Baby Decorator

THE NEW YORK TIMES ON THE SAFETY OF CRIB BEDDING AND TOYS

2011-02-01T12:36:00.003-05:00

THE NEW YORK TIMES TODAY LEADS OFF THE

BUSINESS SECTION WITH AN ARTICLE ABOUT CRIB SAFETY.

TheTimes covered the prevailing issues now resolved, like the elimination of drop-side cribs,

but today added to the subject of safety with the question of what is in the crib with the baby.

Coincidentally, a client whose nursery I am currently designing telephoned to ask me that

very question just yesterday. "How do I weigh in on the safety of the crib bumper?"

All mothers-to-be and new mothers are daily exploring the questions of crib safety.

In the opinion of Baby Decorator, testing has been cursory, so, as always, mothers must be ever vigilant .

The law now protects us by approving new requirements for safety in all cribs sold in the U.S.,

but the Times article reveals that the testing of other safety factors has been minimal.

We at Baby Decorator want new mothers to use caution and make intelligent choices

in protecting their baby from the unforeseen. Cribs should NOT be cluttered with

extraneous toys and dolls when the baby is able to move about.

Beautiful crib bedding is charming surrounding newborns, but should be

removed once the baby can grab beneath them or wiggle next to them.

The Tmes suggests eliminating pillow-like bumpers for the flatter style.

But always the baby MUST lie face up, not tummy down, to avoid facial contact

with bedding, mattresses, pillows, bumpers, and toys in the crib.

The testing of baby products today has been too long in coming.

No lives should have been lost due to carelessness or

ignorance. As with all unknowns in our lives,

first and foremost we must be vigilant.

BABY - BE SEATED! COOL KIDS' CHAIRS

2010-12-22T19:30:00.003-05:00

HALF PINT CHAIRS

SO THAT KIDS CAN BE SEATED IN STYLE.

The coolest kid's chairs are designed

in half-pint modernist styles, or

exquisite miniature replicas inspired by the likes of

Messrs. Chippendale and Hepplewhite.

Modernist and oh, so cool, chairs from Little Nest:

These replicas are half-pint adaptations of iconic designer originals.

This is the mini version of Arne Jacobsen's mid-century modern Egg Chair. Of course, it's only a part of the egg, so the Little Nest version is called The Yolk Chair!

Arne Jacobsen's Swan Chair gets scaled down to a "Cygnet" --
a baby swan for your baby.

Le Club is a mini-replica chair of the LC2 chair, originally designed in the 1920's by the Le Corbusier group.

Called "Play Ball" this mini-replica is derived from the '50's Ball Chair. Soooo cozy to cuddle up in there.

MAYBE THEY'RE SMALL, BUT THEY'll MAKE YOUR LITTLE GUY FEEL REALLY BIG!
Historic designs, elegant style, and classical appeal.... if you have a traditional home or nursery,
these "classy-classic" chairs will fit right into your decorative scheme.
JUST LIKE MOMMY'S AND DADDY'S, ANY TODDLER WILL TODDLE RIGHT UP TO THESE CLASSICS.

WING CHAIR, CORNER CHAIR, QUEEN ANNE CHAIR AND HEPPLEWHITE SHIELD BACK CHAIR. PERFECT IN EVERY PINT-SIZED DETAIL

THIS IS NOT YOUR DADDY'S WING CHAIR!

Curving lines distinguished the wingback chair. This is a mini-version from
Smith and Watson and we can custom upholster it for you in a charming print or
a pattern which will coordinate with the nursery, library, or living room.
The famous cabinet-makers of their age, like Chippendale, designed elegant frames which
have survived as classical styles to this day. Just right for the right baby!

The corner chair, elegantly smaller in size but no less elegant in style and design.
Thus Smith and Watson scaled down little chair will suit a very refined little one!

The simple, proportioned, curvilinear style of the Queen Anne chair, perfect
for your little prince or princess: fiddle back, shell motif, and cabriole legs are classical
details for a very smart little lady.

The shield back, open armchair is perfect in every detail in this mini homage to Hepplewhite.

SHARING SECRETS.......THE D.I.Y. BABY NURSERY

2010-11-07T19:42:00.001-05:00

A REALLY GREAT NURSERY.......

YES, YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF!

Pssst......Here's some straight talk from Baby Decorator. You can create your very own "designer" nursery, if you stick to a few guidelines. The secret to designing any great room is to choose a theme and follow it up with a design scheme.
Here's a few hints on how to DIY!

Build themes around what children love like fairytales and toys, tutus for ballerinas and dinosaurs for boys.

When planning, choose just one strong element to make the room looked pulled together. The one thing that matters is that even if you've borrowed the crib, inherited the glider, found a thrift shop changing table, while you are nesting pull it all together with one unifying element. That can be paint, or one printed fabric used for the bumper, crib skirt, and window treatments. Just choose one decorative element and carry it throughout the nursery.

A BABY BOY LIVES HERE!

Color is the theme for this nursery, and the scheme chosen was grey and white with accents of "I love you" red. Grey is a neutral color palette for a contemporary nursery, but by no means is it somber because it is highlighted everywhere with what we call valentine red. A neutral color makes a great backdrop for a modern nursery. It can be grey, beige, ivory, sweet pea green, banana yellow. The trick to making it fun and lively is to choose an accent color with zing.
Cool grey makes a great backdrop for the pizzazz of red pillows, painted birdies on the baseboard, and on small details throughout the nursery.

