Published 2008-05-07 03:14
Building baby nursery chic
Our picks for the ultimate in nursery decorating
ROUNDUP. The arrival of a little one is usually preceded by doctor’s visits, numerous hours spent buying the right bibs, bottles and diapers, as well as mobile baby accoutrements such as strollers and car seats. Perhaps one of the most exciting prenatal activities for parents, however, is prepping a nursery for the new arrival.
“It is best to put together the nursery when you still have the energy to dedicate to the space,” says Lisa Masterson, owner and designer of Avalisa.com, a popular baby room decor and design Web site. “If you are looking for unique or specialty items, do not wait until the last minute. Many nursery decor items or furniture items take anywhere from four to 16 weeks to deliver. But no matter how early or late you decide to put together the space, just remember that if everything is not put up before the baby comes, that there is plenty of time to finish the room after the baby is born.”
Here are a few ideas to get you started on you and your baby’s dream room.
Avalisa is home to color-coordinated, tone-friendly rugs and complementary wall art featuring animals, bold abstract designs and bright locomotives. The green “bubble” rug ($310-$1,360, 
www.avalisa.com) is hand-tufted in India and made of New Zealand wool. The rugs cover a range of inspired designs and colors, including pink, blue and purple.
Oeuf (pronounced “uff”) means “egg” in French, and for its founders, French-American couple Sophie Demenge and Michael Ryan, products available at www.ouefnyc.com are about simple, clean design. The site features everything from baby loungers to toddler fashion, but the Sparrow crib is a standout. Crafted from solid birch, the European-made crib has three-position mattress support, converts to a Sparrow Toddler bed and comes in three colors: grey, birch and white ($690).
Norwegian children’s furniture manufacturer Stokke (www.stokkeusa.com) has built its brand around environmentally friendly products that grow with your baby. The company’s versatile KEEP storage system is based on a modular approach that allows parents to configure the unit to a child’s needs (at Magic Beans, www.mbeans.com, $1,400).
No nursery is complete without a plush, stuffed animal — or five. Hanna Andersson (www.hannaandersson.com) has a toy box full of adorable stuffed dolls and animals for incredibly reasonable prices, including the cuddly Bunglie Puppy ($12) and his blue companion, Junglie Elephant ($22).