Okay, I checked out during holiday season. But I've been a little distracted because I'm expecting. May. A Boy. So basically everything I read or look at these days involves babies.
The first thing anyone researching baby products will find is that there's a lot of cheese-ola baby stuff out there, especially at the lower end of the price spectrum. I have zero interest in anything involving a merchandised character or an animal that's trying too hard to check those "cute" boxes (Oversized creepy cartoon eyes? Check!)
The good news is, it's not necessary to spend a fortune to get cool baby stuff when you can often get gently used things for much less, or find some great designers with lines at places like Target or other major retailers. Ikea is also a great choice, with a modern-looking crib that gets great ratings from Consumer Reports. I'll probably report on cribs later.
The first thing most people focus on for the nursery is color and pattern. Some people will want to go with standard blue or pink, while others want to go more neutral for practicality of use with future children. Whatever your preference, there are numerous options out there. I've always thought back to my yellow childhood room and decided that I would like my baby's room to feature yellow in the design rather than one of the other "baby" colors.
I've been totally in love with Dwell Studio since I first saw it carried in some upscale baby stores. They have a mid-century modern aesthetic that's so fetching and unlike anything else I've been able to find. It's cute and age-appropriate while avoiding that saccharine sweetness so many other baby lines have. And goodness me, they have a line at Target.
Shown above is their "Hippo" pattern that I love because of the gender-neutral coloration which makes it suitable down the road if we happen to have another child and it's a girl. Also, I love anything animal-related, especially when it's not just your typical run-of-the-mill baby-friendly animals. While I find their animal patterns particularly attractive, pretty much anything Dwell does is fine by me. They can practically do no wrong.
As a point of reference, the Owls Sky crib set below is from their standard line sold online and in baby boutiques for $360 (includes blanket, bumper, sheet, and bed skirt). The Hippo crib set at Target is only $80 (for blanket, bumper, and sheet - crib skirt is an additional $20.)
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