Baby Talk: Nursery Before
These last couple of weeks my design plan for the nursery has finally started to come together. I had a hard time figuring out what direction I wanted to go in. Instead of going with a room that screamed boy I simply wanted a room that screamed happy! Can’t wait to spill the details on my inspiration, but for now let’s revisit how the room looks now:
I think I’ve always wanted a happy feel to this room so I went with a bright blue and yellow color story with pops of navy:
At the time the only way I could get a little touch of lucite was in the form of a ceiling fan. I wasn’t in love with it at first, but for a ceiling fan it’s pretty chic.
Question for moms: Should I keep the ceiling fan for the nursery or can I swap it out and get something different?
Even though everyone we know lives near by we still thought it was important to have a bed and with the trundle bed we picked out the twin day bed turns into a full queen size bed.
Question for moms: Originally I was going to sell the trundle in order to make more room in the nursery, then I changed my mind and thought it would be good to have a bed in the room for napping/late nights. Last week though I changed my mind again due to storage needs. We don’t have a lot of space in our house and even though this room has built in drawers they are full of Jon’s clothes, because there is no room for it in our bedroom.
Ah what’s a girl to do? If I keep the daybed in the room then I won’t have room for a glider or a set of drawers. I could get a tall armoire, but it might be a tight squeeze in the entrance of the room.
Or do I keep the daybed and just move it into my home office?
Help? What should I do. I keep thinking I have all the time in the world, but September is quickly approaching and this little man is set to arrive in late December!
DIY projects from guest room:
Striped Curtains
Napkins turned into pillows
Extra large Homasote message board
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My living room is one of the rooms that evolved drastically from when we first moved one. Originally I painted the walls chocolate brown and did accents of white, blue and orange. That lasted maybe 2 years.
Our dining room sat empty for months. Okay maybe it was empty for just a handful of weeks and then we couldn’t take it anymore and put in a folding table and plastic outdoor chairs, but in my mind that was still empty.
On the main floor of our house we have a Florida room. Being that it’s a Florida room it is a considered a 3 season room, because there is no heat in the room. The previous owners used it as an indoor patio with outdoor furniture and it looked like this when we moved in.
Well, I am not a mom yet, so I can’t answer those questions- though I think I have read from a couple moms that they love having the bed in the baby’s room as an option. I just wanted to tell you that I love the color scheme and it will make quite a happy room! xoxo
I think the bed is a great option. My cousin spent more time on the bed holding the baby than any other spot in the house. Use it for snuggling, changing, resting. Live with it and if you hate it, you can always switch it up.
I really like the navy and yellow color combo! This room is very fresh and modern.
can you keep the bed but get rid of the frame/headboard? Maybe that way it wont take up as much space and if you get a larger dresser for where the desk is it wont make the entry squished. Also, since you two are so handy what if you replaced the drawers that are in the dormer with bigger ones and/or added some to the right dormer too?
Just thoughts- I know you will make the right decision and I cant WAIT to see it!!
I would keep the bed but move it to your home office for now. I had a queen bed in our nursery at first and loved it but when we moved (my son as 9 months) there wasn’t room for it and I thought I would really miss it but as my son has gotten older (20 months now) I found I use an arm chair more often. Hope this helps!
Definitely keep the ceiling fan!
http://news.injuryboard.com/sids-deaths-reduced-with-ceiling-fan.aspx?googleid=248968
i have exactely the same bed in our tiny nursery (smaller than yours), and love it! I use it all the time both for feedings, and my husband sleeps on it on nights when baby is crying and/or awake and he needs to be rested for work (on those nights baby and me are then in main bedroom, baby in moses basket that I move from room to room pending where he sleeps..). it has so far been priceless! you can have a glider/crib perhaps next to the bed, instead of the desk/table?
then a set of drawers next to built in drawers/window?
we found a crib that has a changing table bit to place over the top from side to side (looks a bit like a serving tray with hooks underneath), that we can take on and off, it really is good for tiny spaces so you dont need an extra space for a changing table.
best wishes, cant wait to see what you decide to go for in the room 😉
always inspired from your blog!
kind regards
Thanks for the advice everyone. Still not sure what to do. There is no way I can remove the sides and back of the bed. They are there for support so without the bed would kinda fall apart.
