Nursery

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Decorating my daughter’s nursery was quite possibly the most fun I have ever had decorating. I had a blank slate, and could do literally anything I wanted with it. This was back in the days before I was green mama and before I really knew anything about decorating. So while I had fun doing the room, it wasn’t what I would call well-designed. This beautiful bamboo Jungle Friends Mobile from Branch Home is leaps and bounds above the gaudy plastic Winnie the Pooh mobile that hung over my daughter’s crib.

Mothers will tell you that there’s nothing quite like sitting in a rocking chair cuddling with a sweet-smelling infant. It was one of my favorite things to do back when my daughter was young enough to sit still for more than a few seconds at a time (ie. before she started walking). Now that she loves having stories read to her while on my lap, I wish I still had access to my rocker so we could spend some quality time there.

When my daughter was an infant, I was nowhere near as eco-inclined as I am today. In fact, I was living in a state of complete un-enlightenment, shopping and going about life without a care about where my purchases were coming from or what was in them.

Today, however, I am a much more conscious consumer. Had I known then what I know now, I would’ve bought only organic crib sheets. Though I prefer to patronize smaller, independent retailers and manufacturers who source their products in the U.S., their prices can get somewhat prohibitive, with some single sheets costing as much as $40.  Though I would probably suck it up and pay for what I believe to be a superior product, there are some shoppers who can’t or won’t.

I have a bit of a problem with most furniture designed for kids. It tends to be outgrown fairly quickly, not only in terms of size, but also in style. So I tend to stay away from furniture that is overly detailed, ornate or otherwise very personal. Sticking to simpler pieces often makes it easier to pass them down from child to child, and it makes it easier to redecorate and reaccessorize around them. Kids’ furniture also tends to be cheaply made, meaning it will have to be replaced just due to everyday wear and tear.

In the world of decorating, I believe that eco-friendly is the only way to go, particularly for nurseries and children’s rooms, where safety is of utmost importance. As such, I’m a big fan of the Tiny Decor blog, which focuses on eco-friendly products for babies and toddlers. I’m an even bigger fan of the Tiny Decor boutique! Owner Jackie Hernandez has pulled together an awesome selection of Earth-friendly products, include a few of her own organic, handmade creations. To help her celebrate the boutique’s launch, I put together this nursery using only products sold by Tiny Decor (except the rocker). And if you love the way this room looks, you’ll want to check out the awesome giveaway at the bottom of this post.

As parents, there are lots of values we want to instill in our children. For my husband and I, a love and respect for nature and a love of learning are high on the list.  Even though there are only a few animals in the “zoo” where we live (it’s really more like a nature trail, even though they call it a zoo), my daughter loves to go there and see the bears, owls and river otters. She was even intrigued by a huge bee hive that the management saw fit to warn vistors about via a big warning sign.  So I guess we’re doing our job.

As much as I love animals, I’ve never been partial to prints that include photorealistic images of horses, dogs or even dolphins. I prefer them in silhouette, much like the birds prominently displayed on so many of the items I’ve featured at Green Your Decor. There’s something about the hint of an image that appeals to me.  What I’ve been drawn to more often lately is animal illustrations and caricatures. It’s fun to see artists’ interpretations of nature’s creatures.

If I could shop at only one website — yes, one — I would choose Etsy.com, hands down. I know I’ve talked about it before, but I’m only just beginning to skim the surface of all the wonderful handmade items the site has to offer. Looking for beautiful letterpress stationery? You can find it on etsy. Looking for some organic cotton clothing for a new baby? You can find it on etsy. And there’s home decor and furniture galore, many of which are inherently eco-friendly because of their handmade nature. Many of the artisans on etsy use found materials like reclaimed wood or, really, whatever they have around their homes.  I love the idea that I can connect directly with the person who made an item I use to decorate my home.

I generally have an aversion to large toys. They have a way of taking over a room so they’re all you see when you walk in. I much prefer smaller items that can be stashed in a toy box or placed neatly on a bed. You know the old saying — “A place for everything, and everything in its place.”

This Tori Rocking Horse from Design Within Reach is one toy I wouldn’t mind looking at every day — although it can be folded down for storage. Made from rubber wood that otherwise would be burned and turned into charcoal, it is the epitome of kid-friendly design.  And since I suspect the surface can be painted if you really wanted to, you can customize it to match your decor.

Today’s Room: An eco-friendly nursery for those parents who’d like to keep their baby’s sex a secret or who don’t care for the traditional girl/boy colors.

WRITER’S NOTE: Today is the scheduled end of the 5-week Green Rooms in a Box series. But because of the great response from readers and because I had so much fun designing these rooms, I plan on making it a weekly or bi-weekly feature on Wednesdays. I will make it interactive, allowing you, my wonderful readers, to vote for what room and budget you want me to do in the week prior to the feature. So don’t fret! Green Rooms in a Box aren’t going away forever!