A BABY GIRL LIVES HERE!

Having a girl but don't want a "girlie" nursery? We just did a nursery in the palest of beiges shot through with accents of tomato red for a baby girl whose mom wanted a nursery designed with clean lines and a contemporary feel, i.e. no fuss, no muss. But she'd inherited the crib which was a bulky style in a darkened brown wood. What to do to brighten up the space? We made everything around it pale in such fun contrasting beige and red that the somber crib disappeared in the happy mood.

THEMES AND DREAMS OF NURSERIES THAT ARE ANYTHING BUT TRADITIONAL

The nautical theme nursery.
This baby's mom and dad must love to sail and chose
lighthouses and sailboats for their baby's crib bedding.

The crib and all the furniture can be customized

with the same design.

Before you buy, make a plan. Put all the parts together to create a design
scheme for your nursery.

THE INGENIOUS BABY NURSERY

2010-11-02T19:10:00.003-04:00

LUCKY BABY WHO GETS STOKKE® GEAR. IT'S

INNOVATIVE IN DESIGN AND INGENIOUS IN FUNCTION

If you are having a baby, you should know about Stokke®. At Baby Decorator where we design baby nurseries, we see every product for the nursery, and have been awestruck by how Stokke thinks outside the box. Before Stokke, cribs were just always rectangular. Then along came this ingenious design group that conceived of new, incredibly sensible ways to interpret traditional nursery furniture. They just lopped the corners off the crib and created a narrow, oval shape that cuddles the baby in a cozy cocoon that is warm and safe.

Being passionate about fine design, we exalt when it includes a love of innovation. Stokke has come a long way in its innovations in nursery furniture. Understanding the importance of communication between baby, mom, and dad from the first moment they are introduced, Stokke's nursery furniture is designed to make the baby an integral part of the family. The crib is on wheels so that it rolls everywhere to stay close to the family.

We're in love with the Tripp Trapp® chair in all its brilliant color ways. Baby sits right up there with all the bigger kids and the grownups at the table. It is simply a tower of innovative design where the high chair has never gone before.

Ingenuity reigns here! With innovative design in mind. the goal is to integrate the baby with the rest of the family, to strengthen the bond between parents and children. This Tripp Trapp® high chair and Stokke®'s new Xsplory stroller are love at first sight. The stroller is light weight and incredibly maneuverable. It a one-handed, easily pushable cool strolling machine that will negotiate any corner, doorway, and uphill jaunt with a mere touch of one hand.

All in all, I'd say this was one smart company doing what they do for babies and children with forethought and love for the growing child. Bravo Stokke!

THE BABY'S NURSERY GOES ECO

2010-10-05T14:36:00.063-04:00

Meet Zoe, a beautiful baby who, like every child born today, deserves to grow up in a world free of harmful toxins and pollutants. At Baby Decorator our mission is to bring you safe sources for crib bedding, nursery furniture of sustainable woods, and even toys that fall within all our guidelines for organic and non-toxic. Our recommendations for decorating the nursery is the choice of VOC-free paints, chemical free upholstery fabrics, rugs, and accessories. Tuned-in parents are turned on to the importance of eco-conscious choices for their babies.

BABY DECORATOR DESIGNS NURSERIES WITH PURE ORGANICS IN MIND

BABY DECORATOR chooses safe sources as an essential part of your baby's nursery. We offer nursery furnishings that come from manufacturers using sustainable woods, those who opt for 100% pure cotton linens for crib bedding, and bath linens made from pure fibers. As we cover the fabrics and trims markets for our clients we discover more and more upholstery fabrics being held up to the standards of natural dyes and chemical-free processing, rug makers who are dispensing with chemical treatments, and paint manufacturers who are complying with the ecologically friendly requirements intended to eliminate volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

CHEMICAL FREE PAINTS

Begin decorating your nursery by selecting a paint color that will pull together the design scheme you've chosen. Historically, paints and finishes released low level toxic emissions called VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air. Today eco-conscious manufacturers of paint have discovered new ways to formulate their product that is free of VOCs.

We love the paint from Farrow and Ball because it comes in a style savvy color range of chic colors and goes on with the most intense coverage all of which is suspended in an eco friendly formulation.

new eco friendly formulation specially created to deliver the same performance as our oil products.

With reduced drying and recoat time and low odour, our eco friendly paint finishes offer a ‘green’ alternative to your decorating needs.

THE NEW TRADITIONALISTS CRIBS - GREAT STYLE, PERFECT FUNCTION!
Enter The New Traditionalists, a company that has created a brilliant collection of nursery furniture. Designed with contemporary lines inspired by traditional forms, the collection is manufactured in their facility in Connecticut from sustainable woods (wood that's harvested and is being replaced by new growth). Manufactured with old world furniture making techniques, like hand rubbed finishes, grain matching, hardwood construction, kiln dried frames, and hand tied springs, their cribs and changers are exquisite examples of heirloom furniture in a 21st century style.