As for building new built ins. If I leave the bed there then I wouldn’t really be able to open them and while we tackle a lot of DIY projects I’m not sure if I could tackle that one. Seems complicated.
Happy you guys like the blue/yellow combo, but that’s just the combo it currently is. Everything will be changing for the nursery!
Totally keeping the ceiling fan. Thanks for the link.
Keep the bed. We loved having a bed in the baby’s room. Then it became her bed when she transitioned out of her crib. Seriously – figure out a way for John’s clothes to be in your office, not the bed in there, and use the storage in the bed for the baby’s things. Keep the bed.
My office is in our sun room so there are no closets and since it’s surrounded by windows no real wall space to put a closet/wardrobe in. Hmm we shall see.
Keep the fan! The baby (when a bit older) will love to watch the blades spin. It’s like magic for soothing an infant! (Just don’t do “super baby!” into it!!!!)
I love having a bed in my nursery. During the day we don’t spend a lot of time in there, but at night when I pop in to feed her, it’s really nice to just stretch my legs out. When I start our “going to bed” ritual, my spouse will often come sit with us, too. Also, I have a little dog that likes to join me and the poodle, the baby, and I never would have fit in a glider together. I assume when she starts getting little colds and stuff, I’ll appreciate it being there to sleep on so I don’t have to run from room to room.
We moved when my daughter was a little over a month old. Our first nursery was TINY, 8’x10′ and I had a crib, a twin bed, a slipper chair, and a huge dresser. The floor space was small, but the room was cozy and very cute. Now we have a large room for her and you know what? Not as cozy. Still very pretty and very airy, but not as snug.
I would keep a ceiling fan for good air circulation. Of course, no one really knows what causes SIDS. But there have been recent recommendations to have good air circulation through using a fan and/or no crib bumper to make sure the baby is getting plenty of fresh air.
As far as the daybed… I would recommend keeping it if you can. But if you really have to choose between the daybed and a good glider, I would get the glider. And I would get one that either reclines or has a footstool/ottoman, because you may spend LOTS of time in a glider!
I would swap out the bed for a small settee…I have one in my nursery instead of a rocker and I love it- perfect for nursing, story reading and snuggling but can still be used to sleep on in those early months…hope that helps:) I can’t wait to see it all come together…so exciting!!!!
Exactly what I was thinking. I have a settee in my office that I could use. So I would bring the settee up to the nursery and bring the day bed down to the office.
1) Definitely keep the ceiling fan! As the baby gets a little older, it will become a source of amusement for sure. My 1 year old still loves the ceiling fans in our house!
2) I would keep the bed. We didn’t have a bed in either of our nurseries and it was a big regret. So many of my friends did and hearing them talk about being about to lounge with the baby in the bed made me so jealous. I think I would have even preferred a bed over my glider!
For storage, is there a closet? If so, maybe consider doing a closet design in there. We did this and all my son’s clothes fit in there so we didn’t need a large dresser or anything. The closet system had hanging space and drawers.
We have a closet, but we are in a cape cod so it’s not the biggest. Plus already using the closet space for something else. Stay tuned!
My twins were preemies and we learned a lot more in NICu and they suggest a ceiling fan or at least a standing fan in the nursery, air circulation helps reduce the risk of SIDS.
As for the bed, where is your room located in relation to the nursery? I have never felt the need to sleep in my kids’ room and appreciate a glider much more than a place to lay down…but my room is right by their nursery.
Our bedroom is right next door as well. Literally probably 3 steps away door to door.
Keep that Daybed! We went through the same exact process, and the daybed has proved to be invaluable. We mainly use it post bath and for clothes changing. Having the larger surface is so much better than changing clothes on the changing table or putting post bath lotion on in a tight spot. Plus it’s great for organizing clothes when you have to switch out what baby has outgrown. I have only taken two naps in there too. Land of Nod hanging closet organizers are great to help with drawer space. Why not keep that lucite fan. I am sure baby would find it mesmerizing. Good Luck!
