With the mural designs complete -- final additions include colorful caterpillars, butterflies and dragonflies -- it's time to add the furniture.
In selecting nursery furnishings, interior designer Kari Openshaw emphasizes the importance of these shopping guidelines:
- All nursery furniture should have a sturdy construction, with no sharp edges or rough spots in the finish, and should meet approved safety standards.
- Changing tables should be 36 inches in height (this refers to the changing surface). Like other furnishings, the table should have a sturdy construction and be evenly balanced, with a comfortable pad that's secured to the changing surface. Fitting the table with a safety strap will help hold the infant in place.
- Don't neglect storage and seating. While the shelves featured here are built-in, freestanding shelves will work just as well in most spaces. Selecting pieces with storage closer to the ground will allow for easy access to clothes and toys when the child is a little older.
- Be sure to include a convenient sitting area, where the baby can be rocked to sleep as an infant and read to once they've reached toddler and pre-school ages.
This couple was fortunate enough to find several pieces they liked at a garage sale, including a wonderful whitewashed crib, which is centered in the room and serves as the focal point.
Other furnishings include a potting bench transformed into a changing table (figure A), a loveseat (figure B), a narrow armoire and built-in shelves with drawers along the bottom.
To incorporate the outdoor theme of the walls into the furniture, special details are added to the changing table: a picket-fence panel (figure C) along the back and a small water spigot (figure D) on the front support.
Continuting the outdoor motif, the armoire is customized with beautiful hand-painted leaves and birdhouses (figure E).
The built-in shelves and drawers (figure F) will provide ample space for storing and displaying a variety of toys as well as clothing and books.
To create a cozy sitting area, a comfy glider and matching footstool (figure G) are positioned near a floor lamp to ensure sufficient lighting for reading bedtime stories. A small, pastel plaid pillow provides a soft accent against the cheerful green of the glider cushions.
RESOURCES :
Treasures for Baby: Exquisite Nursery Decorations and Handmade Ribbon Keepsakes
Author: Ellie Joos
Ideas for Great Kids' Rooms
Model: 0376017546
Author: Susan Lang
Sunset Publishing Company (Division of Time Warner)
Website: www.sunset.com
Kids' Rooms: Ideas & Projects for Children's Spaces
Model: 0811828417
Author: Jennifer Ley
Chronicle Publishing Company
Website: www.chroniclebooks.com
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