The New Traditionalists Savannah crib is elegant in its simplicity. As with all their furniture, the
crib can be customized in any color or finish from their extraordinary collection.

The Stonington crib incorporates a hand rubbed head and footboard with lacquer painted rails and sides.
Hand brushed, bleached, or glazed, weathered, worn or whitewashed, their finish choices are extensive
and custom done for each individual piece of nursery furniture.

Q COLLECTION JUNIOR COMBINES 100% ORGANIC FUNCTIONALITY

WITH CHARM AND STYLE

Q Collection Junior is a nursery furniture collection committed to keeping your baby safe.

Every product is made from only non-toxic materials that are pure and healthy.

Q Collection Junior has created a charming collection of baby bedding. Made of 100% organic cotton fabric,

their sets include 2 crib sheets, a crib skirt, and a reversible bumper, all of which comes in a reusable drawstring tote.

DWELL's NEWEST COLLECTION OF CRIB BEDDING AND COORDINATES
Squiggles and jiggles and flowers and dots in shades of pink accented in brown.

Dwell Studio is a leader in organic products produced in an organic work space.

Its prints use low-impact dyes and contain no heavy metals or other known toxic substances,

are AZO free, formaldehyde free, and meet all criteria for eco-friendly pigments.

Even their packaging uses eco-friendly alternatives and completely eliminates PVCs and now come in bags or boxes that can be reused for zero waste. Dwell Studio is chic with a conscience.

PRECIOUS AND PURE -- THE BASIC BASSINET
FROM SEED COLLECTION

The perfectly pure, utterly precious bassinet by The Seed Collection

This charming little newborn bassinet comes from Seed Organic, a company which uses only renewable resources and cotton that has been grown without pesticides to produce their adorable furniture for babies.

No fuss, no muss, a contemporary winner.

The Wall Street Journal reviews The "modern" crib

2010-08-03T14:36:00.004-04:00

Crib Safety -- The latest news

We love trendy decor and edgy style, but first and foremost when decorating the nursery, we focus on your baby's safety. We discriminate between function and style when choosing a crib to recommend to a client. Given the rash of crib recalls, Baby Decorator continues to take an informed look at the cribs we offer our customers. Not only must the crib follow the new guidelines for crib manufacture, but we seek to show cribs of sustainable materials. So important is the safety of your baby in his crib, that we go the extra step to make sure that the crib mattress fits properly within the frame and is constructed of the finest sustainable materials.

The Wall Street Journal recently completed a study of crib safety, and we want to pass along this article to our readers.

Meet the 'Modern' Crib
By ANJALI ATHAVALEY

After the recall last month of 2.2 million cribs from seven manufacturers—the latest in a three-year wave of crib-safety recalls by the Consumer Products Safety Commission—parents-to-be may wonder: What exactly makes a safe crib?

Most of the cribs recalled since 2007 have involved "drop sides," which slide up or down. The safety commission voted last week to ban the design—popular for years because of its perceived safety and convenience—and to tighten other crib standards, including those for safety testing, wood quality and mattress support.

At least 36 deaths in the past three years are attributable to failed drop sides or other flaws, such as failing hardware, side slats or mattress supports. The design flaws typically produce a gap where a baby may fall out, or become entrapped.

Parents should buy "a crib with four fixed sides, the sturdiest you can afford," says Nancy Cowles executive director of Kids in Danger, a Chicago nonprofit focused on children's product safety. "You should not be able to shake it in the store."

How did so many dangerous cribs end up on the market? Use of cheap parts, and a shift to manufacturing in places where there is less oversight, play a role, Ms. Cowles says.

The biggest problem is the lack of durability testing, she says. "With the recalls, you can see that they just do not stand up to use by children in the real world."

Oeuf

Oeuf Sparrow crib

Most crib makers have stopped producing drop-side models and now sell what they call "modern" cribs, in both contemporary and classic styles. They share safety features such as fixed sides and a lower front rail height—32 to 36 inches from the floor, compared with roughly 42 inches for the old drop-sides—to enable parents to pick up a baby easily. Some have eco-friendly attributes, like wood with low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde, which is classified as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization.

Consumers may see higher prices. "We may not see cribs at $100 anymore," Ms. Cowles says. Many makers sell optional conversion kits costing as much as a couple hundred dollars, which turn the crib into a toddler bed, often partially surrounded by rails and low enough to get in and out of without help.

Oeuf LLC in Brooklyn, N.Y, sells fixed-side cribs priced from $565 to $920. Company owner Michael Ryan says the sides are cut from single panels of medium-density fiberboard for safety. The cribs meet California's stringent standard for formaldehyde emissions, he says. A new federal law directs the Environmental Protection Agency to set a similar nationwide standard by 2013.

Sometimes, Mr. Ryan says, crib shoppers lose sight of the basics. "People are so concerned about VOCs and price," he says. "What they should be looking at is construction. The reason for recalls is quality issues—it's the thing falling apart."

A few years ago, Holly Waterfield, an interior stylist in New York, spent almost $1,400 on a fixed-side Oeuf Classic crib, including conversion kit and shipping charges, for her daughter, now 3. Now in the midst of redecorating, Ms. Waterfield is trying to sell it. The crib is solid and easy to assemble, she says. But she found the low profile inconvenient. "You couldn't store a lot under there," she says. "It wasn't an option."

