Designing a nursery ideas..

[Pinoikoi]

This is our last baby, and I have never really had a nursery.. I changed babies on a prefold on the floor.. I coslept.. but this time, I want a nursery..

I still plan on cosleeping, but I think it is a good idea for me to get a crib for those times that I need someplace to put the baby while I deal with an issue from one of the other kids, and also I am cosleeping my almost 5yo currently and he is not ready to transition into his big boy bed yet.. and he moves around a LOT so I am trying to make a "contingency plan"..

dp told me today that I cannot spend more than 1k.. um, I would HOPE I wouldn't spend anywhere near that! However, he may have a point.. most places charge extra to ship furniture to Alaska, and very few places have items instock, or if they do, they are going to jack up the price to cover the shipping I would think..

I am looking for a changing table that is shaped like a hutch kind of with drawers under neath rather than the ones that look like open shelves.. and maybe a sleigh style crib (I REALLY like their looks).. my nursery will be what is currently my office, so it is a SMALL bedroom. Really small. I don't think I could fit much else in here. As it is I was hoping my bookshelves could stay (they are bolted in the wall, so no toppling) but they may be a safety hazard anyway if baby were to attempt to climb them. My curtains are a soft gold, I would like them to stay..

so nursery on a budget? We have JCPenny, Sears, BabiesRUs, Baby Depot, and a couple of independent places (which I assume would be pricier)..

I am NOT into bumpers or baby quilts as they are a safety hazard.. Any recommendations for brands/quality/things to look for? Things to avoid? good/bad experiences? I don't think there is any place here that will assemble for me, so I expect I will be doing that myself (dp cannot follow simple directions), and probably will have to deliver stuff myself as well.

[annethcz]

I'd look on Craigslist before spending money on brand new furniture. Baby furniture is used for such a short amout of time, and usually isn't used hard.

As far as design ideas, I'm partial to Apartment Therapy's Children's site:
http://www.ohdeedoh.com/

[ArtsyMomma]

I'm not sure about your shopping options, but Target and Babies R Us carry some furniture. I second the craigslist idea though!

For my oldest DD I did her bedroom in a jungle theme - I had planned to do dark furniture with white/lilac bedding but she was born at 29 weeks and was so spunky the pretty girly theme just didn't fit. I painted a jungle mural on all her walls, used cheetah print bedding (I usually hate animal prints) and decorated with realistic stuffed animals.

DD#2 - didn't have a nursery, co-slept

DS - We planned for him to co-sleep, but I set up a nook in my bedroom with a crib. I made his bedding to match my bedroom (bright sky blue walls). His bedding was lime green velour, turquoise chenille and flannel space aliens. I also refinished the crib from DD#1 - my dad helped. We painted in black, it had been a dark cherry - but it had seen better days.

I am hoping to buy a house in the next few months - if that happens, I want to do a Dr Seuss bedroom for DS and NewBaby. Something like this http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=313201.0 For bedding - solid bright colors would work )

[crl]

You might check out the Baby Bargains Book from the library. They have suggestions on cribs, changing tables, sheets, etc, etc.

Do you have an Ikea? You could definitely do a crib and changing table there for well under a thousand. We just bought the Gulliver crib for $130. (We also got a Poang rocker, a crib mattress, mattress protector, spare sheets and a couple of toys.) I didn't want a changing table so I didn't price them. I'm planning to use the Antonius storage carts to trick out the closet for clothes storage.

I would be very careful buying a used crib. Check to make sure it meets current safety standards, hasn't been recalled and be very careful to assemble it correctly. Do you know about the current controversy over drop-side cribs? They may be banned for sale altogether in the US soon.

I found some adorable mobiles on Etsy and decided to use them as my inspiration--I'm using giant butterfly punch to make butterflies out of cardstock and fishing line to attach them to a branch. It'll cost me about $40 to make (same as buying one on Etsy but this way I get to do what I want and I'll have fun making it). So, something like that could help make it feel like a nursery without spending a ton of money.

Catherine

[crl]

Oh, I should add, I bought crib sheets off LandsEnd overstock for DS and they were awesome. We used them as crib sheets and then toddler bed sheets and they never slipped off the mattress (elastic all the way around) and didn't look faded or worn or anything. I gave them away at some point and this time around I bought off Pottery Barn's clearance page because they looked pretty and at $4.99 a sheet I figured they'd be okay. (The Ikea ones I bought are spares.) I've also heard that the Company Store sheets are good--look at their sale page.

Catherine

[BetsyS]

We also bought our crib (and changing table) used for a great deal. And, the bedding, too.

I love our nursery! It makes me smile to go in there. Have fun!

[Pinoikoi]

I found this that I really like

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_04990024000P

I found a crib and changing table set on craiglist (they went on vacation though so I won't get to take a look at it until the 9th or 10th)

and I really like that chandelier above.. I imagine two of them hung at different lengths..

so any ideas for crib bedding that goes with it? I imagine something really delicate looking.. and I don't like quilts or bumpers so I would rather get a crib skirt and sheets kind of thing.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by crl

You might check out the Baby Bargains Book from the library. They have suggestions on cribs, changing tables, sheets, etc, etc.

