INTERIOR DESIGN AND FURNITURE GUIDE

BABY FURNITURE IDEAS

French Country Chic for a Baby Girl

June 25th, 2010

The overall effect of a French country nursery is a rustic charm that has threads of tradition and sophistication running through it. French country baby furniture is typically crafted from wood, ranging from light to medium finishes, commonly grainy, painted or distressed, giving it a distinctive flavor reminiscent of the French countryside. Furniture pieces like a chest of drawers or an armoire can include whimsical details like hand-painted stenciling, hand-carved insets and soft, gracefully curved moldings or aprons. The focal furniture piece of a French country nursery will be the crib. It should be the center stage of a baby girl nursery that is tranquilly pastoral and outrageously romantic.

The rich simplicity of a French country nursery comes from colors taken from Provence, Champagne and other famous rural regions. The palette you choose for should reflect the fruits and vegetables found in a village market; the creamy goodness of butter, milk and cheese; and the yellows, greens and browns of the countryside itself. Choose soft tones of these colors for a gentle, romantic feel or bolder shades for something a little more dramatic.

A French country crib bed possesses a charming appearance that is rustic yet warm and inviting. As beautifully demonstrated by the Natart Verona Classic Crib in French White and Silver, the rattan panels are proof of how French country incorporates other materials into the design of furniture as opposed to more traditional tenet of using only wood. French country cribs typically have distressed finishes, pastoral motifs and carved, stenciled or embossed decorative accents. They can also have other kinds of decoration such as moldings, cabriole legs or scalloped aprons.

Whimsically capturing the spirit of French Country, the Maddie Boo Ava 3-piece Baby Crib Bedding Set possesses a balanced mix of solid colors and paisley patterns. The general effect is perfectly delightful, while adding color and texture to the room; it also has a pastoral motif that includes birds and farm animals.

A French country nursery is ideal for a baby girl nursery because it is an eclectic style, allowing you the freedom to be a laid-back or as formal as you want it to be. It’s easy to get that certain look that will make your girl nursery stand out. When accessorizing a French country nursery, follow these three basic French country decorating principles – mix and match second-hand store finds with antique-like furniture pieces; for window treatments, area rugs, lampshades, etc. use colors found in the French countryside; and include classic motifs like the rooster, orchard fruits or wildflowers. In no time at all, you’ll have a French country nursery your baby girl will be proud of.

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I’m Leaving on a Jet Plane

June 16th, 2010

A travel themed nursery provides a wealth of inspiration that will turn mere space into a fun, whimsical and imaginative first bedroom for a baby boy. Especially with the focus on airplanes of all kinds, from prop to jet, you don’t have to stick to matched baby furniture – by mix-and-matching styles you can create of vintage look featuring older kinds of aircraft or go for a totally contemporary vibe by concentrating on jet planes. While other themes might last just until the toddler stage, a travel themed nursery might have a little more lasting power.

For a travel themed nursery blue is a great place to start because it symbolizes the sky or the ocean. While selecting blue as a color for a boy nursery is a traditional choice, it also is a soothing shade that will help create a calm and tranquil space for your little world traveler. Once the main wall color has been picked, decide what color you would like for the trim (windows, doors, baseboards). The final consideration regarding the walls after they have been painted is what to do with them. A wallpaper border with a trains/planes/automobiles motif is a simple way to add visual interest to a travel themed nursery without too much effort. A mural, while more labor intensive, is the ultimate fun way to add some “real” adventure to the space.

Airplane baby furniture such as a changing table, bookcase, toy chest or toy/blanket bench are popular ways to furnish a travel themed nursery. But for the budget-conscious another easy and convenient way to get the same look is to select a crib like the Orbelle Convertible Mini Portable Combo Crib N Bed  and apply small, airplane decals. You can also give the same treatment to other baby furniture pieces like the changing table and the dresser.

The Bebe Chic Around the World Baby Crib Bedding Set has a classic style that is fun, casual and very adaptable to any other décor style including country and traditional. The pattern is charming, allowing you to add other airplane or other travel themed elements that will work with crib bedding set’s color scheme, while the mix of solid colors with soft shaded plaids create visual interest.