Safety groups say parents should be wary of used cribs. And hazards arise when parents assemble cribs incorrectly. Cribs in the Bloom line, from Ilinko Ltd., of Australia, have fixed sides and require no tools to assemble. With other models, "you need a Ph.D." to put them together," says Francisco Balderrama, one of four fathers who founded Bloom. The Alma crib features slats on all four sides instead of two, which helps improve air flow, Mr. Balderrama says. The price is $400.

Many parents are second-guessing their old cribs. Tejal Master, of Houston, a 32-year-old information technology analyst, is six months pregnant with her second child and has a convertible drop-side crib that she bought for her son, Daivik, now one year old. She is shopping for a new model now. "It's definitely something that makes you think twice about what you're purchasing," she says.

BABY DECORATOR DESIGNS FOR THE RED CROSS BALL

2010-05-20T20:57:00.010-04:00

BABY DECORATOR BROUGHT LOTS OF

SMILES TO THE GREENWICH RED CROSS BALL
WITH OUR ADORABLE TABLE DECORATION.

CENTER STAGE WERE OUR PALS,
PUMPKIN AND BUBBLES,

WHO CELEBRATED THE FUN

IN A FIELD OF DAISIES.

BUBBLES SAT PROUDLY ATOP HIS SPIFFY, BLUE, BMW MINI CAR,

WHILE PUMPKIN WATCHED HIM ADMIRINGLY

SITTING ON HER LITTLE NEST MINI BERTOIA CHAIR.

QUADRILLE gave us the fabric for this happy table cloth

and matching chair cushions.

All the custom upholstery was done by our friends

in the workroom at CLASSIC UPHOLSTERY.

OUR CUSTOM DINNER PLATE GOT RAVES!

We do these plates for newborns to match the nursery,

with the baby's name and date of birth.

OUR TABLETOP THANK YOU!

EVERYONE LOVED OUR BABY DECORATOR TABLE,

AND WHEN THE WORK WAS DONE,

EVERYONE SMILED, INCLUDING ME!

KUDOS TO STROLLER TRAFFIC.

2010-04-29T22:41:00.001-04:00

Thank you,
StrollerTraffic.com

What a gift you've given us!
Books to help
children and parents
to grow older and wiser.

Lesson of the Day

Children’s books you’ll thank us for

Logged in: Current Traffic, Playtime-Meals

April 27, 2010

Sometimes a children's story does a much better job of impressing a point on a toddler than anything we as parents can say or do. So we hit up the inspired child development experts at Seedlings Group for a list of great children's books to address everything from tantrums and sharing to sickness and feelings—for those days when our own parenting skills seem to be falling short.

TANTRUMS
• When Sophie Gets Angry—Really Really Angry, by Molly Bang
• Mouse was Mad, by Linda Urban and Henry Cole
• Finn Throws a Fit, by David Elliott and Timothy Basil Ering
• The Chocolate Covered Cookie Tantrum, by Deborah Blumenthal and Harvey Stevenson
• Beatrice Doesn’t Want To, by Laura Numeroff and Lynn Munsinger

CHORES
• How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
• The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Chores, by Stan Berenstain

PARENTAL LOVE
• You Are My I Love You, by Maryann K. Cusimano
• I Love You Through And Through, by Bernadette Rossetti Shustak
• Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram

SHARING/FRIENDS
• The Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister Herbert
• How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
• A Visitor for Bear, by Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton
• The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog, by Mo Williams
• But Excuse Me, That is My Book, by Lauren Child
• A Splendid Friend, Indeed, by Suzanne Bloom

PERSEVERENCE
• The Little Engine That Could, by Loren Long

EATING
• How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
• Bread and Jam for Frances, by Russell Hoban and Lillian Hoban
• Little Pea, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

NEW SIBLING
• How to Be a Baby by Me, the Big Sister, by Sally Lloyd-Jones and Sue Heap
• The New Baby, by Ruth Shane
• Baby Come Out!, by Fran Manushkin

FEELINGS
• My Many Colored Days, by Theodor Geisel - Dr. Seuss
• Grumpy Gloria, by Anna Dewdney
• Bear Feels Scared, by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
• Llama Llama Mad at Mama, by Anna Dewdney
• Today I Feel Silly, by Jamie Lee Curtis
• Mrs. Biddlebox, by Linda smith
• Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst

MOVING
• The Berenstain Bears' Moving Day, by Stan Berenstain
• Big Ernie’s New Home, by Teresa Martin and Whitney Martin

VALUES
• A Chair for My Mother, by Vera B. Williams

POTTY
• Big Girls Use the Potty!, by Andrea Pinnington
• Once Upon a Potty, by Alona Frankel
• Everyone Poops, by Taro Gomi
• No More Diapers for Ducky, by Bernette Ford and Sam Williams
• A Potty for Me!, by Karen Katz

SICKNESS
• Bear Feels Sick, by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman
• How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
• The Berenstain Bears Get a Checkup, by Stan Berenstain

SEPARATION
• Don’t Go, by Jane Breskin Zalben
• Llama Llama Misses Mama, by Anna Dewdney
• The Kissing Hand, by Audrey Penn

