Nursery Furniture – Where to Start and What You Need

There you are, standing in the doorway of an empty room. Blank walls, old curtains, and imprints on the carpet where the office furniture used to be. Very soon, your child will be sleeping in here, among toys, teddy bears and diapers. You ponder and panic: where exactly do you start? How should you design the room? What do you need to buy? How much do you have to spend to build a safe, practical and beautiful nursery? Before you go shopping in a confused daze, find out where to start, and what you need.

Designing a nursery

Think of a design scheme, or buy the furniture first? It could be a chicken or the egg question, because some people say to buy a crib and design the nursery around it, or design a nursery and look for furniture to match it. However, it is probably easier to design the theme of the nursery first. That way you can actually picture what the room will look like. Also, decorating the room and painting the walls is a lot easier without stepping around the furniture! Once it’s completed, (or at least visualized), you have a better idea of what to look for. For instance, if you decorated the room like a quaint Victorian cottage, you would probably want to search for a wrought-iron crib and floral patterns for the bedding and curtains. For a more modern look, you would match the theme with furniture consisting of light-colored woods with clean lines.

The Crib and Mattress

Without doubt, the most important piece of furniture is the crib. It’s not only the centerpiece of the room, it’s the whole reason you’ve built the nursery! If you’re on a budget, devote most of your resources on buying a good quality crib and mattress. Because baby will be spending more time here than anywhere else in the house, you will need the crib to last, to be comfortable and, most importantly, to be safe. Because of updated safety guidelines, it is not recommended you buy one used.

Look for hardwoods like ash, maple or oak, and a mattress base with metal or sturdy wooden supports. The bars should be spaced no more than 2 and 3/8 inches apart to prevent bab from getting stuck. The same can be said for any decorative cutouts. To extend the life of the crib, look for a model where the mattress base can be lowered to accommodate a growing infant who can stand. You could go further and buy a convertible crib that transforms into a regular bed, but find out in advance if the company charges extra for the convertible parts.

For the mattress, make sure it fits tight inside the crib, with no more than 2 finger lengths of space (preferably less). Foam mattresses are the most popular, both for the lower cost than an innerspring and their lighter weight, which can be a godsend when cleaning it after a midnight accident. It should be no more than 6 inches thick, and the surface must be firm. Features to look for is vinyl surfaces for easy maintenance and vent holes to keep the mattress free of odors.

The Change Table

Babies will need to be changed 8 to 12 times a day. Change tables provide a sanitary station for all that changing. They come in a variety of styles, from simple tables with shelves to dressers with fold-out dressing stations and large drawers. Whatever you choose, look for plenty of storage for diapers, wipes, lotions, and baby powder.

However, if you wish to save money, you can buy a change pad to attach to an existing dresser. There are also special attachments to place over a crib, and change pads you can simply carry and place on a table. However, the convenience of one change location, complete with all necessary supplies, might make an actual change table a worthwhile investment. Depending on the type, you can use it for storage or a dresser in the future.

Chests, Dressers, and Other Storage

Every new parent will underestimate how much stuff for baby there will be (I certainly did!) Whether from baby showers, your parents, friends or co-workers, you will need a place to store all the gifts, supplies, toys, clothing and gadgets. If you love looking in second-hand stores, this is the type of furniture to look for. Look for a nice dresser or armoire to store all those jumpers, sleepers, undershirts, pullovers and socks. Toy chests are excellent for storage, and can be used to store toys later on. If buying used, be creative and paint or stain it with non-toxic materials to match it with the nursery theme you have chosen.

A Rocking Chair

A rocking or gliding chair is a piece of furniture for you. From the many days and nights feeding baby to rocking her to sleep, you will quickly appreciate the need for this. Glider chairs can be expensive, but they can be used for years as an easy chair in the living room. Unlike rocking chairs, gliders are constructed of wood attached to ball-bearing joints, and rock forward or back (higher-end models can also tilt and lock.) Companies to search for are Dutailier and Shermag. Don’t forget to rest your feet on a matching glider ottoman.

Accessories

Bedding Sets: Usually a fitted mattress sheet, bumper and comforter, but a set can also include a matching window valance, pillow and crib skirt. These sets really accent a nursery, but be aware that baby should sleep without any blankets or pillows, which could cause suffocation hazards. His jumper will be plenty enough to keep him warm. Instead, hang the comforter on the wall as a decoration, and leave the pillows on a chair. If you’re on a budget, a simple fitted sheet will suffice.

Lamp: Every nursery needs a cute lamp! Many parents buy a lamp that matches with the nursery theme, and place it near the crib on the dresser.

Musical Mobile: To entertain and stimulate baby, musical mobiles attached to cribs complete the nursery sense with sound. There are endless varieties, from hanging butterflies to teddy bears to bunnies.

Baby Monitor: Keep tabs on baby with a monitor. A transmitter stays in the nursery, and a receiver stays close to the parent. Video monitors with night vision are a newer entry to the market.

Hamper: Optional, but inexpensive. You can choose plastic, but wicker gives a natural look, especially if the furniture is all wood.

Diaper Stacker: A decorative cloth bag with a slit in the middle where you grab a diaper. A convenient storage solution, they are usually tied to the change table.

Chris is a proud new dad, and has turned an old room into a sparkling new nursery. He is the owner of www.good-night-baby.com, an information and resource site full of nursery design tips, shopping for the right crib, bedding styles and baby safety.