Having a baby is expensive. I was unwilling to compromise on quality, function, and form when it came to most baby items but I also needed to deploy resources smartly to save where possible. I found it hardest to find low priced dupes when it came to things like textiles — bamboo and organic cotton are simply more expensive than synthetics — so here, I stuck with brands like Kyte and Nest Designs, and found it to be well worth it. When it came to a travel system, I wanted something that made life as easy and seamless as possible; I specifically did not want to be fumbling with adapters or a complex fold in -30C while juggling a mercurial baby, so I bit the bullet and purchased the Uppababy travel system. My husband was pleasantly surprised, then, when I insisted on an extremely wallet-friendly Ikea nursery.
Unlike textiles, or gear, furniture is one area where I believe you can find budget alternatives that don’t require much compromise on quality, function, or form — Ikea in particular has some great affordable options which we took advantage of to save a buck where we could. As gorgeous as Pottery Barn dressers are, or Baby Letto and Oeuf cribs, given all of the other expenses that come with having a baby, I had a hard time spending thousands on nursery furniture when I could find something that was reasonably good quality, looked just as good, and functioned just as well for a fraction of the price. Furthermore, when I began looking at nursery furniture, in July 2021, Covid-19 related supply challenges had already begun to rear their ugly head; many of the major manufacturers were experiencing delivery delays of several months. Ikea had the added plus that I could buy it on the spot, easily manage moving it myself with my husband, and bring it home the same day, thus avoiding any uncertainty around delivery delays and dates.
Some of the premium brands in the nursery space are Babyletto, Stokke, Ouef, and Duatelier. I saw all of these beautifully displayed at stores like West Coast Kids or Ella & Elliot in Toronto which was nice because it gave me an opportunity to assess quality first-hand. Major players in the furniture space like Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware also have their own, excellent, baby and children’s lines.
While nursery shopping, I realized that buzzwords, especially in the premium arena, are non-toxic, Greenguard Gold certified, etc. I also learned that conventional wisdom prizes hardwoods or softwoods for longevity. I determined that while a non-toxic crib was important to me, the materials of the ancillary furniture items in the nursery were less critical. I wanted solid wood where possible but was not insistent on a hardwood over a softwood; the idea of a generational crib is romantic but, in reality, safety standards change so rapidly, that a beautiful walnut crib may be rendered obsolete long before it’s lifespan ends.
I am a minimalist and prefer clean lines and simple, often multifunctional, pieces that have a lightness about them. Our house is in keeping with this design aesthetic throughout but applying minimalism to a nursery without balancing it with a sense of play, can risk creating a stark or clinical environment inappropriate for a nursery. Babyletto is an example of a brand that balances sophistication with whimsy well — rounded off edges and contrasting knobs offsetting clean lines and elegant finishes. I studied other people’s posts about their Ikea nurseries, and watched numerous Ikea nursery tours on YouTube, and found it really helpful for ideas, so I’ll share what we ultimately chose to go with and why.
Crib: Sniglar crib, $99 when I purchased in July 2021, now $129 at Ikea Canada in Jan 2022. $99 at Ikea US.
Solid beech wood with a non-toxic natural finish in an elegant minimalistic design at a great price point. I can’t recall the name off hand, but a high end linens and textiles company photographed all of their gorgeous nursery bedding juxtaposed against the clean simplicity of Ikea’s Sniglar crib. Here is a photo of the crib styled with Ikea textiles, and it looks great! Imagine it with Pehr bedding, or better yet, an heirloom vintage lace crib skirt (note to self: source immediately).
Change table: Myllra changing table, $349 in Canada or $239 in the US.
I originally purchased the matching Sniglar changing table to complement the crib. However, the Sniglar changing table has limitations in that it’s quite small and doesn’t fit a standard size change pad. It also lacks drawers so we would have needed to purchase a dresser as a separate third piece.