GOING TO SLEEP
• The Going to Bed Book, by Sandra Boynton
• How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

ADOPTION
• Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born, by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell
• The Little Green Goose, by Adele Sansone
• Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale, by Karen Katz

TWO MOMS/TWO DADS
• Mommy, Mama, and Me, by Lesléa Newman
• The Family Book, by Todd Parr
• Daddy, Papa, and Me, by Lesléa Newman

PACIFIERS
• Pacifiers are Not Forever, by Elizabeth Verdick and Marieka Heinlen
• No More Pacifiers!, by Melanie O’Brien

MOVING TO A TODDLER BED
• Sophie's Big Bed, by Tina Burke

DIVORCE
• Two Homes, by Claire Masurel
• It’s Not Your Fault, Koko Bear, by Vicki Lansky
• Dinosaurs Divorce, by Marc Brown

PHYSICAL AGGRESSION
• Teeth Are Not for Biting, by Elizabeth Verdick and Marieka Heinlen
• Hands Are Not for Hitting, by Martine Agassi Ph.D. and Marieka Heinlen
• No Biting!, by Karen Katz
• No Hitting!, by Karen Katz

BULLIES
• Let’s Be Enemies, by Janice May Udry

BEING UNIQUE
• Freckleface Strawberry, by Julianne Moore
• Big Dog . . . Little Dog, by P.D. Eastman
• A Color of His Own, by Leo Lionni

NIGHTMARES
• There’s a Nightmare in My Closet, by Mercer Mayer

DEATH
• Remembering Grandpa, by Uma Krishnaswami

SCHOOL
• WOW School, by Robert Neubecker
• I Am Absolutely Too Small for School, by Lauren Child

CONCEPT OF TIME
• A Second is a Hiccup: A Child’s Book of Time, by Hazel Hutchins

CURIOSITY
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
• What Do You Do With a Tale Like This?, by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
• Where do Balloons Go?: An Uplifting Mystery, by Jamie Lee Curtis

CRIB BEDDING IS YOUR BABY'S FASHION STATEMENT!

2010-04-28T17:59:00.005-04:00

Cool babies love chic crib bedding!

Baby bedding has burst forth, free from the usual pink, blue, and yellow into a rainbow of brights. Designers are casting their talents into this world of the nursery and the results means flat out fun for the baby's room. New and expectant moms can now start the design process with an incredible bedding design, pick up on the primary or a leading color in the print, and spread that joy throughout the room. Use a swatch of this fabric to pick paint colors, choose a coordinated fabric for the curtains and cushions, and begin to create a coordinated and well conceived design plan.

Cool design, upbeat fashion statements, and creative thinking have made their way into the baby's nursery.

If you're a tuned in, turned out mom who has moved past poly/cotton, look at all the ways to say hip baby. There are bright happy patterns, charming embroideries, custom monograms, scallops and polka dots, that will define the look for your baby's room.

Meet Lulu de Kwiatkowski, a cool young mom with an extraordinary design talent who

has created an incredible line of crib linens.

Her ideas go far beyond what was traditionally thought of as nursery design, and

she has brought a joyful new perspective to baby's rooms.

Our company, Baby Decorator, seeks out design talent like Lulu so that we can create incredible nurseries. We have put together a cool collection of crib bedding to make any fashionista mama smile. There are coordinated collections of sheets, baby pillows, crib bumpers, coverlets, crib skirts, even duvet covers in coordinating colors and prints that make the nursery into a special, charming world for your baby. Parents have discovered the designer nursery that's in sync with their own love of today's hip interiors.

Gone are the prissy pastels and nubby polyester sheets. Natural fibers and luxe details define today's crib bedding.

Contemporary nursery fashion comes with bubbles and bows, jolly prints, in fully coordinated bedding ensembles.

Our design studio chooses luxe fabrications from the interior design market and creates beautiful bassinets

which coordinate with the sweetest of fairy tale papers and furnishings.

This collection of 100% pure and organic sheeting comes in an entirely innovative

range of colors and is all packed neatly into its coordinated sack.

And then there's personalized embroidery which makes these

linens the baby's very own. Monograms and smocking make a beautiful, luxurious addition.

Zoo pals make sweet baby nurseries. This complete set of bedding from bumper, to crib skirt,

to pillow and crib quilt embraces jolly penguins who make baby giggle.

A nautical nursery showcases red, white, and blue in exquisite embroideries on fine percale

for crib sets that look as crisp in winter as they would be in the breeze at the seashore.

Designers have captured our hearts with the charming collections they create for your baby's nursery.
Next time we'll show you how to add the remaining parts, the cribs, and the furnishings to make it your own.

Tags: bedding, crib, baby, style savvy moms,

How to choose the best crib mattress for your baby

2010-03-01T16:35:00.000-05:00

THE BARE ESSENTIALS OF BUYING A CRIB MATTRESS.

We adore beautiful nurseries, and we love creating warm, happy spaces for babies. But our first priority when creating a nursery is the mattress the baby will sleep on. Whether you choose a foam or innerspring mattress, the construction should conform to strict manufacturing regulations. To keep you informed of the priorities, we have gathered the information you need to make an educated purchase of a crib mattress for your baby. We want you to be aware that, if you are using a mattress that is more than one year old, it probably contains phthalates, a group of chemicals known to affect a child's developing endocrine (hormonal) system. This substance was banned by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act in February 2009 in the manufacture of crib mattresses and vinyl pads.

