INTERIOR DESIGN AND FURNITURE GUIDE

BABY FURNITURE IDEAS

What to Look for in a Changing Table

May 27th, 2010

You know you need one, but especially if this is your first child, you might not know exactly what to look for. And then there is the faction that advises to skip the changing table step altogether since you won’t be using it for very long. But even if you won’t need it much past the 18 month mark, it will be well-used for other fun activities such as cutting toe nails, brushing hair and wiping your little one’s nose. Since you will be changing your baby any from 5,475 to 8,213 times during a year and a half, it’s important to select one that is comfortable for both you and your baby. Another good thing about a changing table is that it provides a safe place for you to change your child while allowing you to organize everything you need to keep close to hand.

Essentially, there are three main types of changing tables to choose from: the dresser/changing table combo; the open shelf changing table; the combination changing table. If you are the type of person that likes health, beauty and baby products conveniently handy but out of sight, select a changing table that provides hidden storage like a dresser/changing table or a combination changing table. On the other hand, if you don’t want to bother with opening and closing doors and drawers when trying to make your child dry and comfortable, pick an open shelf changing table.

The trick to choosing the “right” changing table is to select one that will be the most useful to you. Before making a final decision as to which one you’ll purchase, check the following:

  • Height – for you to be comfortable when changing a diaper, the changing table should come up to your waist
  • Orientation – Some changing tables are oriented so that you are changing your child at an angle from one side. Other types of changing tables like the Badger Basket Corner Baby Changing Table are designed so that the baby’s feet are pointing toward you. Since you are directly facing your infant it can be easier and faster when you’re changing your little one
  • Features – Some manufacturers include a changing pad with safety straps or include rails or raised sides. Other types of change tables come with different organizational features such as trays, baskets or cubbies. Pick a change table that has the right combination of safety features and organizational features that will give you the most peace of mind.
Share this Post[?]
        

Tags: , ,
Posted in Baby Accessories, baby furniture | No Comments »

Creative Ways to Repurpose your Changing Table

May 5th, 2010

You might be an expectant parent debating about whether or not you should buy a changing table. Or you might be wondering why you bought the changing table in the first place now that your little one is a toddler and has no more need for it. Just like the convertible crib concept, some manufacturers offer consumers nursery furniture like changing tables that are designed to grow with your child. But if you’ve already bought a changing table that is not multipurpose or you are reluctant to purchase one that you might not know what to do with when it’s no longer being used, here are some suggestions for innovative ways to repurpose your baby’s changing table now or when the time comes.

A changing table is designed to hold your child while you’re standing and changing your baby, as well as the items will you need to make your baby dry and comfortable again. Since it is a piece of furniture intended for a particular purpose (changing baby) as well as storage (keeping baby products close to hand), this makes it easy to repurpose a change table for any activity that requires standing while doing a task. A changing table is the ideal height for such things as crafting, indoor gardening, repairing small household items or gift wrapping. A repurposed change table can be used virtually anywhere in your home.

A changing table like the South Shore Furniture Peek-a-boo Baby Changing Table would be the ideal candidate for a curio display case where the sides of the tabletop act as a galley rail, preventing collectibles from falling off (or from curious reaching little fingers).

A changing table with combination storage such as drawers, shelves and cubbies would handy as a crafts station or in a sewing room for organizing supplies and materials. It would also be very useful in the laundry room. The flat surface could be used for folding shirts, socks, etc. and the drawers or cubbies will keep a unsightly collection of boxes and bottles hidden from view.

By the time it reaches the kitchen the changing pad and other baby paraphernalia will be long gone. But consider using an open style changing table in the kitchen as a microwave cart or coffee station. You could also use a changing table for household tools storage, a house plant work area or a storage unit in a hallway. Or how about the most “obvious” way to reuse a changing table – in your toddler’s room as an extra place to put toys?

Share this Post[?]
        

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in baby furniture, Baby Furniture and Design Ideas | No Comments »

Badger Basket Corner Change Table – Product Spotlight

April 12th, 2010

 Particularly for items that you will need for only a relatively short period of time, it’s good to know about specific baby furniture pieces that are designed to be used for other things once it is no longer needed for its original purpose. The Badger Basket Company offers a uniquely shaped changing table that is simple, compact and ultra-functional, but above all, looks smart as well.

 The innovative and unique angle of the Badger Basket Diaper Corner Baby Changing Table in Cherry lets you make use of potential “dead space” in your nursery. The corners in a room tend to get left out of the overall interior design when planning a nursery. Since this change table fits neatly and discretely into the corner of the room, it could be the ideal decorating solution for a small nursery or an awkwardly-shaped room.

The unique design of the Badger Basket corner changing table also allows you to change the diaper while facing your child. Unlike most changing tables which have you changing the child while standing mostly to the side, when using the Badger Basket corner changing table, your baby’s feet are conveniently pointing directly towards you.

Badger Basket Company has been manufacturing changing tables for over 65 years. The changing table is made of wood, wood composites and veneers, finished with ton-toxic paints and stains. It has a small footprint, is compact, sturdy yet lightweight and can be repurposed. If you’re looking for a versatile and functional changing table, perhaps the Badger Basket Diaper Corner Baby Changing Table is the right fit for you and your baby.

Share this Post[?]
        