I had my eye on a pretty chandelier, which is why I was toying with getting rid of the ceiling fan, but I think it’s going to stay put.
love the fan. love the bed. however, i totally value a glider/rocker over a bed. it seems safer too. when you are completely sleep deprived it is so tempting to lay down with the baby and catch a few zzz’s (assuming you are holding your baby b/c the minute you put him down he starts to cry…) when babies are newborns, I just don’t feel safe laying down with them…i would much rather sit upright in a glider while holding my baby. now, when the child gets older, it would really come in handy, especially for long nights when the child is sick and you want to “be” there with them. i’m sure you’ll figure out the best thing for you and your parenting style. LOVE the room. it’s always been one of my favorites!!! 😉
I love the room! It is beautiful – great colors!
As far as the bed, we had the same challenges when our son was born almost 2 years ago. We lived in a small 2 bedroom apartment. We had a twin bed in the nursery along with his crib and a dresser. For the first couple months, he was in a bassinet in our room. When he moved to his room, we did use the bed when there was sickness in the house. If the baby was sick, I would sleep in there with him. If one of us was sick, the healthy party would stay in there.
But what my husband and I used most was a rocker in our living room. This was where he was rocked to sleep between feedings at night and through the day. It was way more useful than the bed.
We had also wanted to keep the bed so we had a place for family who came to visit. But we ended up getting rid of it and opted for space. We invested in an air mattress and that works just fine!
Long story short – invest in a comfortable glider and you won’t regret it!
Keep the cieling fan! You’ll be amazed at how entertaining it will be for your little man. We also keep it on low for both our boys while they sleep as their ‘white noise’ instead of using a sound machine. I didnt have a bed in the room with my first baby, but do now since we also needed the space for guests. I find myself using it often (instead of the glider) and I use it to change him on since ouw new house didn’t have room for the bed and changing table. Good luck! Cant wait to see what it all looks like!
I think larger nurserys that have a bed are great, but honestly you’ll need a glider WAY more than you’ll ever even think about using that bed. I have not once thought, man I wish Lilly’s room had a bed it in. You’ll use the glider for feedings, soothing, just hanging out, and of course lots of reading. Plus he’ll like to sit in it a lot too.
As for the ceiling fan, I know it’s way tempting to take it down and put up a chic light (trust me I understand the urge) but babies LOVE to watch ceiling fans. Plus it’s good to keep air moving in the room for while they are sleeping, so I think you should keep it. xo
My baby is only 6 weeks so I am still very new at this but I also struggled with the ceiling fan versus “pretty” light fixture option. We ultimately decided to go with the ceiling fan and I am so happy we did. He is mesmerized by it (not sure if they will be able to see the lucite one though) and when i turn it on, it makes his mobile go crazy which he really loves. Not the mention the SIDS protective factor. In terms of the bed, if you had to choose between a bed and a glider, I would go glider all the way. We added a window seat in the room that I could sleep on if necessary to date, I have not done that once. But the glider gets used every night. If we are going to snuggle, we just bring him into our bed which is right next door. Good luck with you decisions!
When we set up our nursery in preparation for our daughters arrival, we put the same exact daybed in her room along with a crib. I slept on the daybed the first few weeks she was home (so my husband could at least get some sleep) and I preferred nursing while sitting in bed rather than a rocker. Our girl was ready to move out of her crib at 18 months (started climbing out) and the daybed has been the perfect first bed. We have a mesh guard rail on the open side (of course) and the three enclosed sides bring us peace of mind that she’s safe. Regardless of where the daybed goes now, I would certainly keep it. It’s a super piece of furniture.
I was wondering the same thing about the fan in my sister’s nursery that I’m designing for her. It’s not even as aesthetically pleasing as yours. Other than looks, there’s one thing to consider: there has been some research to suggest that using a fan in a baby’s room reduces the risk of SIDS. Not sure where I saw that, but know that even when our babies are teeny-tiny, we kept the fan on.
