Nursery furniture

[Cosmosmom]

What brand crib/nursery furniture did you buy and what do you think of it? We are getting ready to start getting the nursery ready. We are going to be going eventually to see a few stores in person but it's about 90 minute drive to get to one and we need a Saturday where it's not snowing to do that. Looking online my top two choices are one by Bonavita and one by Baby's Dream.

And yes I do know baby isn't going to care about a really cute room but I care and want the room to look like a catalog picture for me. Especially since I might be looking at it for while before we get matched with our baby.

[Suja]

The only "baby furniture" we got was a crib from Ikea, and it was an almost complete waste of money, since Mira had other plans for her sleeping arrangements. I didn't bother with anything else (like a changing table) because I didn't want to buy short-term furniture, and it wouldn't have worked anyway, since I was not going to schlep baby all the way upstairs for a diaper change, which we had to do a bazillion times daily, and it was just easier to keep the supplies in a basket on the coffee table in the living room, which is where we spent most of our time.

I really, really am hoping that baby gets here WAY before you guys get around to buying furniture

[LanceBabe]

This is what we bought for Erin when she had Katie. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Storkcraft...White/10661207 We bought white because that's what color our crib is.

[Cosmosmom]

LOL Suja! Yeah it seems like every Saturday recently has been icky weather and we are not driving that far just to window shop and maybe place an order.

I have to say one set I'm liking has a piece where it's a changer with drawers and once done, flip it over and it's a regular dresser with three drawers...the drawers can go either way. I absolutely would not haul a baby up and down stairs to change either but I have a ranch house and everything is pretty close anyway. I know when I was younger I used to change babies on the floor but I'm 20 years older now and don't want to do that in the middle of the night.

I don't plan on converting the crib to an adult bed because the room isn't huge and we will go with a twin in there. But I plan on keeping the dresser and I want one of those dresser/hutch combos. Dh had a really nice set from when he was a baby that we used even until he was about 30 and married.

Ikea is a no go. Not DH's style at all (and it's still 90 minutes away). It has to be a wood color and not espresso/black or white.
A crib is an absolute because baby is NOT sleeping in my bed....I don't even like sharing it with DH and it's bad enough I have 1-2 dogs in it with me. Plus we have a memory foam and I'm not a good sleeper so it wouldn't be safe.

Did I mention my DH is really picky about how stuff looks? I was going to get a dark wood crib (easy as that is popular now) to go with a dresser we already had. He hated that idea so now I'm shopping!

[Suja]

I know this has nothing to do with what you asked, but you might want to get this book, if you don't already have it: http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Bargains-.../dp/1889392405 It tells you about stuff you need, stuff you don't, pros and cons of different brands, etc. It might help you finish up your shopping and make good decisions.

[Cosmosmom]

Good idea Suja! I think that I will order the 2013 version coming out in April for the library. Our consumer reports stuff and ways to save money stuff tend to be pretty popular.

[Racegirl766k]

We have a storkcraft crib. It has held up great so far with all the kids. It has been used for almost 6.5 years straight now, the only time it hasn't been in use is for like the 2 months before the next baby/ies were born, and the twins are still sharing it at almost 9 months!

[tanyachap]

Aww so exciting. Good luck!!!

I did not want to read and not respond. I am really excited for you. I forget what we bought - my children still sleep in our bed I hope you have better luck as far as sleeping goes. My kids were both crappy sleepers just because they wanted to disprove the saying that "lighting does not strike twice"

[Cosmosmom]

I have looked at some storkcraft online....just need to get into a store and see the finish in person. It's hard shopping online when one picture it looks like one shade and another picture looks totally different and is supposed to be the same finish.

Did I mention my DH is really picky on how stuff looks decor wise? We actually had a fight a few weeks ago on the nursery furniture. I was wanting espresso....he wanted natural. We decided eventually no black, no espresso, no white, no natural. LOL Oh and no cherry. But the oak cannot be too yellow or too orange, reddish or just a normal ok is ok though.
And of course besides looks wants something safe and sturdy and hopefully not too hard to put together.

[martiniqus]

AP Industries. We ordered the crib that's made in Canada - to us it was very important that it wasn't made in China. It's pricey but the quality is amazing. Our crib is solid wood - I can't even move it!

[handsdown]

This is the crib we have: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...earchURL=false

I have no complaints. Grayson didn't start sleeping in it until he was 8 months old. It has held up pretty well. I did notice the wood was a little soft and there are a few teeth marks on the side rails from him. I have a teething pad on the main front rail to keep that from marking up. It is very sturdy and we have been pretty happy with it.

[i.<3.cheesysmiles]

I have a westwood one for DS1 with 2 dressers. I have a baby's dream one (I want to say the line is coccoon or something?) for DS2. We are actually converting both to full-sized, though in the next few weeks. The Westwood dresser that is a changing table just has these sides on the top to make it a dresser, but then they come out to be a regular dresser. I have no complaints about either. The quality is very good, and I expect them to last until they are out of the house. I have contacted Westwood's customer service and they were great!

[Adhafera]

Our crib is stained, natural wood, we got it at Babys r us (stores are very limited on this island), but I don't think they make it anymore. I didnt see it the last time I was there. We didn't get a changing table, instead we have a shorter dresser with a changing pad on top. That said, I definitely recommend the book Suja mentioned, it helped me so much when I was trying to figure out what to buy.