When researching products where health and safety

are concerns, we suggest you refer to

Consumer Reports' BEST BABY PRODUCTS,

a resource we rely on.

It is available on the Consumer Reports

website or from Amazon.

A SNUG FIT

First of all, know how to determine the proper fit for the mattress within the frame of the crib. The standard crib frame accommodates a mattress that is 52 inches long x 28 inches wide x 4 to 6 inches thick, and the standard crib mattress should conform to that. When the mattress is installed, there should be just enough room to wiggle one finger between between the crib rails and the mattress. Later when your baby is sitting and then standing, you should be sure the mattress retains this fit when the mattress is lowered in the crib.

BUY THE FIRMEST MATTRESS YOU CAN FIND.

Newborns must sleep flat on their backs on an extra firm mattress. In the first year of life, all babies require a mattress that is classified as extra firm. Many mattresses are constructed with an extra firm side for infants and a firm side for toddlers.

THE MATTRESS MATERIAL AND CONSTRUCTION

A FOAM MATTRESS is one of two choices you can make in seeking a firm mattress for your baby. The best quality foam is dense and resilient--it bounces back quickly when you squeeze it in the center and along the edges with both hands. A squeeze test in the center of an extra firm mattress won't allow you to press very far. In general, the heavier the foam mattress, the denser (and better) the foam.

The Starlight Supreme memory foam mattress is hypoallergenic, antimicrobially treated, and flame resistant. Designed with advanced health, safety and comfort standards, the Starlight Support mattress from Moonlight Slumber offers dual levels of firmness. There is an extra firm side for your infant. Then as your baby grows, you can flip the Supreme over and have an ultra supportive, yet ultra comfortable layer of “memory” foam over the firm mattress.

AN INNERSPRING MATTRESS consist of a number of layers; the better the quality of these layers, the better the mattress. Coil count, the number of steel springs a mattress has, relates not to the firmness of the mattress or the quality of the construction. A less expensive mattresses may have fewer coils, but the higher number of coils is not the single factor in firmess. The thicker the gauge of the steel the stronger the mattress construction. Just to confuse you....the lower the gauge of the steel coil thickness, the better the quality. The lower the number, the thicker the gauge, the finer the mattress. Border rods go around the perimeter of the mattress top and bottom, and are the thickest pieces of steel a mattress contains. Don't buy innerspring mattresses that don't have border rods. Border rods provide extra firmness, durability, and edge support so a mattress won't sag when your baby stands or walks near the edge.

On top of the coils is an insulator pad that keeps the coils from poking through a mattress' cushioning layers. The best insulator pad is made from coir fiber, which is shredded and woven coconut shell, but fiber wrap padding is acceptable as well.

The next layer in the mattress is the cushioning, which may be made of foam or cotton. Although polyester is also available as a cushioning layer, we don't recommend it because it can move and lump up over time.

The outside covering of a crib mattress can be either a fabric or vinyl. Vinyl covering is made with ventilation holes to help air to circulate. The thicker the vinyl covering, the better it will resist staining. Unlike a cloth cover, vinyl also acts as a barrier to dust mites.

Naturepedic makes organic cotton innerspring mattresses free from all harmful chemicals. They feature U.S. grown and certified organic cotton, and provide non-toxic fire protection and an organic waterproofing cover.

HOW TO CREATE A VERY SPECIAL NURSERY FOR YOUR BABY

2010-01-29T11:37:00.000-05:00

CELEBRITY MOMS' SECRETS TO
CREATING A BEAUTIFUL
NURSERY

It's all in the details.....
monogramming, custom painting, custom curtains,

personalized wall art, simple details which add a

"luxe" and personal touch to the nursery.
Our design studio will to help you create
unique and custom nursery design. http://www.babydecorator.com/Baby_Decorator/Home_page.html

Custom murals are a charming addition

to your babies nursery.

No mistaking who sleeps here!

Nursery murals are a delicate,

personal touch.

Tiny "faux" baby birds

tweet lullabies in this nursery.

Soft custom window treatments

share a lovely nursery space

with this mama bird!

Delicate hand painting on this charming

changing table/dresser adds an heirloom

touch that can be coordinated with crib,

bookcase, and toy chest.

Hand painted furniture with nursery rhyme

motifs are exclusive pieces we bring you

that create a custom nursery.

Beatrix Potter would be proud!

Monograms! The ultimate custom

luxury addition to the nursery.

The crib blanket, the carriage blanket,

is an ever so much more beautiful gift

when the giver adds the baby's

embroidered monogram.

The topper of precious touches,

lampshades entwined with delicate ribbons

and the baby's initial make charming,

simple, luxurious additions to the nursery.

Flickr

2010-01-23T17:06:00.001-05:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

WHO WILL CARE FOR THE BABIES?

2010-01-20T14:38:00.000-05:00

BABY DECORATOR LOOKS AT THE PRESS,
THE BLOGS, AND THE TWEETS
ABOUT THE BABIES OF HAITI.

We must do whatever we can to help these babies
who have been orphaned or separated from their
mothers by the earthquake in Haiti.

