It’s a fact that September is the highest birth month of the year, so we know there are a lot of moms- and dads-to-be out there starting to design their nurseries. And anyone that has done it before (or is just starting) knows how stressful this process can be. That’s why we are calling in the experts! Our friends at NoJo will be hosting Pam and Melisa on NoJo’s Facebook wall Tuesday, May 21st at 1pm PDT/4pm EDT. They will be answering design questions and solving your design dilemmas.
A while back I was invited to Carousel Designs’ headquarters in Douglasville, GA for a behind-the-scenes tour. You know how they say everything is a little sweeter in the south? My visit proved this saying to be true. I was welcomed with open arms by the Carousel Designs team and could feel the southern hospitality running through the building.
Carousel Designs is truly a family run business and an amazing partnership between longtime friends Jonathan Hartley and Allan Sicat. When Jonathan’s parents opened the company’s doors over twenty-five years ago, they based their foundation on family values and creating American-made products. Twenty-five years later, Allan and Jonathan are still carrying on the same traditions. It comes as no surprise that they still have some of their original employees.
The behind-the-scenes tour opened my eyes to how bedding is created and how Carousel Designs does business. Amazed by the rows of fabrics that lined the walls, I found myself very tempted to touch everything! From solid colors to plaid to chevron, they have it all. Their design team works rigorously to stay ahead of nursery trends, making sure they bring their customers the latest and greatest designs.
Don’t see something that catches your eye? That’s okay—they have a feature on their website that allows you to custom design your own bedding. I dare you to give it a try! Warning, it may suck you in, and before you know it, you will have designed ten nurseries for kids you don’t even have.
They have over 300 different fabrics in stock.
My favorite part of the behind-the-scenes look was seeing how everything happens on site. There was no shipping off to the factory or calling in to their customer service office; from management to design to production—everything happens under one roof. Pretty amazing right?
A huge thank you to the Carousel Designs team for welcoming me with open arms and sharing their company with us!
While hunting for the perfect dresser for this totally fabulous bedroom I’m designing with a client, I stumbled upon Papaya Tree restyled vintage furniture on Etsy. I couldn’t wait to share this find! Papaya Tree is a small company out of Spokane, Washington run by a lovely woman named Lesly. I spoke to her about her process and business.
Lesly seeks out vintage casegoods with clean lines and interesting details, most of them from the 1950s-1970s. I love vintage pieces and try to work them into my designs frequently. Objects from the past possess a certain soul, rarity and character that is hard to match with something mass produced.
All of the pieces are 100% customizable, and you get to choose the exact color combination. A thick coat of high-gloss lacquer gives their furniture a rich candy-like finish.
Being as practical as I am fabulous, I asked about the likelihood of the piece chipping since I know lacquer can get beat up where the drawers meet. Lesly had a quick and educated response to my inquiry about the dreaded chip-ocity level of these pieces. She said all of the drawers and wherever moving pieces meet get planed down to make sure they won’t collide and cause chipping. Smooth sailing ahead!
Each piece is completely re-sanded, all of the drawers get re-waxed and special care is taken to make sure all of the hardware, hinges, and rails are in good working condition. I’m a sucker for a smooth closing drawer.
With prices starting at $675 and shipping anywhere across the country, these pieces from Papaya Tree are as accessible as they are stylish! I have my eye on a piece for my client and a little liquor cabinet I saw for myself!
You know Project Nursery for featuring the latest in nursery design and gear, however we’d be remiss without mentioning the most important aspect of a fabulous nursery—a mom and baby who feel incredible. We had the opportunity to chat with Erica Ziel, creator and host of Knocked-Up Fitness, a Pilates-inspired prenatal workout system. Erica is a mother of three, personal trainer, Pilates instructor, nutritionist and core specialist about staying active during pregnancy.
Erica holds a B.S. in Kinesiology and Health from Iowa State University, as well as many certifications. Erica’s prenatal DVDs and recently released Pilates-Infused Functional After Baby DVDs help mothers maintain their bodies during pregnancy and get their figures back after giving birth.
What inspired you to create these workouts?
When I became pregnant with my third child, I realized that there was a lack of prenatal DVDs with appropriate exercises, specifically core exercises. Many were just way too long and not challenging enough. With the tired and exhausted element most pregnant mothers feel, it can be daunting to think about working out for an entire 40-60 minutes. For this reason, I Read more »
We spend months planning the perfect nursery for our new arrival only to spend the first few weeks (or months) with baby bedside. Great design shouldn’t be limited to the four walls of the nursery. Whether you’re on-the-go or having baby sleep in your room for awhile, great style shouldn’t be left behind! Babyhome’s Dream Cot pairs together our two favorite things—functionality and amazing design. One Project Nursery reader will win a Babyhome Dream Cot in your choice of color.
The Babyhome Dream Cot is not your typical portable crib. The cot has an ultra sleek and lightweight design, making it the perfect fit for the modern parent. Its innovative adjustable leg system allows, with the click of a button, to change the leg position from stationary to a rocker to wheels that let the Dream Cot be moved easily around the house.
WIN IT! One Project Nursery reader will win a Dream Cot in your choice of color. This prize can only be shipped within the United States.
I have a confession…my littles love pop tarts. Don’t worry, I’m not feeding my toddlers these treats daily, but every now and then, we make our own homemade pop tarts. This is a fun activity to do with young ones because the recipe is simple, not too messy, and they can even fill and decorate their treats all by themselves.
Our household fave is cinnamon streusel, but there are a gazillion ideas for fillers such as flavored jellies or jams, chocolate chips, nutella Read more »