I decided to return the extremely affordable Sniglar changing table and replace it with the Myllra changing table instead. Although the finish is white, the beech knobs tie it into the beech of the Sniglar crib, creating harmony throughout. The design is extremely functional. I like that the open shelf pulls out so diapering supplies can be easily accessed mid-change. Two drawers offer the storage space of a drawer, and importantly, the drawers are designed with a stopping mechanism so that they can’t be pulled out by a curious and self-destructive toddler. The lip of the changing table top comes off and cleverly converts to a display shelf once your child is past his or her diapering days.
Here is the Myllra piece shown as a traditional changing table:
And here it is converted to a dresser with display shelf once the child is older:
Surprisingly, the piece de resistance is actually the Poang armchair that we use for our bedtime feed and storytime. It’s a tried tested and true college staple but not necessarily what first comes to mind as a nursery chair. Most of our friends and family had cozy, but heavy and impossible to move, not to mention expensive, upholstered glider chairs. I tried some of these out at stores like West Coast Kids, Crate and Barrel, and Pottery Barn and won’t lie — they were decidedly comfy! Crate and Barrel even has one that is particularly cool, the Babyletto Kiwi, with a USB charger for your phone. But, these chairs are very very expensive; in Canada, easily$1500-$2500 CAD before tax and delivery. For whatever reason, FYI, I found that these traditional upholstered glider and recliner models are more reasonably priced in the US, with the same top of the line USB charger outfitted model running you around $1000 USD. However, even in America, they’re still pricey relative to the good ol’ Poang which gets the job done!
Chair: Poang armchair, $99 in Canada or $89 in the US.
I agonized over whether the birch finish of the Poang arms and frame would clash with the beech of the Sniglar crib and Myllra dresser accent knobs, but, once we assembled it, the pieces are visually seamless. I also stressed over whether or not this chair would be comfortable and suitable for weary nighttime feeds. To my surprise, I can attest that the Poang chair is extremely comfortable and the gentle manual bounce is perfect for feeding my poor reflux-baby. No complaints from me or my husband! Plus, once we are done with it, we can use it in another room, resell it, or give it away without having to hire a moving crew to haul it!
Of course, once the big items are sorted, all of little items and details that make a nursery functional have to be addressed — lighting, and a side table to put the bottle and your phone on when feeding! Ikea came through here too with some genuinely awesome options, particularly in the lighting department.
Side table: Gladom, $25 in Canada or $20 in the US.
I wanted a round side table (to limit injuries once baby starts her unwieldy toddling phase), and something light preferably so it doesn’t crush her if she pulls it down on herself. The Gladom likely isn’t the table we will keep into the next year — because the metal lip renders it a little bit dangerous to little ones in my opinion — but it was a quick and easy solution for our immediate need. I originally intended to purchase it in white but didn’t have 45 minutes to drive to the Ikea that had white in stock so purchased it in dark gray beige and it looks great! The darker color is a blessing in disguise, it pairs nicely with the dark green color of her woodland creatures Boppy pillow cover, and together the darker tones help to anchor the nursery pallete, preventing it from becoming cloyingly sweet or overly bland.
Table lamp: Solksur, $28 in Canada and $28 in the US.
I love the Solksur LED table lamp. Specifically tested and approved for children, the imaginative and playful pattern tells a story about trees and birds, adding a much-needed romantic, whimsical touch to the nursery. The gentle soft glow is perfect for bedtime stories or nighttime feeds.
Work light: Navlinge LED clamp spotlight, $18 in Canada or $20 in the US.
Another very cool Ikea find was this Navlinge LED clamp spotlight. Clamped onto the Myllra dresser and changing table, it is the perfect work light to illuminate nighttime diaper changes without disturbing baby! (Weird that it costs more in the US than Canada … that rarely happens!)
Hamper: Fyllen laundry basket, $10 in Canada and $10 in the US.
If, like me, you’re a dog owner, you know that a CLOSED hamper for baby’s clothing is key. My little dog, lovely as she is, has a nose and a passion for messes — of which baby makes many. From the dog’s perspective, baby is god’s gift, generating yucky smells with abandon and, soon, raining food down to the floor in abundance. If I don’t want to see soiled onesies pulled out of the hamper and dragged around the house, a zipped hamper it is!
Milk & Money 