Nursery Reveal

It's been a long time since my last post, mostly because I've been contending with preparing the home for a little one (or being far too lazy to write after spending an entire day baking). When we first got pregnant, I swore up and down that I wasn't going to go all out on a baby nursery that he won't remember. In truth, I think that a part of me was afraid to be hopeful after we lost our first one. As the months wore on, however, it became inevitable. So here we are:

This room was previously a (minimally put together) home office. I replaced the builder grade flat paint with Sherwin Williams' Panda White in eggshell. We (I) decided on a gender-neutral theme so that I won't have to repaint much if we have a second kid or transition the room back into an office.

There was a minor dilemma over "to rug or not to rug." On the one hand, hardwood is easier to clean. On the other hand, hardwood floors are also easily damaged by determined children, and it can be uncomfortable while they crawl around. In the midst of this internal dialogue, I remembered some advertisements for Ruggable. These rugs consist of a cotton top layer and a waterproof mat underneath. It's thin, which means the Roomba doesn't get caught on it. If disaster strikes, I can strip the top layer and toss it into the washer. Is it super plush? Nope. Does it off gas like the Safavieh rugs that were making us sick? Definitely not. As the husband put it, I finally found a rug that he likes.

The cordless Roman shades were custom made from Blinds.com. I initially bought outside mount blinds and hated them. Not only did the company remake them for free, but instead of having me ship the old ones back, they asked me to donate them to Habitat for Humanity instead! I love it when companies share with the community--if we need more cordless shades, they are now my go-to! They block out just about all light when full extended, and the mechanism feels sturdy.

This two seater folds out into a twin-sized bed. Luckily, it was one that we already had in the office. It doesn't rock, swivel, nor recline, but quite frankly, I'm terrified of falling asleep while breastfeeding so a little "discomfort" is welcome. (Of all parenting worries, this one is at the top of my list--chalk it up to 5+ years of coding babies who died from cosleeping.)

This bookshelf is my one concession to IKEA furniture. In general, I prefer solid pieces that will hold up well against the powers of toddlerdom, but at its price point, I won't be heartbroken if one or two children wear it out. In the meantime, I love these drawers from Kaikai &Ash! They have a ton of options, and they let me hide toys and extra diapers.

The dresser is from Grain Wood Furniture. It's sustainably made from solid wood, which means I can refinish any dings or scratches that it may accumulate. This was important to me on several levels. I wanted a piece that can grow with the child vs an obvious nursery piece that I would eventually need to Craigslist. It does take forever to put together, but that's because it was very thoughtfully designed. There are additional supports for each drawer to prevent a sad, saggy bottom. The drawers themselves pull out halfway, which reduces the risk of tipping over. The company also sends an anti-tip kit for added insurance.

I came across these art pieces featuring international foods on Etsy. Amara Strand Studio is based out of Canada and does some truly inspired work. Daniel and I hope that little Keats will love food and cooking as much as we do! The frames were on sale from Pottery Barn.

The llama basket had to be done. I came across it on Target and hemmed and hawed over it until it was discontinued, at which point I panicked and pulled the trigger. Necessary? Probably not, but I love how it looks in this space.

On the whole, we tried to minimize gadgetry and the like in the nursery (minus a sound machine that changes colors--the plan is to use that for sleep training down the road). We want to let Keats's imagination run wild. That and it's terrifying to have a Tickle Me Elmo (or similar toy) start talking to you in the middle of the night.

Final nursery breakdown (roughly):

Greenport 6-Drawer Dresser - $400
Hendesi Heriz Abalone Rug - $320 after 20% off
IKEA Kallax shelf - $80
Kaikai & Ash drawers - $88 after 10% off
Premium Roman Shades - $390 after 40% off
Sherwin Williams Harmony Paint - $80 after 50% off
various decor items and baby necessities - $400


Freebies (hand-me-downs, gifts, or already owned)
Delta Children Farmhouse 6-in-1 Convertible Crib - $270
Naturepedic Innerspring Mattress - $380
Twin Sleeper (Costco) - $600

On the one hand, we spent more than I wanted, even with coupons and sales. On the other hand, we might get more than one kid's use out of it. Even if we don't, almost everything can still be used once we move Keats to his big boy bedroom upstairs and I reclaim my office.

Here's hoping that these final four weeks are as peaceful as the nursery currently feels.