Drop the controversy over feeding formula.
These children are hungry and need our care.

Donations of baby formula to Haiti strike controversy

You might think a baby who survived the Haiti earthquake would benefit from just about anything: jars of food, a fresh pair of clothes, bottled water, baby formula...not so fast...actually many people are vehemently objecting to donations of artificial milk.

Ricardo Arduengo/AP

A nurse feeds a quake-injured baby at the Israeli Field Hospital in Port-au-Prince.

The contentious breast-feeding versus bottle-feeding debate that so many new moms are faced with in America is making its way into the aftermath of the Haitian disaster.

While many organizations are requesting formula for Haitian babies, others are speaking out against these relief efforts. Why!?!? In the midst of this crisis, it's hard to imagine that anyone would oppose any food source for hungry babies.

Donating formula might appear to be a great way to help out on the surface, but in a thoughtful article on Salon.com, Tracy Clark-Flory explores why it might do more harm than good.

Formula has to be mixed with water, Clark-Flory explains, and clean water, or a place to boil water, isn't easy to come by in Haiti. Nor are there places to sterilize bottles or safely store formula.

UNICEF has found that formula-feeding can bring about infection, diarrhea, dehydration, malnutrition and death. "In fact, following the earthquake this fall in Indonesia, the organization had to issue a call to halt donations of formula" Clark-Flory writes. "Three years earlier, after another earthquake in the region, UNICEF found that infants younger than six-months who were fed donated formula were twice as likely to have diarrhea than those who did not receive formula; the rate among babies between six and 23 months of age was five times the pre-earthquake rate."

What's more, if a mother uses formula and thus reduces or stops breastfeeding, it creates a problem when the donated formula runs out, according to the blog Good Intentions Are Not Enough. The mother will have problems adequately breastfeeding her child because she has decreased or even ended her own milk production. Thus a simple goodwill donation can actually lead to a dependency on the item that is donated.

While there might be downsides to a mother feeding her baby formula, there is certainly no other option for an orphaned baby who has lost her mother. But the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both recommend using ready-to-feed formula, which doesn't need to be mixed with water.

As for the small amounts of formula that are needed, Meredith Connelly, a spokesperson for the Red Cross, told Salon.com, it is much "faster for organizations to collect funds and distribute what is needed to the people on the ground," and that way they can "give what is really needed."

The debate over whether it's appropriate to send formula to Haiti has unfolded over Twitter. Nonprofits are sending out tweets asking for formula, which are then met by messages from a rival campaign with the Twitter identity "Don't Send Formula," Salon.com reports.

One Tweet reads: "please send formula to Haiti and don't listen to that stupid doula who says formula is bad. Dumb biotch!"

An opposing Tweet responds: "PLEASE! don't send formula to Haiti! The women&children shouldn't be victimized twice!"

Do you think Haitian women and children are being victimized through donations of formula?

Posted By: Amy Graff (Email, Twitter, Facebook) | Jan 19 at 07:33 AM

Listed Under: Bottle and breast feeding | Permalink | Comments (44) : Post Comment

| Email

Monday, January 18, 2010

Effort to bring Haitian children to U.S. gathers steam

The stories of children fighting for their lives amid the devastation in Haiti are heart-wrenching. It's impossible to not tear up as you flip through the slide shows on news sites, and read the stories about children such as the 7-year-old girl who survived more than four days eating dried fruit rolls in the supermarket that collapsed around her.

Parents always tell their children that life isn't fair, but no young life should be this unfair.

Gerald Herbert / AP

One year old Misa Gureline Bestige reacts as she wakes up from sleeping on the street with her family and other displaced people in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

In the aftermath of this terrible disaster, it's saddening to see that many of the children who survived are wandering the rubble-filled streets with nowhere to go, no one to care for them, no food to eat. Many of these kids are wounded. The tented clinics are overflowing with people, and critically injured children are being treated and then discharged even though they should be closely monitored.

A doctor working at a tented clinic in the city's main United Nations compound told a London Times reporter that she was so desperate at being forced to discharge children still in grave danger of dying from infection that she wanted to "scream and scratch people."

For want of bed space "we are sending wounded children back on to the streets of Port-au-Prince with no plan even for how they will be fed," Jennifer Furn, from Harvard Medical School, told the Times.

What's to be done with these children? Maybe there's hope for them in the United States.

In Florida there's a plethora of hospital beds in comparison to what's available in Haiti, and the state is only an hour and a half from the devastated country. Church representatives in Miami are lobbying the US Department of Homeland Security to allow Haitian children left homeless or without parents to be given shelter in the United States.

The Catholic archdiocese of Miami has been inundated with calls from local, state and federal groups -- and people wanting to take in a needy child, according to the Miami Herald. Florida hospitals and schools are preparing for an influx of children. The church is beginning to put together a plan to airlift thousands of children.

The effort is being compared to the Operation Pedro Pan airlift of 1960 when 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban children were rescued from the ravages of communism and brought to the United States to start new lives. This plan was also the brainchild of the Catholic archdiocese of Miami.Read More »

Posted By: Amy Graff (Email, Twitter, Facebook) | Jan 18 at 09:33 AM

Permalink | Comments (21) : Post Comment

| Email

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfmoms/index#ixzz0dBOsXzp2

CUSTOM NURSERY DESIGN FOR SAVVY NEW MOMS!

