The other week I asked if I should jump from crib to toddler bed or crib to twin. The responses on our Forum remain divided. I did however see a good question posted by CaliMommy: “I’m looking for a twin sized bed with a trundle for my toddler’s room. The style is more modern versus traditional. Ideally, I would like to find something in white or birch that is not too clunky. Any ideas? Thanks!”

Well CaliMommy, I am in the same boat and here are the three I am dreaming of…

The duc duc Alex Trundle Bed sold at AllModern.com. Sleek, clean and comes with a snowboard/headboard design option in case your toddler grows up to become a shredder!

The beautiful Argington Aryres Trundle in birch (also available in white, red maple and ebony) seen at simplybabyfurniture.com. We like the casual casters which are ideal for making it over a high pile area rug.

So it’s not birch but this Nurseryworks twin trundle design is pretty sweet! It can be purchased at CSN Baby.

And finally, the most reasonably priced option comes from good ole Babies R’Us. A very good looking option that I would even consider spray painting??? hmmm…

As for the twin or toddler bed…What do you think? Feel free to voice your opinion here or better yet, on our forum!

Tags: Modern, Toddler, Trundle Bed, Twin Bedding

We all know moving is stressful. Between the movers, packing, unpacking, change of address, new town, new routine - I am getting anxious just typing this post. Both Pam and I made our respective cross country moves last year and it often feels like we are still settling in.  What’s important to remember however, is “How does all the craziness associated with a move affect a child?”

Enter Opus, a Golden Retriever happily living in Boston.  “Opus is faced with the disruption of boxes, taxis, and a long plane ride taking him away from the things he loves the most - his bear, pizza and his red chair. All of his routine creature comforts are packed away on a large truck and he is left in an empty house.

Opus and the Red Chair helps parents ease the tension and prepare their children for the transition by sharing Opus’ journey though the eyes of a sweet pup. 100% of the net profits of Opus and the Red Chair will benefit the non for profit Animal Cancer Foundation.

Foggy Day Books founder, Alice Koesterich wrote Opus and the Red Chair in loving memory of her dog, Opus, who died of cancer at 5 years of age in May 2006. She teams up with talented illustrator Sara Kahn.  Readings and signings are currently taking place in the SF bay area.

WIN IT!

1. Win a signed Opus and the Red Chair book by sharing with us your tips for preparing your child or pet for a move OR a fun moving story with a comment on this post

2. Extra entries are counted by 1) posting on our chat room forum (up to 5) 2) subscribing or commenting that you are a subscriber and 3) blogging about our giveaway

3. The winner will be selected at random by using random.org

4. Contest ends Friday, October 24th, 11:59pm pst

CONTEST CLOSED - Congrats Gina Stratos!

PS: And just because our focus is kid design, here are some fun, modern shelving ideas to host Opus and the Red Chair for when you get into your new home!

The DwellStudio Junior Elephant Bookshelf at Design Public ($170)

The Cub Stacker by David Netto at modernkid ($300)

Ecotots’ Big Kahuna Bookcase at 2modern ($335)

Tags: Books, Giveaways, Modern, Shelves

They’ve done it again! More reasons to look on the bright side when dragging yourself into the nursery at three in the morning for that feeding you swore you were going to somehow do away with! Nurseryworks, our favorite makers of ultra stylish furnishings for baby’s first room have just come out with five new amazing pieces. The Empire Rocker, Canterbury Changing Table, Spindle Crib and Harvard and Vale Headboards are the newest designs by the Los Angeles based company. With a focus on providing clean, simple, contemporary pieces for baby’s first environment, these newest pieces remind us why we love this company so much.

The new collection offers classic, full-of-character details such as turned wood spindles, tufting and winged backs yet it’s updated to fit today’s modern style. The Empire Rocker has cozy wings and tufted details, offered in microsuede, twill and velvet with color choices ranging from Ecru to Citrus to Lilac. I am in love with the new Spindle Crib because it is a fresh take on a very old-fashioned design. With an ethos to stay earth friendly while providing fresh modern furnishings, Nurseryworks surely has our hearts.

Tags: Baby Nurseries, Changing table, Cribs, Furniture, Modern, Rocker, Table

Sometimes I get really fascinated by a couples journey to parenthood. It’s so interesting to learn about how they got together, found a place to call home and eventually began their path to having a baby. I look back on my own time before my first baby was born with such fondness. You know you are on the verge of a huge life change and that this tiny person inside is absolutely going to be the best thing that has ever happen. We at Project Nursery are honored to introduce you to New York couple Ariana and Jeff.

They have done an amazing job designing and creating a serene and beautiful nursery for son Jasper. Ariana and Jeff are eagerly awaiting Jasper’s arrival any hour now! Ariana is a jewelry and web designer while Jeff is a toy designer and illustrator. So, it makes perfect sense that these two would create such a special place for their first child.

