold or reminiscent of cotton candy. The darker shades of pink shown here can be used as accent shades in the room. Since carnivals, fairs and circuses mostly occur during the summer months, pastel blues and greens could also be brought into the nursery by way of window treatments, wallpaper patterns, wallpaper borders and crib bedding.

Don’t underestimate the power of color; to stimulate her wonder and curiosity make the room as colorful as possible by using a number of different shades, without making the nursery look busy or over-decorated. 

Little Miss Liberty Carousel

Basic furnishings for a nursery include a crib, crib mattress, a change table, a dresser and a rocker or oversized comfy chair. Let’s start with the Little Miss Liberty Carousel Rocking Horse Round Canopy Baby Crib. Its whimsical, carousel design perfectly fits in with our carnival theme. The crib is rich in detail and will give your baby’s nursery a smart and stylish sense of lighthearted fun. 

Baby Nursery Triple Dresser

A dresser or a chest of drawers is a must-have for storing baby clothes, accessories and other baby treasures. A change table will make both you and your baby comfortable, especially considering how often you will be changing you baby girl. If you’re concerned about buying a piece of furniture with a limited shelf life, select a type of changing table that can be repurposed as a dresser or chest of drawers. In addition to the crib, whatever furniture pieces you choose, they should have a festive flavor to them, ideal for a carnival-themed nursery for your baby girl’s very first room. 

Color swatches are from Benjamin Moore.

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