INTERIOR DESIGN AND FURNITURE GUIDE

BABY FURNITURE IDEAS

A Princess Sleeps Here

June 14th, 2010

Once upon a time there were parents who wanted a princess theme for the nursery they were planning for their new princess. Since they both loved the stories of Hans Christian Andersen, they decided that they would use the tale of “The Princess and the Pea” as inspiration. The expecting mother wanted a pink nursery but the expecting father thought purple or lilac would be better suited to a Victorian style nursery. There were so many princess baby nursery ideas that the only thing they could really both agree on was that it had to be a real princess nursery for their very own real princess.

The king and queen (a.k.a. the expecting parents) of this little fiefdom mulled over some real princess colors (from Benjamin Moore). Once the queen had chosen the precise pink for the main color for the nursery, the king then set to work with his trusty paint brush and an army of helpful minions (well, actually it was only the future princess’ uncle who helped out). The queen, of course was banished from the nursery while it was being painted.

Each expecting parent did concede that a princess nursery shouts Victorian style nursery furniture. A canopy crib would definitely be the ideal choice for a princess theme, draped in beautiful shiny or soft pink, white and blue fabrics. They finally decided that they just had to have the Young America Isabella Mix & Match Stationary Crib, with its fanciful Victorian style, floral motif and decorative moldings. However, because she knew beyond any shadow of a doubt that her baby was a real princess, the crib mattress would be devoid of the obligatory pea.

Once the expecting king and queen got a little taste of Victorian style baby furniture, they couldn’t get enough. They selected the Young America by Stanley Isabella White Single Dresser with Optional Changing Station so that they could use it as a changing table when the little princess was a baby and as a dresser as she grew older. Because the expecting parents had the feeling that in no time at all, their little princess would need more places to store her many treasure, they also opted for the Victorian style Young America by Stanley Ma Marie 7 Drawer Double Dresser.

The queen was adamant – no Victorian style nursery would be complete without an armoire. For now it would be the best place to hide away baby clothes, blankies, bibs, shoes and other accessories; even toys. But the queen could see far into the future and knew that the armoire’s multiple compartments would become more and more practical, especially if it could accommodate a television or computer; much welcomed contraptions she was told by their royal advisors when the princess became a tween.

Because anything floral related such as rosettes, trailing vines and acanthus leaves are recurring motifs in Victorian style furniture and accessories, the king and queen chose the Crystorama Royal Handpainted Wrought Iron Wall Sconce as one of the several special finishing touches for their pink nursery. And the little (real) princess when she finally arrived was so happy with her Victorian style nursery that she smiled and slept all through the night. Now this is a true story.

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Victorian Enchantment for a Baby Girl

June 9th, 2010

A Victorian style nursery is the perfect opportunity to create a first room for your little girl that is unashamedly romantic, with its ornately decorated furniture, lace curtains classic teddy bears and one or two porcelain dolls. Since the Victorian era spanned over six decades, it offers a wealth of rich fabrics, heirloom accent pieces like cameos and exotic wood finishes as inspiration for nursery décor ideas. A Victorian style nursery has the added advantage of lasting appeal; while your baby girl will eventually outgrow the crib and the changing table, this theme can be adapted without too much effort or cost to a shabby chic or vintage look as she grows older.

First decide what to do with the walls. In Victorian times, wallpaper with large-sized, ornate patterns was very popular. Colors used to paint Victorian rooms were rich and vibrant. When painting a Victorian style nursery, choose shades of berry and jewel. While not strictly a classic Victorian room color, a pink nursery with Victorian style baby furniture can possess a sentimental charm that will be whimsical and enchanting.

To keep to the spirit of Victorian style interior design, the pieces you choose for your Victorian style nursery should have curved and flowing lines;  very detailed ornamentation; and finishes that are typically rich and dark and while often distressed, can also be smooth with a soft sheen. While dark furniture was the order of the Victorian day, white washed and pastel washed colors were commonly used for nursery furniture (which included children up to 12 and sometimes a little older). The crib will be the focal point of the nursery. Select one that sets the mood for the rest of the room. The Young America Caroline Mix & Match Stationary Crib has all of the classic elements of a Victorian style heirloom – crown molding, a scalloped apron, bun feet and carved decorative accents. Add a matching or complementary changing table and a dresser and you will have the basic baby furniture pieces you will need for your pink nursery, Victorian style!

To complete the Victorian look, accessorize to your heart’s content – in a Victorian style nursery, the “fussier” the better! While you want plain old-fashioned charm, it also has to be fresh, comfortable and practical. Anywhere you can layer the room with different kinds of fabrics especially lace will give your baby girl nursery a definitive Victorian appeal. Don’t forget ruffles. Ruffles aren’t just for the crib; a ruffled valance gives any window treatment a soft, romantic touch. When giving bouquets, using the language of flowers to send a particular message to someone was a popular Victorian pastime. So floral wallpaper, a floral lampshade and a floral patterned crib bedding set like the Maddie Boo Lindsey 3-piece Baby Crib Bedding Set definitely would be welcome additions to a Victorian style nursery.