Accessorizing is easy and only limited by your imagination! Hang model airplanes from the ceiling; add a novelty ceiling light fixture or table lamp to the room’s décor design; or use framed pictures of vintage or modern airplanes as wall art. A travel themed nursery that features planes, trains or automobiles (or all of the above) is a delightful nursery theme for a new baby boy. He won’t even need a passport!Choose instead a theme like world travel, which will allow you to add old world touches like framed maps, a globe or trunk-shaped toy chest.

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In the Jungle: a Jungle Themed Nursery for a Boy

June 11th, 2010

Jungle animals like lions, zebras, hippos and tiger are exotic and exciting, bringing with them a sense of delicious danger and adventure. It is also the place where monkeys swing from tangled vines and giraffes nibble on rainforest leaves. A jungle themed nursery for a baby boy is an ideal way for you to introduce your little one to bright colors and interesting shapes. While a jungle nursery creates excitement and an adventurous atmosphere, it also has a whimsical appeal that comes from life in a warm, tropical place that exists half a world away. A jungle nursery will provide an energizing and refreshing place for your new baby boy.

 When capturing the sights, sounds and flavors of a jungle environment, select colors (shown here from Benjamin Moore) that reflect the hues of jungle foliage, an African sunset or the pelts of the strange and wonderful creatures that live there. Once the nursery has been painted, you will have time to figure out if, what else you would like to do to the walls. With a jungle theme, the possibilities are endless; anything from a mural of a pride of lions to a wallpaper border of blue hippos.

When choosing a style of baby furniture for a jungle nursery, select one that has simple lines and relaxed profiles like contemporary, transitional or even country. The crib you choose will definitely be the focal point of the room. To make your nursery functional as well as esthetically appealing, the changing table and dresser should either match or complement the crib. The Sorelle City Lights 4 in 1 Commuter has such simple lines and an adaptable contemporary style that it is an excellent candidate for mixing and matching with other décor styles for a décor design that is unique.

The Maddie Boo Parker 3-piece Baby Crib Bedding Set is a perfect way to dress the crib for a jungle nursery. The crib bedding set has a predominately blue pattern with plenty of jungle animals. It also includes subtle stripes in a soothing complementary green. This delightful crib bedding set will create the perfect mood for a cozy nap or (hopefully) an uninterrupted night’s sleep.

In addition to the basic nursery furniture needed to put your child to sleep and to change him, you will need a place to store those cute onesies and other articles of baby clothing, as well as the onslaught of toys and books the grandparents and family friends will bring when they come to visit. Storage such as a bookcase, a toy chest or an armoire will play an important role in a jungle themed nursery. Don’t forget to accessorize. By adding a jungle themed rug, table lamp, curtains or wall art, it will make your jungle nursery a special place for your little Tarzan to grow and dream.

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Yar! – Pirate themed Nursery for a Baby Boy

June 7th, 2010

For kids of all ages, there is something about pirates that sets the imagination on fire and makes us want to set sail for adventure. So it shouldn’t be any surprise that a pirate themed nursery is perfect for a baby boy’s first bedroom. Pirate mural nursery ideas are bountiful as are pirate themed fabrics and accessories. When designing a nursery with a pirate theme, think tall ships, treasure maps, eye-patched mischief makers and walking the plank!

Paint the walls a color (from Benjamin Moore) you would find from sailing the Seven Seas. Once you have chosen the main color for your pirate themed nursery, paint a tall ship mural or treasure map on one or two walls. Because it will be the natural focal point of the nursery, when opting for a mural, plan on putting the crib or the changing table against that wall. If a mural seems too labor-intensive, select instead a pirate themed wallpaper border. Borders, with a nautical motif like anchors or flags, around the entire room will give the painted walls a finished appearance while adding a festive mood to the nursery.

Let’s start with the Stork Craft Aspen Stages Oak Fixed Side Baby Crib; it has an adaptable design that fits a number of décor styles including country, transitional and even contemporary. The lines of the crib are relaxed and fluid. Since we will be bringing the pirate theme into room through other elements such as the area rug, the nursery curtains and select furniture pieces, dress the crib with the Caden Lane Classic Blue Noah Baby Crib Bedding Set.

