apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

off topic, but is that the armless side rocker from Modernica?? I am really contemplating getting one...it looks easier to nurse in than the one with arms that you see everywhere. Anyone know if it is comfy to sit in and use?

Hard to judge without a "before" picure...

What Alison said. I was clicking back and forth between pictures trying to figure out what had been accomplished.

I think that the last picture was the before? Definitely tough to tell the difference though...maybe a picture along with the dresser you described.

The Olivia crib ($299) tax ($21) plus the hack ($125) hours spent working on it ($) = almost might as well buy fancy crib.

I think this spoils the fun of the Olivia's (relatively) cheap chic -- LOOK AT MY CUTE CRIB! YOU WON'T BELIEVE THE PRICE.

And you can barely tell the difference after all your effort -- the before is over there on the right, alisonGSF.

I think you guys did a great job but the change is probably a very specific to you change.

Sorry :(

Yes, I checked the Walmart site and the last photo is the before shot. I agree, I really had to look to notice the slight difference. I, personally, wouldn't go to that much work for something that will only be there for 2 years. I'd rather put the effort into something longer lasting. Great tutorial though.

Maybe I'm just a worrywort, but a crib is one thing I would never hack.

Well, it's pretty, but it's sure not noticeable. I wouldn't have spent the extra money doing such a very small change.

I'm also with tequila red in that I'd never hack a crib.

Well, I guess in the future I will have to think more carefully about entering into any Apartment Therapy contests. You guys are a bit tough! My intent was to pass along a modification that someone might want to use to personalize their child's space. I did include other leg choices that would make the transformation a bit more dramatic. A subtle change was all that we needed to make the big box store crib work in the room. Just for the record, for our budget, the difference between $450 and $900 is worth the extra effort. I also considered people's reaction to the crib modification in terms of safety. I decided to go ahead with my submission because the crib base we created is actually a lot more sturdy than the one on the original. Hope this is helpful to someone.

P.S. That is an armless rocker, I created it from a fiberglass shell (purchased at a flea market) and a base (purchased on ebay).

The hack is subtle, nice to have the crib now match the rest of the furniture. I bet it looks amazing. Maybe change the title to reflect the change of the wood/style on the bottom and pics to show how it now matches the rest of the furniture?

My big concern is the cord hanging near the crib.

Thanks for your concern, of course the cord is not there when my child is in the crib. The room was in a bit of disrepair when we took the photo. We also don't make him sleep on the metal box spring frame, also in the photo. We let him use the mattress and some linens.

Erin, Walmart Crib Hacker and "child endanger-er"

I think it looks great and although it isn't a dramatic change, if you are happy and excited about it, that's all that matters!
Kudos also by being confident about your own craftsmanship that you're not worried about it meeting "modern safety standards". This runs parallel to the CPSIA act putting the mom & pop toy shops at risk just because something wasn't tested. As if a homemade teddy bear is going to contain lead! (FYI this legislation has been put on hold for another year. Woot!) Anyway, I've always wondered why the crib that my mother or my older sister was brought up in is suddenly not considered "safe". This is slightly off topic, but any thoughts on using vintage cribs?

1. "modern saftey standards" can be over the top. However, the cribs that we used allowed kids to get their heads stuck in bars, sufocate and generally die much more easily. So if it is "over-kill" standards wise, that is fine with me, if it results in just one "under-kill"

2. If you didin't change anything much with the slats etc. it should still be safe

3. I am surprised that none of the "bit tough" folks reading this blog haven't commented on the photo of the baby with the power tool...

I don't think that the modifications made by Erin to this crib would make the more risky; if anything, by stablizing and reinforcing the base, they have made it safer.

I think the crib looks much better and sturdier with the change!

laurabelik --

The biggest issue was that older cribs had no rules governing the spacing of the slats or bars, so that as Carder said, babies often got their heads stuck in between. That's actually why bumpers were invented -- to prevent babies from getting their heads stuck between the slats. Alas, bumpers created a whole new set of problems, and are now being used even when there is no reason to use them beyond the aesthetic (kids get strangled and smothered when they become entangled in the bumpers).

You can look up modern slat spacing guidelines and then just measure the old crib you'd like to use. We have about 3-5 antique cribs in the extended family and when a new baby comes along new mom is offered some options and the safety standards are re-checked. I remember us tossing an old playpen but many vintage cribs are perfectly safe, sturdy and won't off-gas like new construction.

re: vintage cribs - I think lead paint is also a major concern.

erin - I think it was because your hack was so well-done that it was hard to see the difference at first. I think the new legs and having it on casters are great while still maintaining the integrity of the crib.

i would suggest using only formaldehyde free materials for anything in my home especially where my child were concerned. mdf typically has high concentrations which will outgas over time. also any dust created from sawing is unsafe. standard plywood is better but only "NAF" plywood is certified formaldehyde free and considered "safe" of course most furniture you buy contains these materials but if given the choice...

While safety is of the utmost importance, I think that there's a point when one can go overboard with it - very similar re: the recent ohdeedoh post, "What's Eating Our Kids?"

This is a very good hack, for people who want the Oeuf Classic Crib ( http://www.designpublic.com/shop/oeuf/3037 ) and don't want to spend $1000 it is perfect. If you want the silver legs you can find them in the "as is" section at IKEA usually. The bedding really makes the crib.

Nice job.

I think the hack looks practically the same. I kept clicking back and forth from the hack to the walmart picture to see the difference and I can barely tell, but if you are happy with it all the power to you.

I modified my son's twin size bed too. Instead of using the cheap slats that were supposed to be included but weren't, I bought some 3/4" plywood and cut it to size and popped it in the bed frame. It looks the same but I have the satisfaction of knowing my small change had improved it greatly, I wouldn't exactly enter it into a contest though.

i understand that you were trying to match it to your other furniture, but $125 doesn't sound right, it should of been less. why didn't you just redo the stain on the existing base and replace the feet?

Just a note on vintage crib safety- the slat spacing is a really serious concern. Even if your baby has a larger head (hey, big brain!) that won't fit through the slats, the REST OF HER BODY can wiggle out and then her head would be stuck. Risk of broken neck. Especially scary if the bed is higher up. Sorry to bring up that image, but I think it's best to stick with the latest standards for cribs.