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Monkey See, Monkey Do – Nursery Ideas for a Baby Girl

May 26th, 2010

Today we’re going to design a baby girl nursery that celebrates that folk art hero, the sock monkey! Emerging from Victorian times, this well-beloved toy was typically fashioned from socks. Sock monkeys made from a particular a red-heeled wool sock, which became the monkey’s mouth surfaced in the early 1950s. A new twist on a jungle-themed nursery, a monkey nursery is an impishly fun way to create a girl nursery that is light-hearted, while having a lasting, whimsical appeal.

The palette should be soft, soothing and totally girl nursery. Shades of pink (from Benjamin Moore) are the order of the day. Use one of these gentle pinks as a main wall color. Any one of them should blend well with whites or creams when used to paint the windows, baseboards or the ceiling.

Vintage style nursery furniture is a beautiful way to decorate the space in a mix-and-match kind of way. Vintage combines old with new; traditional with contemporary; and classic collectibles with kitsch. The crib will be the natural focal point in the room. A vintage style crib might have hand-painted stencils or motifs; a changing table could have decorative brass or silver accents; a dresser may have a white-washed or distressed finish.

In addition to the crib, you will also need a dresser and a changing table. While the number one priority of designing a monkey nursery theme is to be cute, fun and pretty, it must be practical as well. Give careful thought to how to incorporate storage solutions into the room that will grow with your child. Of the two, a dresser is the most likely furniture piece to grow with your child. But many manufacturers today offer type of changing tables that are designed to be used in other ways once it is no longer needed in the nursery. And the same applies to cribs as well; convertible cribs can be used as a toddler bed, twin bed or in some cases even a full size bed.

Aside from painting a mural, hanging pictures or adding a wallpaper border to the walls, your monkey themed nursery will come to life with the themed crib bedding and accessories you choose. The Maddie Boo Sock Monkey Vanilla 4-piece Baby Crib Bedding Set is charming and delightful and the colors are soothing; a good foil for the predominately pink nursery.

The sock monkey as the star of a monkey nursery theme is a creative and versatile way to decorate your new baby girl’s first bedroom. Tying it all together with whimsical and fun accessories like the L.A. Rugs Bobby Jack Don’t Burst My Bubble area rug, a vintage sock monkey lamp shade and sock monkey curtains will lend your girl nursery a charming, old-fashioned appeal that will make it a warm and inviting place to sleep and grow.

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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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Chocolate Dreams for a Baby Girl

February 15th, 2010

Chocolate cake with pink icing or strawberries dipped in chocolate or chocolate mousse paired with raspberry parfait – there is no denying that chocolate, espresso or other rich browns go well with any shade of pink, pastel or bold. By choosing contemporary style baby furniture with clean lines and a rich chocolate finish paired with a pink color scheme, you can create a delicious nursery that will be both functional and beautiful to look at.

Pink Palette

Our color palette (from Behr) will of course be pink. Deeper tones will make the chocolate colors in the nursery appear richer.

When designing a nursery, your immediate baby furniture requirements:

  • a crib
  • crib bedding
  • a changing table
  • a rocker, armchair or other type of comfy chair such as a recliner
  • clothing storage such as a dresser, a chest of drawers and/or an armoire

The Babyletto Newhaven Pine Wood 4-in-1 Convertible Canopy Crib Set in Dark Chocolate displays perfect contemporary style. It has the added appeal of being a canopy crib, allowing you to customize it with pink or chocolate draperies to create a unique, warm and intimate environment for your baby girl. Because it comes with a changing table/dresser combo, it will also be kinder to your budget.

The Go Mama Go Designs Wonder Bumpers Pink & Chocolate 38 Pack is intended to fit cribs with the standard number of rails, both round and flat up to 3 inches in diameter or width. Instead of regular, rectangular bumper panels these soft, malleable vertical bumpers are designed to increase air flow, keeping baby more comfortable and the bedding a little fresher. The Go Mama Go Designs Pink & Chocolate Collection includes a bed sheet, blanket and chocolate dust ruffle.

Having a comfortable and snug place to sit while you feed your child is important. The Dutailier The Comfort Recliner Adagio Prestige Glider will also make a great story time chair. If she doesn’t want it in her room as she grows older, it’s one of those armchairs that you can always find room for in another part of your home.

While you want the nursery to be pretty, it must be practical as well. Give careful thought to how to incorporate storage solutions to the room that will grow with your child. Anything with drawers like the South Shore Furniture Back Bay Dark Chocolate Double Dresser or the South Shore Furniture Back Bay Dark Chocolate Wardrobe Armoire automatically adds functionality to any living space.

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