The changing table and a dresser are the two other pieces of furniture you will need to make your nursery functional and complete. Since there’s something so attractive about swash buckling pirates, a pirate themed nursery has a lasting appealing. The Powell Furniture Shiver Me Timbers Youth Triple Dresser will provide plenty of storage in the nursery and for several years to come. Choosing furniture pieces like the dresser and matching nightstand that will grow with your child will be economical in the long run. Until he needs it by his twin bed, the Powell Furniture Shiver Me Timbers Youth Nightstand next to a glider or rocking chair will give you a convenient place to set down a bottle, book or toy.

From Long John Silver to Captain Hook, there are pirates a-plenty to provide inspiration for a pirate themed nursery for an infant boy.

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Around the World in 80 Days – Travel Themed Nursery

May 21st, 2010

 A travel themed nursery embodies curiosity and adventure, a wonderful way to introduce your baby to the world. The great thing about this theme is that you can tailor it for a girl nursery, a boy nursery or a gender neutral nursery, just by selecting traditional or non-gender specific colors. You can focus on means of travel such as planes, trains, ships and automobiles. Or you can feature the countries you might see in 80 days traveling by steamship and train (as hypothesized by the Jules Verne novel). You can go in the opposite direction and give your little one a nursery that is out of this world with spaceships and rockets. You could also take inspiration from the series “Where’s Waldo.” Vintage or modern travel, there are so many options to choose from.

For this particular travel themed nursery design, we’ll start with blue – not for boy but for sky and sea, two things that play a big role in traveling around the world (even if it’s not in 80 days). Blues such as turquoise, aquamarine, sky and maritime are becoming more common choices for girl nurseries as well. This color palette from Benjamin Moore is a selection of “main” wall colors. For accent colors, use greens and yellows. Or if you have it already, take your accent colors from the themed bedding you’ve chosen for the crib.

For a boy travel themed nursery choose darker colored baby furniture; for a girl nursery with a travel theme, select white or natural; for a gender neutral travel themed nursery choose light to medium wood finishes. The Status Furniture Brookfield Baby Room Furniture Set would look just at home in a girl nursery as it would in a boy nursery. It also has the added bonus of including the basic pieces of baby furniture – the crib, changing table and chest of drawers – that you will need.

Dress the crib in a themed bedding set like the Bebe Chic Around the World Baby Crib Bedding Set. The colors are perfect for a gender neutral nursery. Continue accessorizing the nursery with framed maps, vintage suitcases or black and white prints of the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben or a Venetian palace. For those special touches that will make your baby’s first room unique, use suitcase labels as wall art or make a mobile out of small globes of different colors.

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Designing a Jungle Themed Gender Neutral Nursery

May 19th, 2010

A jungle theme is ideal for a gender neutral nursery because colors associated with a rainforest, safari or jungle animals tend to be bright, colorful and larger-than-life. It also allows you to fill the space with fun, whimsical shapes and colors. Add a jungle animal border or a mural to the walls; accessorize with an elephant lamp; an amusing area. Since it’s the space you and your baby will share for the first two years of your baby’s life, have fun designing your nursery and go wild.

Begin at the Beginning

When designing a gender neutral nursery, the best place to begin is with color. Gender neutral colors include yellows and greens, as well as the classic neutral colors like as beige, white, cream and tan. Earth tones such as taupe, sage and umber are also popular choices.

For accent colors, simply select deeper shades or complementary tones of the main color you have chosen for the nursery walls.

A wall mural or wall art depicting a family of lions, giraffes or hippos will make the room visually interesting. 

All Together Now

When choosing baby furniture for a gender neutral nursery, select a crib, changing table and dresser that have an uncluttered appearance. This doesn’t mean you can’t go traditional, if that’s the style that you prefer – just choose a traditional style like Shaker or Louis Philippe that is renowned for its lack of ornamentation.

Select jungle themed crib bedding that matches the colors used on the walls.

Accessories are not just those little finishing touches that make your baby’s room unique. Accessorizing wisely is a great way to harmonize all of the elements in the nursery, from the walls to the baby furniture to the curtains on the window. For window treatments, upholstered chairs and accent pillows, mix and match fabrics such as faux fur with crisp cotton. This is another way to give your gender neutral nursery an additional layer of texture.