As for the trundle, I’d keep it – put it in your study/home office. You’ll definitely want/need a glider in your nursery.
I say keep the daybed and store it somewhere. It will probably come in handy in the future. But a glider is a must in a nursery…trust me. And you don’t want your baby’s room to be all crowded and cluttered. Cant wait to see the finished product. Our granddaughter is due late December as well…Dec. 26th. Hooray for holiday babies!
Get rid of the bed, and make room for a very comfortable upholstered glider/rocker with an ottoman that you can snooze in with baby. I just don’t think you’d use the bed often enough to justify the amount of space it takes up.
Keep the bed! Late night feedings, naps together, a place to read stories when baby is older. We did this and my V. was about 2 1/2 when she decided that is where she wanted to sleep for good. Easy transition from the crib! Great for those late nights that come soon.
I am a new mom- 9 week old baby girl : ) I think having seating in the nursery (in your case, in the form of the bed) is what is key. I have a glider, and while I use it to nurse and sit in it a lot to pump, I don’t actually rock the baby often in it. She prefers to be cradled and to have me rock her or bounce her gently with my arms- the rocking motion of the chair usually doesn’t soothe her. So I think you are fine with the bed and no glider. Can you find another place for your hubby’s clothes so baby can use the built in drawers? And if you are going to have a fan, lucite is cool! As far as function, I feel it tends to make a breeze and if I have ours on (in the master bedroom for now) I turn it down very low. Love the nursery!!
I love the color and the fan. Fab. I would keep the trundle, you need to be close and have a place to sleep!
Marie @ Lemondrop ViNtAge
Beautiful! Where is the rug from?
It was a steal from Urban Outfitters. I think I paid $10 for it. It was a couple of years ago.
My kids are now 6 and 3 and for what it’s worth, I think a glider/rocker with ottoman will get used more than the daybed…to me, it seems more comfortable for reading, snuggling, nursing/feeding. As for sleeping, I did co-sleep some with both of my kids and had an arm’s reach co-sleeper attached to our bed which I loved. You might not have room for it, but if you do, it’s so great. And when he gets older, you can always snuggle/lay down with him in your bed and if your room is right next door, that’s easy. Having another place for an adult to sleep is great, though, so if you can fit the daybed elsewhere, I say go for it.
Can’t wait to see your design ideas!
I never had a fan in either of my kids nurseries. I opted instead for a vintage repro that sat on a nearby dresser. I think you’ll like having a glider more than a daybed in there, so if you have to choose I’d move the daybed to another room. Can’t wait to see what you do with the room- it’s going to be fab!
I would keep the fan (I did a post on ceiling fans recently) our girls loved them as babies, very mesmerizing. I would keep the bed; when the baby isn’t sleeping, it will at least give you a place to stretch out and hold the baby and at least one of you can sleep. When the baby is sick it will be nice to be able to sleep right next to the crib. Can you put your husband’s things in a chest of drawers in your office? I know he would have to walk for to get items, but maybe that would be an option.
My office is really far away from our master bedroom. I can’t move Jon’s clothes all the way there. Our bedroom is right next to the nursery so I think the best option is to move the daybed to my office. Thanks for the advice. 🙂
Glider for sure. We have a bed and a glider, and although I do like napping in there I would definitely chose the glider over the daybed in a fire. Not that I would be able to carry either out but you get the idea.
Was wondering where you got that ceiling fan from.
I got it at LOWES about 3 years ago. It was on clearance only $70. Haven’t seen it there since.
