INTERIOR DESIGN AND FURNITURE GUIDE

BABY FURNITURE IDEAS

DaVinci Emily Cribs – Product Review

April 19th, 2010

 If you’re looking for a crib that will blend easily with a traditional, transitional or a country décor, look no further than the Emily 4-in-1 Convertible Baby Crib by DaVinci. With a hint of sleigh bed élan, the Emily crib has soft, flowing lines, a classic, heirloom appearance and a design that allows it to grow with your baby. Emily convertible crib packages include everything you will need to convert it into a daybed or a full bed once it is no longer needed as a crib.

The most practical feature of the Emily convertible crib, is of course its ability to be converted to first a toddler bed.

Then eventually to a full size bed. An Emily convertible crib can save you from buying two different beds as your child moves from the toddler stage to the “big boy bed” stage.

Especially if you are looking for ways to make your nursery greener, DaVinci Emily convertible cribs are carefully crafted from woods from sustainable forests and wood composites. In DaVinci Emily product reviews, consumers repeatedly remark on how relatively easy the wood crib was to assemble and that it’s well-made and very sturdy.

If you live in an apartment, a condominium or would like the option of having the crib in your bedroom, consider the DaVinci Emily Mini 2-in-1 Convertible Baby Crib. While it will only convert from a crib to a twin size bed (with conversion bed rails), this mini crib has several of the main features of the standard size Emily crib. It might be the ideal space-saving solution you are looking for.

If you’re looking for matching furniture pieces, the DaVinci Emily Collection doesn’t just offer cribs. You will also be able to find other much-needed baby nursery furniture products like the Emily changing table and the Emily 4 Drawer Chest.

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The ABCs of Designing a Nursery on a Budget

March 30th, 2010

Preparing for a new arrival is an exciting time in a family’s life. When you start to imagine the little person you are planning the nursery for, most likely the first thing that will spring to mind is all of the things your child is going to need. You want to design a beautiful nursery that is welcoming and charming but not if it’s going to cost a lot of money. But it doesn’t have to. There are ways to create your baby’s first room while on a budget and still transform it into a place that you can be proud of.

ABC Palette

One of the quickest (and cheapest) ways to decorate a room is to paint. If the nursery is to be your child’s permanent room and you don’t want to have to paint in again within the next three to five years, choose a color that will grow with your child. Use versatile colors. When designing a gender-neutral nursery, select colors like the ones shown here from Sherwin-Williams. If you know whether you are expecting a boy or a girl, you can opt for the more traditional colors like blue or pink.

One of the cheapest ways to dress up a room is to paint. And it can make such a big difference! If you want the design to grow with your child, don’t choose anything too babyish. This is especially true for boys. For my son’s room, I chose a patriot red, white, and blue theme. Not only can I use these same colors in my son’s room for years to come, but some of the things I’ve bought to decorate with would also work well in a little girl’s room if later we have a girl.

Most of your budget will be spent on furniture, since it tends to be the most expensive component of decorating a nursery. Measure the room to give you an exact idea of the how much space you have to work with. Knowing the size of the nursery will help you to prioritize what you need in order to make it all fit.

The crib is the focal point of the room. Shop around for a crib that you like and is affordable. You’ll be able to find one under $100.00. The Dream On Me Bethany 2-in-1 Crib in Espresso has simple lines that can be adapted to a number of décor styles including contemporary and country. A great way to stretch your baby furniture dollars is to buy multipurpose furniture like the crib that can be converted to a toddler bed.

The same principle applies to changing tables. Particularly if your on a budget, you might think you’ll just make do with any flat surface like the couch or the floor. But a change table that can also be used as a dresser will be worth it in the long run, because it saves unnecessary stooping or bending yourself into an uncomfortable position. The Berg Furniture Oslo Three Drawer Dresser and Changing Table is designed to work as both a change table and a dresser.

Many of us on a budget immediately think of combing the second hand stores for those treasures we need for bargain prices. However, it is not recommended when buying a crib or a crib mattress. Because technologies and standards are constantly changing, for safety’s sake and other health considerations, plan on purchasing brand new items. When you buy new, you can register the products and should there be any recalls, notices or product updates you should know about, the manufacturer will contact you. If you do find a second hand bargain you just can’t refuse, make sure that the crib you are purchasing meets all current safety standards.

For those expecting parents who opt not to know the gender of their child or for parents who would like to decorate the nursery in a gender-specific way, the Dream On Me Alphabet Animals 4-Piece Baby Crib Bedding Set will be an ideal choice. Especially if you intend on choosing a theme, the crib bedding pattern in a good place to start. This crib bedding set offers a number of theme options, including the alphabet, jungle animals, frogs and pets.

Once you have the basics – crib, crib bedding, crib mattress and a changing table – you can spend the remainder of your budget on accessorizing. It doesn’t have to cost much: stencil your baby’s name on the wall the crib will be placed; add an ABCs border to the walls of the room; create your own wall art from a collage of animal postcards in mat frames made from white or black cardboard. Seek out bargains at a lighting store for an animal or alphabet themed lamp. If you’re a sewer or you know someone who is, fabric ends can be great potential sources of economical curtains or another type of creative window treatment.

