apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We are trying to decide on a design scheme for our nursery and looking for some input. We can't decide between doing a sock monkey theme (colors: oatmeal, grey, black and red) with a simple monkey face stencil around the top of the room, oatmeal top half, red chair rail, grey bottom half, black accents (lamps etc.). Or doing a black and white scheme and then pick 1 accent color to pop, like orange, red or green. We are not finding out the gender before birth. Any advice out there? Thanks!

OK well, anyone have any ideas for sites that are more active than this one at this point? Seems like no one is commenting anymore since they've moved and I'd like to find more design discussion rather than people only interested in posting for free stuff. Thanks!

Be patient, Charlita. They'll be back. I'm not sure what has happened either. There is a lot less commenting lately. Also, I've noticed a couple of times when I leave a comment on a post, it still says 0 comments on the front page.

As for your nursery, personally, I like the B/W a color (love orange!) more than the sock monkey. I think you may get tired of the theme. Just my opinion. Have a look at the nursery tours, if you haven't already. There are some wonderful ideas.

Anyone else out there??

Hey Ohdeedoh folks....

As I'm looking at various posts... there are several that say 0 comments, but when you open them up, they actually do have comments. Looks like a bug that needs to be fixed.

Charlita, I painted a couple of walls in my son's room black, and just used other bright colours in the room -- they all pop against the black. His crib is bright turquoise (it was my daughter's, and her nursery was almost a lavender shade). It is fun, and is more versatile than a themed room. This is the rug we got for the floor: http://www.rompbklyn.com/productDetail.php?productId=29&categoryId=5&productItemId=54&optionId=

I just looked at some of the nursery tours. Seems like everyone has a white crib. I wonder why this is? We just bought a honey-colored wood crib (expecting March '08): http://www.albeebaby.com/boclcr.html
and the PB sweet birdie bumper:
http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/fd2530/index.cfm?pkey=csalclr%7Cb
Do you think it would look ok to have a white dresser? The double white IKEA seems so functional and reasonably priced:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00067830
Otherwise I woas looking at a PB one, but it is overpriced. This one in Honey:
http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/pk058/index.cfm?pkey=cfrndrs%7Ck

Actually, Charlita, the most versatile colour that I can think of painting your nursery would be a deep, dark chocolate brown -- just like the winner of the nursery colors contest this fall.

Here it was modern and boyish, combined with white and green (LOVE that light fixture!)
http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/nursery-colors-2007-news/nursery-colors-contest-2007-the-winners-036667

And in the April 2007 issue of Canadian House and Home (page 200), the third prize winner in *their* contest used Ralph Lauren's Armangac for their nursery (it took 5 coats). I really encourage you to find this back issue for inspiration, as this time, it is for a little girl's nursery and so combined with pink and white, and the feel it totally different. The mother had purchased vintage dressers (there is a gorgeous one with a mirror) and had them lacquered pale pink -- stunning! And then white painted floors with a french rug, and pink striped curtains.

Here is just one image from the nursery:
http://www.houseandhome.com/features.php?c=126266
Where to get a back issue:
http://www.houseandhome.com/shopCatbk.php

Good luck!

FYI: When you click, you have to go to the 14th image to find the chocolate brown nursery I am talking about...

in the process of looking for a nice non depressive crib. Can't find anything that I like, other than the one designed by the architect in Brooklyn, but for $3000 I can not afford it. - not one of the people that he says pay $2000 for a bag... :-)

Anusha73, have you tried Ebay and consignment stores, etc.? the thing about cribs, is that babies are out of them around 2 or so -- and then unless people want to keep them as heirlooms, they get resold or given away.

Here is a listing on Ebay for a Netto crib -- even if you hire someone to pick it up and ship it across country, it will be cheaper than new:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NETTO-Loft-CRIB-Cherry-Stained-Ash-White-Lacquer_W0QQitemZ120197051846QQihZ002QQcategoryZ2985QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Epnyc, it is perfectly fine to combine stained wood with painted wood; actually, it is better, as it does not look too matchy.

Are you aware that the American Academy of Pediatrics, along with a host of other such organizations in the U.S. and Canada, has unequivocally stated that it is NEVER safe to use bumpers?

I urge you to check out these links -

http://www.multiplebirthsfamilies.com/articles/post_q12.html

http://mednews.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/10120.html

Bumpers serve a purely aesthetic function, and have no practical purpose. Here on AT you can see how wall colour, toys, rugs and artwork can be used to pull together the design of a nursery instead of bumpers.

All the best --

Charlita,
Since you do not know the gender, I would go with the black/white and third color. It will hold up pretty well with both genders. The other will look a little odd once you get all those pink toys in there (if you have a girl). For some reason, everyone you know will rush to buy you pink things...even if they know your nursery scheme. There is something about tiny pink items that must be hard to resist!

For the third color...sunny yellow, periwinkle, or teal would be unexpected and fresh. I hate to say it since I have so much in my house, but orange and lime green are starting to be a bit stale!

I'm with Melissa Reed on the "Sock Monkey" advice.

Also, I don't use bumpers for my sons crib. He has the bare bones. But he sometimes gets his legs/ arms caught in between the slats. What do people do about that? (the netted kind of bumper?)

Best christmas cookies to make with a 4 year old?

They have to be fun to make and decorate, fairly easy for me (not cuz I'm a baking lightweight, just cuz I don't have time for anything complicated), and totally delicious.

Thanks for everyone's help. My husband really like one of the nurseries that was featured on the smallest coolest contest (on the old site) that had a lot of orange and turquoise together. Wish that one was still available to look at. I think the black and white with an accent color sounds best. I think we'll try to find one main piece for inspiration.

might be too late with my comment here, but for what it's worth since it's the unpopular suggestion. if you really love the sock monkey bedding, go for it. it doesn't have to be a theme and you can just use it as a jumping off point. i say this because i used sock monkey bedding from new arrivals (off www.distinctivenurseries.com) for our first nursery and i chose it because i, too, didn't know the gender of my baby beforehand. we painted the room yellow with a red accent wall that gives the room a nice pop. the baby turned out to be a boy and we simply added lots of red boy accessories, along with some blue. i first considered doing monkey stencils on the walls (gads!!!) and am so glad i regained my senses. anway, my son is now 2 1/2 and got a full bed with entirely new bedding that still matches all the other decor already in there. i just sold the sock monkey bedding on ebay a couple weeks ago. and if the baby had been a girl, the red would have still worked. pink would've looked awful but not every gift you get has to become part of the decor and many toys/accessories for both boys and girls have red in it.

Not sure which nursery you are refering to Charlita, but everything from the old sight is still available online, just type in your search.

Here are the winners:
http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/small-cool-2007-entries/small-cool-nursery-2007-the-winners-023074

Thans monika1. We are still searching for it, it didn't win but was a nursery that I thought was entered into the contest. The most distinctive piece in the room was a round orange and turquoise rug with radiating lines. I am glad to know it's here somewhere, I'll keep trying to find it.

Charlita:

I think you are looking for Lucinda's California Dream posted back in May:

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/nursery-tours/mini-nursery-tour-lucindas-california-dream-022847

Enjoy!
Janie

Janie - You are a wonderful and fabulous person! Thanks so much for the link. I looked through so many tours yesterday with no luck. Thanks again!