[beanpop]

This is the crib we have for DD http://www.walmart.com/ip/Baby-Mod-4...Cherry/6005133

She uses the toddler bed with the partial side on it now and does great. Seems very well made. We will be buying a new crib when I get pregnant though because we want DD to have this crib and it will be her bed until she moves out When she grows out of the toddler bed part we will convert it to a full bed and it will work fine.

[CoffeeCat]

I have looked at some storkcraft online....just need to get into a store and see the finish in person. It's hard shopping online when one picture it looks like one shade and another picture looks totally different and is supposed to be the same finish.

Did I mention my DH is really picky on how stuff looks decor wise? We actually had a fight a few weeks ago on the nursery furniture. I was wanting espresso....he wanted natural. We decided eventually no black, no espresso, no white, no natural. LOL Oh and no cherry. But the oak cannot be too yellow or too orange, reddish or just a normal ok is ok though.
And of course besides looks wants something safe and sturdy and hopefully not too hard to put together.

This made me giggle-my dh is picky about wood colors and types too. I thought it was a carpenter thing!

Soooo excited for you!! (Won't comment on cribs because we don't use the one we bought 6 years ago but wanted to say YAY for setting up your nursery!)

[dana_renay]

Our furniture is by Creations and they are very sturdy, lifetime kind of pieces. Much higher quality than the Babies R Us stuff, but we paid out the nose for it. Kind of a waste of money, since the baby has never slept in the crib, or been changed on the changer/dresser, nor do I usually get around to putting the clothes in the dresser drawers. But I hold out hope that it will get a lot more use as she gets older. I have seen some of the Bonavita stuff in person and it is very solid. Our local high-end baby furniture boutique carries their lines.

[macksmom]

I don't have any furniture specifics but I would definitely say a rocking recliner is a must! I had the gliding recliner for DD1 and while it looked nice and was comfy enough, if you are stuck rocking a baby for hours in the middle of the night it is SO great to have a really comfy recliner that you can just fully recline and relax rather than sit up and be afraid to doze off with. This was especially helpful for nursing. I never bottle fed but I know when DH takes a turn he still has some excessive rocking or when she just simply wont go back to sleep it's still helpful. Pick something that will also match your living room and you can move it in there when you are done with it in the nursery....

We have always had convertible cribs and found it to be really great. Especially if you only plan on 1 child the crib can convert to a toddler bed and some even convert to a twin or full you will get a lot of use out of it.

So excited for you!

[Cosmosmom]

I already have a rocking recliner in my living room. I grew up with a lazy boy always around and used it tons when I was baby sitting at my parents house. I cannot imagine having a baby without it. I even rocked my girls when they were puppies in it. Only thing is mine is 9 years old and the back is terrible on it. So I'm probably going shopping this weekend for a new one.

I do wish a lot more of the cribs converted to a twin and not a full or queen. The room is only 10x10 so I cannot see putting in a full bed....he or she needs room to play.

It is really helpful to see some of the lines I have been looking at online mentioned and liked.

[Suja]

I do wish a lot more of the cribs converted to a twin and not a full or queen. The room is only 10x10 so I cannot see putting in a full bed....he or she needs room to play.

DD's room is at least that small, probably smaller. When she is a little older, I'm putting a Full in there. As for 'room to play', she plays pretty much everywhere in the house, with the possible exception of her room.

[JJorn]

We bought all of our kids furniture from JC Penny's during sale times. Our cribs are convertible and honestly, I wish I could go back and just buy a regular crib. They are way cheaper (and you don't have to buy the extra pieces to convert them to a full bed) and when the kids are ready for a bed, I'll just buy a twin and a bed rail if necessary. Both my kids chewed on the cribs (Madelyn just put dents in the finished layers but Malachi chewed through the finished layer to make thick, unstained grooves) so there is no way that the would look nice enough that a teenager wouldn't be embarrassed. It is also very unlikely that the kids will have their own rooms so how would I get two full beds in a standard bedroom?

[i.<3.cheesysmiles]

DD's room is at least that small, probably smaller. When she is a little older, I'm putting a Full in there. As for 'room to play', she plays pretty much everywhere in the house, with the possible exception of her room.

I agree. The bedrooms here are for sleeping only I always had a full-sized bed growing up, and just enough floor space to play, but we also had a playroom, and so do my children.


Have you looked into the brand that does convert into a twin? I remember seeing one when we were looking

[Cosmosmom]

I have seen a few that convert to twin but didn't like them. Really I think that we will probably go with a lofted bed or maybe cool one that is themed. Maybe even bunk beds....I didn't have to share my room but I still had bunk beds for a while.

A couple of years old, I can see playing in the house wherever parents are. But didn't you all play in your rooms when you were young? We spent a ton of time playing in our rooms once we were school age. Hang out with friends in our rooms, sleepovers in our rooms. I never knew anyone who didn't have a twin bed as a kid so the concept is really different to me.

But I also will not have a playroom. I have a 1500 sq ft ranch with unfinished basement. Only one living room. And no way is DH giving up the office (also will double as guest space....Dh already sleeps in there a lot because I am sucky to sleep with) so kid can have two rooms. Neither of us had a playroom....well I did for a few years until my sister was born.