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Double the Fun: Designing a Nursery for Twins

May 17th, 2010

An expecting mother finding out that she is having twins can be a bit of a surprise. But once the “shock” has worn off, you will now be planning a nursery for two babies, not just one. The good news is the only item of baby furniture that you will actually need two of is the crib. Because you will be changing or feeding just one child at a time, you will require only one changing table and one glider or rocker.  Some parents opt to decorate two nurseries, one for each baby; the thinking behind this is that eventually they will have their own rooms, why not right from the start? Some parents find that twins sleep better if they share the nursery. Whatever route you choose, the elements for creating a warm and inviting place for your twins will remain the same.

Start with a can of paint. Choose one that is non-toxic. When planning a nursery for twins that are one of each, designing a gender-neutral nursery will create a welcoming atmosphere for both. Select colors that are not shades of pink or blue. If you know whether you are expecting boys or girls you can opt for the more traditional colors like blue or pink.

While soothing and comforting, a nursery should also be a place that will stimulate brain activity and the senses of your twins. Pick a theme with this in mind. Some of the more popular nursery themes are:

  • Jungle animals / safari
  • Farm animals / domestic pets
  • Lady bugs / butterflies / bees
  • Sun / moon / stars / planets
  • Little Mermaid / Winnie the Pooh
  • Flowers / trees
  • Sea / pirates / nautical 

 The basic pieces of baby furniture you will need are two cribs, a changing table and a dresser. Especially if the space is smaller-sized, you will need to make everything fit, and in such a manner that you can move easily around the room. A changing table like the Badger Basket Diaper Corner Baby Changing Table that fits conveniently in a corner could be the ideal solution when trying to make the maximum use of available floor space. Selecting multipurpose items like a dresser/change table is another way to make your twins nursery a little roomier.

Whether the space is ample or smaller sized, storage will be an important aspect of designing a nursery for your twins. Choose a dresser with multiple-size drawers; units with a number of storage options like a combination of cubbies, shelves and drawers; or armoires with compartments that can be easily adapted for baby one and baby two.

When accessorizing, add a little individuality. Yes, they are twins, but by giving them complementing rather than matching nursery crib bedding, area rugs and/or mobiles, you will be “visually” making a distinction between the two with the use of color and pattern.

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Ride ‘em Cowboy – Designing a Cowboy Themed Nursery

May 14th, 2010

A cowboy themed nursery has a rustic charm and an attractive versatility that could have an enduring appeal until high school…well at least he reaches middle school. It’s an ideal theme for a boy nursery because it involves animals, the Wild West, covered wagons, horses and of course, cowboys. It also allows you a lot of flexibility when choosing a design style, from rustic to country and Southwestern to vintage bordering on traditional. A themed nursery, especially a cowboy theme nursery, conveniently ties all of the other elements in the room and gives it a casual and welcoming vibe.

Not only because this is a boy’s room, but also because it involves cowboys and the Old West, choose warm browns, muted reds and sandy tones that reflect their world. When the walls have been painted, you can include the cowboy theme in any number of creative and imaginative ways. If you’re artistically inclined, you can draw or stencil a cowboy scene or motif on one or more of the boy nursery and then paint the mural. Perhaps a mural is too labor-intensive; opt instead for using letter stencils to spell out your baby’s name, a cowboy theme wallpaper border or framed vintage prints of cowboys doing cowboy things like herding cattle, etc.

Nursery sets are available in a range of styles. Buying your baby furniture in nursery sets instead of individual pieces is usually more economical. Choose baby furniture for your nursery in classic “boy” colors like black, dark brown or espresso that is well-constructed, durable and stylish. Or since it is a cowboy theme, how about a crib set in natural or pine? You will need a crib, a changing table and some form of storage like a dresser, chest of drawers or an armoire.

Your crib will need a crib mattress and naturally, themed bedding to make it extra comfy for your little one. Accessorize your cowboy themed bedroom. Include the floor in your nursery design plan by choosing and area rug like the Fun Rugs California Kids Medium Pile Cowboy Rug. Adding stuffed farm animals, wall art depicting a cowboy’s life on the range or lamps with bases in the shape of a horse or cowboy to the room will give your baby boy’s nursery a vintage look that will stimulate your child’s senses, transforming it into a place everyone can enjoy.

