apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Bugaboo Strollers are a waste of money and made in China, not in some quaint workshop in Amsterdam next door to a coffeeshop. Get over yourselves. The Eames Rockers is unbelievably ugly and uncomfortable.

My dream buy would be a house with a big yard for my son to play in. The house doesn't even have to be big.

My husband and I are by no means rich, but I am definetely buying an eames rocker in the next couple of weeks before our first baby arrives in november. I see no reason why I shouldn't spend $400 on a rocker that will be useful for years after the baby has grown-up. Some of those gliders that people buy are so ugly and expensive. I look at the purchase as an investment. Eames products tend to retain their value over time.

It would certainly be a toss-up between the Eames rocker and the Eames molded ply lounge chair. Both absolute classics that will look fantastic in any room - not just in a kids room. These chairs aren't cheap - but you will have it forever and it will only look better with age - a lot more than you can say about all the over-priced kids' furniture from Pottery Barn, etc.

A house with a yard!

That's easy! A modern crib. The grey Oeuf crib pictured above will do ;0)

Except I need one with a side that drops down!

Right now we have a nice hand-me-downcrib, but it's cherry coloured. I would love to have a modern one that looks better with our midcentury dressers in medium coloured wood.

The co-sleeper. Many, many times in the period shortly after our daughter was born, I would wake up with a start not knowing where she was in our bed (she was always in her bassinette). Lack of sleep and a propensity for night terrors aren't a good mix.

Pella windows with blackout shades between the panes so no light gets in at the edges.

Hate the Eames rocker, but I love, love the Eames molded plywood chairs. If money were no object, I would buy two.

Because I would be happy to work with hand-me-downs or second hand furniture, I'd have to say I'd pick the Oeuf lounger. It's a sophisticated alternative to the gadgety plastic things that take up a lot of space.

A comment on K's comment:

Why not paint the crib? That's what we did. We bought a used crib that had good lines (as simple as we could get) but was an ugly oak color and painted it a charcoal grey (using baby-safe paint - and clear teething guards just in case - of course!). Now it looks very modern and fits in with the room.

I would love the Eames rocker. I'm saving up for that. Or I would love some really nice original prints by Edward Gorey or Shag (obviously with kid-friendly subjects) in the nursery. It's never too early to start collecting original art!

"The Eames Rockers is unbelievably ugly and uncomfortable."

Everyone's entitled to their own aesthetic, but you're wrong about the comfort factor. We use our rockers all the time, and they're amazingly comfortable (a fact that always shocks people who sit in it for the first time). In fact, I have a friend who has an infant and terrible back problems, and during one visit she sat in the chair for a couple of hours and said it was the most comfortable she'd been in months. And my toddler loves the fact that he can easily move the chair around the room all by himself... though this may not be considered a selling feature by everyone. ;)

As for cost, they don't have to be expensive, especially if you don't care about things like minor scuffing (which I actually like) and having an intact Herman Miller label on the underside. I picked up a pair of rockers with the H base at a vintage store for a total of $200, then I ordered rocker bases from Modernica for (I think) about $100 each. Sure, they're not "collectible" or anything, but I don't care about that. You can also find good deals on eBay, again if you're not picky about a bit of wear and tear.

As far as my wishlist goes, I second (third? fourth?) everyone who said a yard. With a really awesome jungle gym/treehouse. Maybe I'd even let my kid play in it sometimes. :)

Re:
"Bugaboo Strollers are a waste of money and made in China, not in some quaint workshop in Amsterdam next door to a coffeeshop. Get over yourselves."

Your comment is offensive, and wrong. Bugaboos are made in Taiwan, not China, which is a world of difference wrt to labour and quality standards. Furthermore, this post was seeking input on dream buys, not what products you would most like to knock. I am frankly disgusted and bored by the constant bugaboo bashing on AT: Nursery. Get over YOURself, and let the rest of us have an exchange not fraught with scorn and derision.

As for my dream buys, since I have 2 children, there are 2. Yes, a Bugaboo Frog, and a Moderno rocker. I have been lucky enough to have gotten both, and they are the two best kids' things we own.

We got the froggy in 2003 for my daughter, and now use it for our son. It has proven to be indespensible. We use it all day long, take every curb and cobbled lane, hike up and down stairs; in short, take it everywhere. My son loves to nap in it on our terrace, I haul groceries with it, use it as a baby seat in restaurants (just take the front grab bar off and put it in the most upright position), walk up the Alps with it, go for walks on gravel paths, use it as a diaper-changing table, and on and on. And it still looks good, despite all the wear and tear.

As for the Moderno Rocker, it is incredibly comfortable, and the only chair I have ever found comfortable for nursing. It has a high back so that you can rest your head, and the seat & arm proportions are just right (for us at least). It is big enough to snuggle with both kids at the same time, and it is everyone's favourite seat in the house. We love it so much, that we have put it in the living room because it is such a handsome piece. I am really glad I went to the trouble of contacting the Finnish manufacturer and ordering it through them, as it was much cheaper than what it was selling for from the online retailers who used to carry it, and we were able to get it made in a custom fabric.

horoughlymodernmama-

Thanks for the idea. I've actually considered painting the crib. I just didn't know if it was a good idea to paint a crib (the teething rail is a good idea can they be bought seperatly and still fit correctly?) How much did it cost altogether?

I also tried to trade it on craigslist- no takers.

What is it with people and Bugaboo bashing? I wonder if they're just as as rude to everybody else carrying/wearing/possessing anything they consider a waste of money.

Anyway, Peanut is already too old for baby gear. She needs a big girl bed soon, and my dream buy would be the Bump Beds (http://www.bumpstuff.com/index.html). They are so lovely. The bed itself is not ridiculously expensive (starts from £275), but it's shipped from the UK, which would add a considerable shipping (and tax?) charge on top. I love the Swedish Day Bed most. I could flip the low side against the wall in place of a toddler's railing while she's still rolling around the bed.

we actually did just get an Eames rocker for our 'nursery'. as soon as i told the husband i was pregnant, he went on e-bay and started searching...got an original fiberglass body for a great! price and bought a new rocker base. i think that may have been my dream purchase.

so...can i wish for a bigger home for Dough?

the bugaboo bashing is because the people who own them are idiots. it's true. ive met every bugaboo owner out there. all idiots. it's just funny that you spend a fortune on this stroller than you think makes you look so cool. and you think it's handcrafted by swedish elves or something. china, taiwan, whatever. it's still not made by swedish elves. now please excuse me, i have to go pick up my hummer from the shop. im having a gun turret and elk horns fashioned.

Holly generalization! BTW why do you care so much? It must be exhausting feeling so superior.