Ted likes to joke that I went through three cribs when repurposing our guest bedroom into a room for the baby. It was actually only two…I quickly realized that as precious as a wall to wall Pottery Barn Kids nursery can be, it was a little too cookie cutter to mesh with the overall design aesthetic of our house, especially since the room is so small and the crib is truly the focal point.

I had been noticing a trend of wrought iron cribs popping up on blogs here and there and discovered that one of the most popular companies, Bratt Decor, is actually a family-owned business based in Baltimore, just a short drive away from where we live in Alexandria. As coincidence would have it, they were gearing up for a warehouse sale so of course I made my husband give up a day of golf to see what we might find. We were delighted to snag a crib that was being discontinued at a discount! We picked out the “Venetian” in “pewter”. It comes with a canopy kit that we decided not to use at first, but that Ted insists will be the framework for a “fort” once we convert the crib to a toddler bed.

Since our house has hardwoods throughout, we also felt that a plush rug that covered most of the floor was a must given all of the crawling around on the floor that is sure to be in our future. I spotted the Loloi “Penny” rug (also called the  “Panache”) in mist on Joss & Main and quickly placed my order before the last 2 sold out. I liked the silvery blue tones, and that it looked like a rug that I could just as easily place in the living room.

The crib and rug set the tone for the silver and blue hues, and were our investment pieces, even though I managed to get a good deal on both. From talking to friends and new moms, it seemed that a “glider” was a must have item, along with a changing area, so these were where I focused next. Meanwhile, Ted installed crown molding, a ceiling fan, and a new closet system to replace the old particle board built-in that was original to the house.

I picked out the “Reese” grey and white animal themed crib bedding set from Pottery Barn Kids along with a few plush pieces like the Elephant Plush Play Mat and Sherpa Bear Rocker (which we received as a generous gift from dear friends). To add a bit more blue to the room, I ordered a storage ottoman from Wayfair and fabric swatches from Carousel Designs. I chose their Robin’s Egg Blue for the drapes, changing pad cover, and a spare sheet.

Once all of the large furniture items were in place, I collected a few finishing accent pieces during my regular trips to Homegoods, and hope that we now have a baby room that is comfortable for late night feedings, afternoon playtime, and functional!

Thanks for reading! I would love to know what your must have items are for a baby/toddler room as well.

xoxo,

Kristen