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I Want to be a Fireman when I Grow Up – Firefighter Themed Nursery

May 12th, 2010

You know that sooner or later your son is going to want to join the firefighters when he grows up. Why not give him a head start with a fireman theme nursery. There is something very appealing and exciting about a fireman décor and themed bedding. The whole point in designing a nursery is to provide a safe and soothing yet stimulating environment in which he can grow and develop. Since primary colors, fire trucks, Dalmatians and other fun shapes are integral parts of a firefighter themed nursery, it’s a perfect interior design for a boy nursery.

Firefighter Walls

Primary colors like red, blue or yellow would be great for an accent color, either for doors, windows and baseboards or for one entire wall as a focal point for the crib or wall art. So that the nursery won’t be overpowered by too much color, use a bright neutral like a crisp white or a deep tan as the main color for the walls. Consider finishing off painted walls with a firefighter theme border. Another nursery décor option is to paint a fire station mural featuring firefighters, fire trucks, etc. Don’t let not being able to draw prevent you from creating a unique mural for your little firefighter – peel and stick vinyl pieces let you “paint” to your heart’s content.

Firefighter Furniture

Because firefighters are on the cutting edge of technology and the latest up-to-date rescue methods, contemporary baby furniture would be a nice change from the vintage fire hall. But either interior design style would be a good choice. Start with a crib, a changing table and a dresser. These are the key baby furniture pieces you will need. Add other furnishings like an armoire or a toy chest as space allows. Anyway you can increase your storage options in a nursery is a good thing.

Firefighter Accessories

It’s such a popular theme for a boy nursery that you will have no trouble finding fireman decorations and themed bedding. Make the nursery “pop” with fire engine red windows treatments, a lamp shade or crib bedding. For upholstered furniture like a glider choose fabrics like denim or heavy cotton. Throw down a fun-shaped fire truck area rug for another splash of color to make your bright nursery even brighter. Designing a fireman themed nursery for your newborn is sure to set his senses (and his imagination) on fire.

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Make your Princess feel like a Princess

May 10th, 2010

Designing and decorating a princess nursery for the little princess you are expecting is a fun way to start preparing for when you’ll bring your new baby home. Take advantage of the fact that you go as “girlie” as you want. There are many directions you can go in when planning a princess nursery. Because it’s such a popular theme for a girl nursery, there is a wide variety of themed bedding and themed decorations to choose from. This gives the flexibility and freedom to create a space that will be fit for royalty as well as your budget.

Princess Walls

The obvious choice for both a girl and a princess is pink. Select paler pink tones or soft shades of rose, burgundy or lilac. For accent colors, use deeper shades of these colors; for a secondary color for doors and windows pick neutrals like white, cream or gray.

Don’t want to paint or you would like to do something else than just paint? Add a princess-themed border to the walls of your princess nursery.

To give your little princess that royal feeling, how about painting a princess-themed mural on one or more walls of the nursery? You don’t even have paint a mural – you can create one from a princess theme peel and stick vinyl pieces kit.

Princess Furniture

Traditional style baby furniture is perfect for princess-themed rooms. The basic baby furniture pieces you will need are a crib, changing table and a dresser or chest of drawers. The ultimate princess bed has to irrefutably be the canopy crib or the sleigh crib; the canopy crib because of its drapery and ruffles; the sleigh crib for its smooth curves and dreamy appeal. If you do have the space, consider purchasing a Victorian reproduction armoire that will add a fanciful and romantic feel that will last until the college years, growing with your baby girl long past the time it’s storing baby gear and themed bedding. It might sound like storage overkill, but it will come in handy once the grandparents start to bring toys and other little treasures every time they come to visit.

Princess Accessories

A princess themed nursery needs themed decorations and accessories. For window treatments and themed bedding think frilly lace and ruffles. Select pink crib bedding (or whatever color you’ve painted the nursery) to match the walls. If you’ve chosen a canopy crib, add a pink canopy with white drapes (or vice versa). Place accent pillows with gold trim or gold stars in your rocker or crib. For that certain royal look, choose a traditional style miniature chandelier with a touch of pink crystals or glass beads. Select an area rug that depicts a castle, a knight, a princess or all of the above to put the finishing touch on your princess nursery for your little princess.

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