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Modern Pizzazz for a Gender-Neutral Nursery

March 29th, 2010

A modern or contemporary style nursery gives the room a spacious, uncluttered appearance. When selecting baby furniture, concentrate on clean, sharp lines, minimalist profiles and lighter woods and finishes. It is an ideal style for a nursery that is smaller or awkwardly-sized because it can make the room seem larger and more spacious. Since modern style focuses on the functional and practical, it can also work in smaller-sized spaceS, since each piece of furniture should have a specific reason for being there. Because there is little or no decorative detail, it can also be an excellent way to decorate a gender-neutral nursery. When it’s time to convert the nursery into a toddler’s room, a modern or contemporary design is very adaptable.

Modern Nursery

Choose a color palette (from Benjamin Moore) that is both neutral and soothing. By sticking to beiges, taupe, whites, grays or tans, the nursery will appear fresh and bright. If you feel adventurous, you can create an accent wall using your main wall color and one or two other complementary colors to paint stripes. You could also opt to paint one wall in a bold accent color that will make the room “pop.”

The Child Craft Falls Village 3-in-1 Convertible Modern Wood Crib in Matte White has all the criteria for a modern style nursery. The crib’s lines are clean, the overall form or profile is simple and the finish is soft matte (not shiny) white.

If you prefer darker colored furniture, the same can be said for the Aldi Juvenile Loft Crib, with its clean lines and simply-shaped crib ends. Although it has a dark wood finish, it is definitely modern in both style and design.

Clean lines and simple forms should also apply to the crib bedding you select for your nursery. The BeBe Chic Mod Squad 4 Piece Set has an asymmetrical pattern that is ideally suited to both a gender-neutral nursery and a modern style décor.

The focus of modern style is on form and function. Once you have chosen the three basic pieces of baby furniture you will need – the crib, the changing table and a dresser, chest of drawers or some other kind of storage like an armoire – add other furniture pieces sparingly to your nursery.

The two-tone finish of the Babyletto Modo 3-Drawer Wood Changer in Two-tone Espresso & White will perfectly match the crib, whether you choose one with a white or dark wood finish. The whole point of modern design is less is more. Even though this changing table has very simple lines, it has a unique yet charming appearance.

Match the Berg Furniture Oslo Nine Drawer Dresser to the crib if you have chosen a white one for your gender-neutral nursery.

For a nursery that has baby furniture with a dark wood finish, the Aldi Juvenile Maxx 3 Drawer Dresser is sleek and angular, with spare lines and a clean, simple profile. The brushed stainless steel drawer handles are definitely a characteristic of modern style.

Create a cozy corner with the Dutailier Liverpool Leather Glider and Ottoman where you can feed baby in comfort. It will also be a great place for storytime.

For a splash of fun and a touch of color to complement the crib bedding, add the Fun Rugs Yellow Fun Shag Rug to your nursery.

The trick to designing a modern style nursery that will look both comfortable and inviting, is to counteract the simple angular lines with crib bedding, artwork and window treatments that have patterns typical to modern forms and styles such as stripes, circles, blocks and asymmetrical shapes. Incorporating a non-specific theme such as the alphabet, numbers or artic or jungle animals, will create visual interest to the room and make the nursery “personal” to the little you’re welcoming into the world.

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Country Cottage Style for a Baby Boy

February 12th, 2010

Country cottage style is warm, charming and comfortable. It is a day spent by the lake; an evening curled up in a comfy oversized chair by the fire; a farmhouse kitchen during harvest time. This same ambience makes for a welcoming and versatile environment in a baby boy nursery. You can opt to go with without a theme, choosing instead to focus on style-related flourishes like woven rugs in country colors, pictures of farm animals or pastoral scenes in simple wood frames and wicker baskets for smart storage solutions.

Boy Country

Country style colors (from Benjamin Moore) should reflect nature, the blue sky, the brown earth, the green grass, the yellow sun. Popular shades for baseboards, windows and moldings include pure whites, off-whites with a “washed” appearance and soft creams. The color you choose will set the nursery’s mood – the warmer the tones, the more inviting the room will be.

Country cottage baby furniture has the cherished, well-worn look of furnishings that have been hand-crafted and passed down through the generations. The emphasis is on comfort, in both design and style. Lines are gently curved, profiles are relaxed and decorative accents are “fun” rather than “fussy” like their more traditional counterparts. The Stork Craft Rochester Stages Oak Fixed Side Baby Crib displays Windsor chair-like slats, a camelback and gently curved sides and feet – all hallmarks of country cottage style.

Of course in a country cottage, plaids and ginghams aren’t restricted just to window treatments. As evidenced by the Cotton Tale Derby Plaid 4-Piece Baby Crib Bedding Set, chenille, plaid and check materials make for a happy “down home” mix.

A changing table makes any nursery more practical since it makes it easier on you to change your baby and it increases your storage solution options.

The Badger Basket Round Rattan Hamper in Natural with Sage Gingham Liner is the ideal accessory to have in a country cottage style nursery.

To add even more country charm the Cotton Tale Derby Plaid Baby Nursery Lamp and Shade will not only shed a little light, it will also complement the crib bedding set.

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