OMGoodness! I am SO glad you posted this today! I literally JUST got off the phone with my BFF. Here is a soundbite of our convo, “How is the craft room coming along?” My response “Well I really am liking the yellow/aqua color combo!” And then I came home and checked all my fave blogs and saw your post! So here is my question for you! What is that heavenly color on the walls…please please please tell me you remember……
I love the color you went with. We were trying to figure out what to do with the full sized bed in our nursery. We decided on leaving it since the room still had adequate floor space…I guess we’ll see if this was a good choice soon enough. 🙂
yikes! i’m pregnant with my first and due at the end of january…you’re definitely giving me the kick in the pants i need to get moving on all the baby stuff. i, too, will have a combined nursery/guest room, so i’m looking forward to what you come up with.
I have a glider, but an uncomfortable one (don’t get mine!), and I do think you will spend a lot of time rocking a baby, so they are helpful to have, but not necessary! If you don’t do a glider, then you could use a baby swing for those first few months when motion sleep still doesn’t really do anything, but HELP them sleep! I put a single bed in with our office, which was near the baby’s room, and it was nice to have another spot in the house (away from our room) to sleep with baby if needed and not interrupt husband’s sleep. There were nights when I would lie down on the single bed in our office and have the baby right next to me. It was the only way I could get some sleep. And just from a mother’s note who LOVES infant sleep solving…go ahead and read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and Babywise, but don’t go hardcore with either one…just a mix + your own style and you will be golden!
I haven’t read all the other comments but I would say IDEALLY you would have a bed and a changing table in there. But if the choice is between a bed and a dresser who’s top you can use as a changing table, then that wins out in my book. Yes you could change the baby on top of the bed but there will be more accidents than you can imagine and who wants to be washing bed linens all the time?! So swap the bed for a proper changing table. As far as the ceiling fan goes, it’s great to have added circulation in the baby’s room so I would say keep that as well.
What a happy nursery!! I purchased a rocker before my (now 9-month-old) was born and ended up spending most of my time on living room sofa because I found it so much more comfy for nursing. Rocking never did much in the way of calming my son, and I’ve tried various gliders and rockers in the meantime and felt uncomfortable in all of them. (I’m short and petite with a long baby, so maybe it was just too awkward for me?!)
Anyway, I wish I had a daybed in my son’s room and will definitely go that route for our next baby! Sounds like it is different for everybody, but I would suggest keeping the bed in the nursery at least at first – you will love snuggling with baby there and being able to cozy up with the whole family 🙂
I agree with others about keeping the fan. If you HATE the ceiling fan, you could swap it out for a desk fan pointing at the crib, but the great thing about ceiling fans is that you don’t have to worry about little ones putting their fingers or any other objects in the ceiling fan blades like you do with the fans that sit on tabletops.
We have a similar bed (I think!?!) in our son’s room, and we took the mattress out of the trundle space and use the drawer where the mattress should be for storage. When he gets older (he is 3 now), we will probably swap it out for a mattress so that his friends have a bed for sleepovers. It is a convenient place to store a bunch of things that we want to have access to, but don’t need every day.
I think it would be great to have a bed in the room with the crib. My son was a terrible sleeper (eeps!) and I spent many nights sleeping on the floor in front of his crib because I knew it would only be a matter of time before we would be up again. Having a bed in their would have been a dream – no pun intended.
Congrats and all the best wishes. The nursery is beautiful and will be such a nice backdrop for all of the great memories about to be made.
where did you get the ceiling fan?
We got it at LOWES for a steal. I believe it was between $60-$70, but it was years ago. I haven’t seen anything like it since.
Congrats to your family! I had a bed in the nursery for my daughter, but found I would fall asleep if laying down while feeding her during the first months. I would not recommend a bed, and none of my four kids liked being rocked in a chair. For my 4th child, I had a chaise lounge that worked great. Its smaller than a bed, so less room, and it supported my back while I stretched out, not to mention the simple pillow changes to change the look of the room. I also found that the semi-sitting position kept me awake during the 0’dark 30 feedings. The best advice I can give you is to be flexible, every baby is different, and what might work for one parent, nevers works for another. I love the bookcase you have in the room, where did you find it?
Love this room! It’s beautiful.
Do you mind sharing where you got that rug? I love it.
Thanks,
Christy
I love it when new parents create a very unique and personal nursery.