Do you have an Ikea? You could definitely do a crib and changing table there for well under a thousand. We just bought the Gulliver crib for $130. (We also got a Poang rocker, a crib mattress, mattress protector, spare sheets and a couple of toys.) I didn't want a changing table so I didn't price them. I'm planning to use the Antonius storage carts to trick out the closet for clothes storage.

I would be very careful buying a used crib. Check to make sure it meets current safety standards, hasn't been recalled and be very careful to assemble it correctly. Do you know about the current controversy over drop-side cribs? They may be banned for sale altogether in the US soon.

I have read a bit about the dropside thing, but I don't know exactly what a drop side IS. Does the whole side slide down or is it the kind with a hinge that folds? I remember one of the Baby Bargain books did not recommend hinged ones since they pinch fingers and also did not recommend the ones with the attached dressers since babies have climbed onto them.

[JessicaTX]

I used a long low dresser (what are those called? triple dressers? the kind that usually have a mirror attached) and put a changing pad on it. It worked well as a changing table and grew with my kids. the dresser belongs to my 9 year old son now =)

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by JessicaTX

I used a long low dresser (what are those called? triple dressers? the kind that usually have a mirror attached) and put a changing pad on it. It worked well as a changing table and grew with my kids. the dresser belongs to my 9 year old son now =)

I have a long dresser in my bedroom, but my nursery is going to go in the space that used to be my office, and I think those kinds of dressers would be just too long to fit well in the space...

[lolar2]

Originally Posted by Pinoikoi

I have read a bit about the dropside thing, but I don't know exactly what a drop side IS. Does the whole side slide down or is it the kind with a hinge that folds? I remember one of the Baby Bargain books did not recommend hinged ones since they pinch fingers and also did not recommend the ones with the attached dressers since babies have climbed onto them.

Neither the sliding kind nor the hinged kind is recommended now. Four completely-fixed sides only.

[crl]

Originally Posted by lolar2

Neither the sliding kind nor the hinged kind is recommended now. Four completely-fixed sides only.

Yep. The hinged ones can provide a step out of the crib so that's out. And the sliding kind have recently been recalled in several brands/models because the hardware fails and the side slips out of place creating a gap where babies can get their heads stuck. It's been bad enough that even though there are many brands that have not been recalled, there seems to be a good chance they will be banned for sale in the US.

Definitely four fixed sides only around here! (I actually just gave away our Pali drop-side crib WITHOUT the crib rail, but with the toddler rail so someone else can use it safely as a toddler bed and I've bought an Ikea fixed side crib.)

Catherine

[crl]

The company store has some yellow crib sheets on sale: http://www.thecompanystore.com/paren.../5004/E1N5X_2/

Land of Nod has this bedding on sale, including fitted sheets and dustruffle: http://www.landofnod.com/family.aspx?c=8099&f=5043

Catherine

[Pinoikoi]

Well, I had a frustrating day.

Picked out a bunch of baby furniture from JCPenney on clearance.. they said they would gladly ship me the dressers, but NOT the crib! What sense does that make? Tried to start all over with Sears, but they only ship SOME things, and my space is very small, so I had specific items designated to fit in specific places, and it didn't work out..

So, I ended up calling BabiesRUs- they can ship to store here (to avoid astronomical shipping fees).. the items I picked out are currently out of stock, but should be back in stock within the month.. so I guess I have to wait.. still, I am glad I called, she directed me to the "Tadpoles triple layer crib skirt" in pink that I adore, especially since I am avoiding bedding "sets".. I think crib quilts make nice wall hangings at best, and don't use bumpers at all because of SIDS risk, so a crib skirt is as gussied up as the crib will get..

I sold off my chaise lounge and a globe liquor cabinet.. now to get all these books and the bookshelves out of here.. I have picked out a paint color, and nursery furniture... I have some of the bedding figured out.. What does anyone think about adding one of these to a nursery?

http://www4.jcpenney.com/jcp/SearchD...e&hdnOnGo=true

A Parissien wall shelf in white? I am not getting a hutch after all, so I think it might add some wall storage (baby wipes, etc).. but what to hang off the rod? and leaving it empty seems weird to me..

I am also considering repurposing an oval mirror I have in the hallway.. it has a cream and gold scrolled frame around it, and although I LOVE it, it looks odd with the other more Asian wall art I have in that hall.. I could hang the mirror over one dresser and the shelf over the other or? Comments?

Anyone know how to pick a good crib mattress? Am super confused about that.

BTW, if anyone is curious.. I went to a local independent baby store, because I KNEW they would have cribs in stock.. cheapest one? $750. For just the crib. Alaskan prices!

[Pinoikoi]

Good News! The Babies R Us site said that my local store had the "alternate" cribe that I was looking at.. so I went in to get in, and guess what? They had the combo dresser/changing table and chest of drawers as well! They helped me sort out my coupons, they were great!