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Baby Furniture and Design Ideas | No Comments »

Organizing Your Changing Table

April 1st, 2010

Once you have furnished and decorated your nursery, you will be ready to start organizing specific areas of your baby’s room to make it more functional, practical and easier on you. A changing table is designed to make parents’ lives easier by eliminating stooping, bending awkwardly and avoiding potential back strain. The changing table can be arranged in such a way as to optimize its usefulness and make changing a diaper and keeping your baby safe and comfortable a simple, trouble-free process.

Organizational Add-Ons

When you buy a changing table, the changing pad is sometimes included. Sometimes it isn’t. If you do need to buy one separately, choose one that is plush and will be soft on baby’s skin. Even if it is included, consider buying one or two extra changing pads so that you can have a comfortable place to change your baby elsewhere in your home without having to run back and forth to the nursery every time.

Drawers are very handy for storing extra clothing items like onesies, socks, etc. You won’t need to store a lot of clothing items in your changing table, but it will be more convenient for you if clean clothes are readily available. If the drawer space is too deep or not exactly to your liking, customize one or two of the drawers to better suit your needs with removable organizer trays. Bargain or dollar stores are a great source for all kinds of economical organizers.

Since the whole point of a changing station is to change your baby’s diaper, having a bunch of them on hand is imperative. A diaper stacker is a creative and decorative way to ensure that you won’t run out of diapers when you need them. Diaper stackers are typically designed to be conveniently attached to the changing table itself, hung on a hook nearby or fastened to the crib.

Safety First

Especially when the changing table is all drawers, a shelf above or to one side of the changing table will give you additional storage space for keeping items close to hand. This might be a convenient place for supplies like wipes, cotton balls, ointments, talcum powder, etc. But make sure any shelves near the change table are well out of a child’s reach since they might be able to grab them as they grow. Put only soft, safe, light items on these shelves and avoid placing heavier item such as medicine bottles that can harm baby if it falls on them.

That’s Entertainment!

Have a couple of softie companions within easy reach. Giving baby a toy while changing the diaper can provide a welcome distraction and make the process quicker for you, especially if your child is prone to fussing or squirming. Another option is to place a mobile directly above or to the change table.

Tidy and Fresh

If your changing table has open or enclosed shelves, add baskets to each shelf to make them more practical and to keep things looking neat and tidy.

Whether you intend to use cloth diapers or disposables, having a diaper pail situated next to your changing station makes dealing with a dirty diaper easier and more convenient. It will also aid in keeping the area fresher and cleaner.

Share this Post[?]
        

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

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.

Share this Post[?]
        

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Baby Furniture and Design Ideas | No Comments »

Designing a Unisex Nursery

October 21st, 2009

Whether you don’t want to know your baby’s gender ahead of time or you just want to get started on decorating the nursery, you can design a unisex room for baby that will be as charming and adorable as one with a gender-specific theme. Instead of gender, the emphasis will be on combining elements of fun, color and shape to create a nursery that will be a safe and welcoming place for your little boy or girl.

Westwood Design Jonesport Convertible Crib Set

Don’t Pink or Blue.

South Shore Furniture Sweet Morning

The first thing to do in designing and decorating your unisex nursery is to pick any color but pink or blue. While blue is fast becoming a fashionable color for a female teen’s room, in a baby’s room old habits die hard. It’s best to skip blue altogether. Yellows and greens are popular color choices for the unisex nursery. However, there aren’t your only options. Go bright or bold with oranges, reds and purples. If you like the idea of bolder colors but they feel too intense to you, paint only one or two walls in the bright color as an accent in the room, and choose a complementary color for the other walls. For a more traditional nursery décor, pick a neutral palette such as beige, black and white, taupe or navy.

Choosing Nursery Furniture

Although some manufacturers offer crib sets in a particular gender specific theme, most don’t. Nevertheless, when choosing furniture for your baby’s unisex nursery, here are some things to avoid. 

  • Again, associations come into play: white furniture is mostly associated with baby girls while black is a popular color for cribs in baby boys’ rooms.
  • You don’t have to stick to contemporary or modern styles, but choose a crib, changing table or dresser that has decorative detail that can’t be construed as “girlie.”

Nursery furniture in light to medium wood finishes is the best choice.
 
Choosing a Nursery Theme

You don’t have to pick a specific theme for your unisex nursery if you don’t want to, but a theme will pull the different elements of the room together while adding your own unique stamp to the place where you baby will sleep and grow. Here are a small handful of unisex themes to get you started.

  • Ocean / Seashore / Sea creatures
  • Stars / Moon / Sun
  • Farm animals / Jungle animals / Pets (skip cats as they tend to be linked to girl-themed rooms)
  • Nursery rhymes
  • Teddy bears
  • Cartoon characters
  • Characters from children’s books like Winnie the Pooh and The Wind in the Willows

 
Pulling it All Together

Sorelle City Lights 4 in 1 Commuter Crib 2 Tone

Purchase crib bedding to match the unisex theme you have chosen.

Because babies will be looking up for much of the first few months, hang a mobile above the crib or buy one that attaches to the crib’s side rails.
 
Layering decorative elements will give your unisex nursery visual interest. For example, you’ve painted the walls – now add a colorful border; it will introduce an element of fun into the décor.

Hang art poster or pictures to warm up the walls. Don’t forget to avoid gender-specific images.

Choose nursery accessories like a lamp, rug, pillows and blankets in a unisex theme.

Share this Post[?]
        

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Baby Furniture and Design Ideas | No Comments »