2010-01-17T13:06:00.000-05:00

THE BIGGEST CITY'S NEWEST MOMS!

"BIG CITY MOMS" GATHER AT NEW YORK CITY'S KIDVILLE.

BABY DECORATOR IS THERE WITH

CUSTOM NURSERY DESIGNS

65 pregnant women come for information, guidance,

ideas, suggestions, and surprises!

BABY DECORATOR SHARES DESIGN
INSPIRATIONS FOR CUSTOM NURSERIES.

WE CREATE INSPIRATIONAL NURSERIES

TO SHARE WITH BIG CITY MOMS!

BABY DECORATOR SHOWS BRIGHT, COLORFUL,

NEW IDEAS FOR DECORATING THE NURSERY.

AN ELEPHANT NEVER FORGETS HOW

TO MAKE A BABY SMILE!

NEW-BABY NURSERIES ARE HAPPY

PLACES WITH HAPPY FACES!

65 PREGNANT WOMEN COME TOGETHER TO SHARE

WAYS TO CREATE THE PERFECT NURSERY.

BABY DECORATOR joins the fun with toys, joys, and

gift bags stuffed with new baby inspirations and information.

COME VISIT US TO VIEW OUR NURSERY PICKS AND TIPS.

www.babydecorator.com

Visit Big City Moms to sign up for the next new mom events.

WE LOVE DESIGN, WE LOVE OUR CLIENTS, WE LOVE BABIES!

2010-01-10T20:52:00.000-05:00

IT'S JANUARY 10TH IN THE YEAR 2010 AND BABY DECORATOR'S BLOG IS BEING BORN TODAY!

-- WHAT WE DO AND WHY WE DO IT --

We're two women, moms who work together doing residential design.

We love the work we do, we love our clients, and we love babies!

We created Baby Decorator to fill a void -- the need to create calm,
nurturing, special nurseries for the new baby
whose mom and dad are smart and style savvy.

WHAT DO WE CARE ABOUT?

Safety for your baby, pure, organic products, sustainable choices for your nursery.

We'll show you lots of choices -- cool, eco, posh, luxe, and budget baby.

Hey -- It's your BABY, after all.

FIRST BLOG -- FIRST PRIORITY

GET THE NURSERY READY ....... YOU'VE GOT A NEW BABY COMING!

We'll help you make your style choices at BabyDecorator.com

Choose the color you want for your nursery. Check out our room plan suggestions.

Check out our catalogues to choose your crib, changing table, and that all-important
chair where you'll nurse and cuddle your baby.

Buy soft, pure baby bedding.

Create a safe spot to change and dress your baby.

Stock up on all the necessities like diapers and lotions.

START WITH THESE ESSENTIALS AND COME TO US TO HELP YOU.

MAKE YOUR NURSERY A HAPPY, NURTURING PLACE FOR YOUR NEW BABY.

PICK WHAT STYLE YOU LOVE AND WE'LL HELP YOU CREATE IT --

CLEAN, CHIC, AND MODERN

WARM, ELEGANT, AND TRADITIONAL

CLASSICAL, ENCHANTING, AND CHARMING

OPULENT, SOPHISTICATED, AND LUXE

TRENDY, EDGY AND MOD.

Baby Decorator

THE NEW YORK TIMES ON THE SAFETY OF CRIB BEDDING AND TOYS

BABY - BE SEATED! COOL KIDS' CHAIRS

SHARING SECRETS.......THE D.I.Y. BABY NURSERY

THE INGENIOUS BABY NURSERY

THE BABY'S NURSERY GOES ECO

The Wall Street Journal reviews The "modern" crib

Crib Safety -- The latest news

Meet the 'Modern' CribBy ANJALI ATHAVALEY

Meet the 'Modern' CribBy ANJALI ATHAVALEY

Meet the 'Modern' CribBy ANJALI ATHAVALEY

Meet the 'Modern' Crib

BABY DECORATOR DESIGNS FOR THE RED CROSS BALL

KUDOS TO STROLLER TRAFFIC.

Children’s books you’ll thank us for

April 27, 2010

CRIB BEDDING IS YOUR BABY'S FASHION STATEMENT!

How to choose the best crib mattress for your baby

Naturepedic makes organic cotton innerspring mattresses free from all harmful chemicals. They feature U.S. grown and certified organic cotton, and provide non-toxic fire protection and an organic waterproofing cover.

HOW TO CREATE A VERY SPECIAL NURSERY FOR YOUR BABY

Flickr

WHO WILL CARE FOR THE BABIES?

Donations of baby formula to Haiti strike controversy

Monday, January 18, 2010

Effort to bring Haitian children to U.S. gathers steam

CUSTOM NURSERY DESIGN FOR SAVVY NEW MOMS!

WE LOVE DESIGN, WE LOVE OUR CLIENTS, WE LOVE BABIES!

Meet the 'Modern' Crib
By ANJALI ATHAVALEY

Meet the 'Modern' Crib
By ANJALI ATHAVALEY

Meet the 'Modern' Crib
By ANJALI ATHAVALEY