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Home Decorating Furniture Design Dilemma

Nursery Furniture ....does it have to match? Mixing wood tones?

12 days ago

last modified: 12 days ago

I am having a lot of trouble picking out nursery furniture. I really like the Jenny Lind style. Pottery barn has a walnut crib which is beautiful, crate and barrel has a natural maple. I saw the pottery barn matching dresser and the crate barrel matching dresser, I dont love them. The pottery barn one did not open very smoothly, and the crate one had metal sliders, but they felt flimsy.

I really would love the find a older natural maple dresser, but worried if wont match well with the crate and barrel maple crib. And I really cant see how the pottery barn walnut would match natural maple. I hate the idea of a painted crib, I feel like it will just chip up. But a painted crib might be easier to mix with a vintage wood dresser. Toying with the idea of a green dresser. I think a vintage dresser would add more character and be more durable. I guess I should source the dresser first then the crib. The dresser will be used much longer and I guess arguably more important in the long run then the crib. I just want it all done though!! I have until September so there really is no rush.

I have seen some cheaper options too online but worried if I find the pottery barn and crate dressers flimsy, what would I think of those!

Sorry if my ramblings don't make much sense. Thanks

Pictured is the dresser I found on marketplace that I missed out on, I love it and will be hunting for something similar. I like the lines and color of this dresser.

Also, here is the pottery barn and crate and barrel cribs. In person the pottery barn crib was really beautiful, but it only comes in walnut. The crate one was very nice too.

(My gosh how beautiful is this dresser I found on etsy!!)

Wall color is BM Healing Aloe. Floors are a medium/dark oak, orders rug waiting for it to get here.

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Comments (11)

dani_m08
12 days ago
The dresser and crib do not have to match. Bedrooms, in general, look much more stylish (upscale) when the furniture is not a matching set. If you like the wood cribs at PB/RH, you can purchase a painted dresser (or if buying a used one, you can always paint a stained one - or change the paint color of one that is already painted). There are many pretty paint colors that can be used with Healing Aloe + medium/dark oak floors.

Many cribs today are convertible = grows with child. They start out as cribs - then are turned into toddler beds - and finally into a regular bed (not sure if full sized or queen - my guess would be full but I am not 100% positive). So, they may last just as long as the dresser does for your child.

Important - regarding older cribs: safety standards have changed. So, depending on how many years the word ”old” = to you, you’ll need to do a little research to see when regulations were revised in order to determine if the crib you’re interested in purchasing complies with current safety regulations.

Also - congratulations!!!
elcieg
12 days ago
I love Jenny Lind anything...so let's talk about how long you will get use ourt of a $1,000.00 crib. At the most it will be 3 years before babe can graduate to a big bed. So, that $1,000.00 investment can become a big bed. If you are a DIY person, or even if you have to hire a carpenter, you have invested in a" twofer".
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I think one tone everywhere is horribly boring!! I don't even like it much in one room myself, unless the style of the room calls for that. I prefer, even in the same room to mix AND MATCH. It's busy when the pieces don't match in some way, either in tone or scale or style. White pine and oak both look great together. Rosewood, mahogany and walnut tend to look good together as well. Burl maple or birds eye is fabulous with dark woods like walnut, and then ebony wood tends to go with everything. As long as the styles are compatible the pieces look good and it's not too busy because you have linked the pieces in some way to flow. All the same just makes your eye want to go blah and you lose the details of both the room and a piece because nothing is unique enough to stand out or catch your eye. Mind you I am probably prejudice given that I can't think of one room in either of my homes that has just one wood in it. The one I'm in now has....quick count, 7 woods.
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My grandfather was a carpenter. He was born in the 1880s. I don't know if that had anything to do with his taste or if it was the fact that he was a carpenter, but he did like nice wood finishes. He was of the school of thought that baseboards, door frames, and crown molding should be walnut or mahogany. When I was a little bitty girl, he made me a dresser, using a small washstand as a guide. My dresser had two wide drawers and a mirror. Papa made it out of scraps. The body of the dresser was an old Philco mahogany TV cabinet, the drawer fronts were really nice Walnut, the side pieces were some kind of veneer that eventually bubbled and buckled, and the supports for the mirror were probably fir. I got so excited when I saw it that I threw a fit and I *had* to take it home right away. The mirror frame was not yet finished, it was raw wood. The drawer fronts and side pieces were finished walnut, and the top was mahogany. Papa made my father promise to finish it. When I was 16 years old, it still was in its original condition...except for the small Beatles sticker in the corner of the mirror. I painted the dresser white. My mother shook her head and said, 'I'm glad Papa it's not here to see you painting that bewwwtiful wood." I still have that dresser. It is still white.
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It depends on what styles and colors you like. Dark wood furniture looks good contrasting with lighter floors but i think light wood would clash with darker floors. There are lots of painted furniture that will work. Have fun choosing your style and colors.
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@kw this is for our living room sofa. We actually narrowed it down to these two and have two more on their way: left is 94% polyester, 6% nylon, right is 53% cotton, 47% polyester. both are "performance" fabrics which i didn't seek out nor am i super thrilled about but from what i've ready they've come a long way. trying to find out now whether they're Crypton or Revolution. these are the other two on their way to us. 92% polyester, 8% linen NOT performance: 100% polyester, performance fabric:
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Janine Lynn
Original Author
12 days ago
I plan to buy a new crib. And hopefully have additional children, so probably would continue using the same crib for all the babies. I am only interested in an old dresser. I understnd that they do not need to match, but I guess I am having trouble adding two woods tones into one room. It is much easier I guess to use paint, but I feel painted things just dont hold up as wells as stained wood. I guess if I go with the vintage maple dresser I have to go with a painted crib, I just dont see how I could ever get a maple and walnut, or maple / different maple to match.
TanCalGal
12 days ago
Many are getting rid of bureaus and organizing closet space: https://www.houzz.com/photos/query/photo-baby-closet?opc=photos

I'd purchase a new crib + a changing table and a rocking chair.
elcieg
12 days ago
last modified: 12 days ago
Go with the C&B one! It is adorable and if you DIY or know a carpenter who can convert the crib into a bed you would have something like this one.

Shop around for a English strip pine piece for a bureau.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
12 days ago
last modified: 12 days ago
I do not like dressers in kids rooms they are a hazard when they get to be toddlers at least it needs to be tethered to the wall. I love the crib I had a Jenny LInd bed when I was growing up.. I would forget the dresser do some good closet organizing and all more safe space for play. BTW I like the walnut .
ShadyWillowFarm
12 days ago
I would get a quality second hand dresser that will last through childhood. You won’t be entertaining in the nursery or kids rooms, and it’s not hard to coordinate furniture.
Maureen
12 days ago
last modified: 12 days ago
Don’t have to match and can be more interesting; the decor/accessories is what actually has more influence. Then you’ll have more options and not be as restricted. After seeing the functionality, safety and practicality of a convertible crib for my grandson, highly recommend that choice.
PRO
Norwood Architects
12 days ago
Don't have to match but should certainly coordinate.
justcallmepool
11 days ago
In my DD's nursery I had a white jenny lind crib and a dresser that looked just like the FB one in your post. It was a beautiful combination.

I just added a changing pad to the top of the dresser and used it as a changing station.
ShadyWillowFarm
11 days ago
Oh and sincere apologies, a big congratulations on the new addition!!🎊🐣 So if you hope for more kids, will you keep the nursery and move them into another bedroom as they get older, or will you move the baby things to a different room with each little one?🙂

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