The couple decided early on they liked the soothing greens and blues of the Orchard Park crib bedding from Walmart. The clean and modern lines of the Baby Mod Park Lane crib works nicely with the lovely pale blue paint they used for the walls. They designed a custom wall mural featuring a wilow tree and darling hanging monkey which is featured on the wall next to the crib. The 8-dresser is from Ikea and the adorable Dwell Studio Zebra rug is from Target. Ariana and Jeff went into nesting overdrive and even picked up Wendy Bellisimo baskets for diaper storage and Ikea Kompliment drawer organizers to neatly store clothes, burpies and blankets. Everything is picture perfect and ready for little Jasper’s arrival. We are sure that they will enjoy many many amazing moments with their new baby in this very special nursery! For more details about this nursery go to Ariana’s blog,  Becoming Mom.

Tags: Baby Nurseries, Inspiration, Modern, Monkey, Tree, Zebra

Leave it to two talented art school grads and owners of graphic design studio, Form Code to develop an artistic, modern and soothing nursery for their baby boy! And they make it all seem as easy as 123…

“Our inspiration for the room was the bedding for one- it’s Dwell Alphabet bedding.  We thought it would be a great beginning for the room, we’re both art graduates and back in our day (lol) we had a hand lettering class.  My husband’s best class, mine not so much- so it was kind of a good connection for us to bring that memory back to our son’s room. We used BEHR paint for the room, the colors for the wall are Cumberland Fog, Little Dipper and Silver Strand.  The mural was created on the computer and then projected on the wall- from there we hand painted all of the letters….fun, fun!  Ha!  The monkey on the wall was “Magnus” from egg press- we thought he was so cute, so we replicated him as a painting.”

“The crib and dresser are Babi Italia Scandi style.  I loved the white and espresso color and it went well with the bedding colors.  The bookcase was purchased from West Elm- love their stuff and it’s now loaded with a multitude of knick-knacks. Some of our favorite items in the room would be the Domo doll and the Ugly doll- hopefully they will become his favorite stuffed animals :0)  We wanted a more “furniture”-like rocker for the room so we bought the Wendy Bellissimo rocker in chocolate- nice middle of the road rocker with some style.  We wanted a more modern room, so we were hoping these chosen pieces brought that feeling together.”

Born June 2, we hear baby T. Michael is enjoying the room as much as an 8 week old can. It’s loaded with fun toys, books and clean, contemporary design. The stand out wall graphic just blows us away! This is a mural any kid will be able to appreciate through his teen years. Very cool Worth family and thank you for sharing!!!

Tags: Baby Nurseries, Blue, Letter, Modern, Numbers

I have always wanted to use a modern ceiling fan in my home after noticing them in cool restaurants and design magazines but I’ve never had a purposeful place to put one in my own home until now! I really like the streamlined designs and contemporary finishes by the Modern Fan Co. I may just install the retro Velo design in my son’s new nursery. After doing a little research it seems that a ceiling fan can be energy conscious and good for over health too. Three cheers for that! With gas prices and utility bills soaring, I’m all for saving and staying in tip-top form. 

Modern Fans can keep you comfortable while helping to reduce energy consumption in several ways. Like a nice breeze on a warm day, moving air offers recognizable relief from heat and humidity (scientists have a term for what’s happening on your skin-“evaporative cooling.”). This “cooling” effect allows for upward adjustment of your AC thermostat by as much as 8 degrees, resulting in up to 40% reduction in power consumption. In many cases, air conditioning can be turned off entirely, with a Modern Fan using less electricity than a standard light bulb.

Go to our new “Forum” and tell us what you think of these ceiling fans for your kid’s room.

 Here is another option from Restoration Hardware. Reminds me of an old-fashioned propeller. I also like this style because it has a light option that doesn’t change the look of the fan drastically.  

Tags: Fan, Modern

Yes, you heard correct. I spent $36 dollars on my nursery chandelier…no joke. And, it’s amazing so I had to share…

Here’s the situation: The remodeling of our bedrooms are nearly complete. It’s crunch time and the electrician was wiring the house.  After scouring amazing sites such as Y Lighting, Circa Lighting, Lighting Universe and Horchow, I was under the gun to choose a lighting fixture for my son’s nursery that would arrive in 2-3 business days.  It was to be a fixture that was contemporary, gender neutral and unique. While I longed for a stunning sparkly chandelier, this was my boy’s room after all (for the time being anyway), and I simply couldn’t go there. I then figured $36 dollars would be a temporary spend until I found the pendant light of my dreams. Here’s when Urban Outfitters‘ 3-D modern non-chandelier, chandelier came into play.

Okay, so a cord kit and “Edison” bulb are additional. But all in all, worth it.  And while I mention this fun find, I will also mention the completion (base board & solid mohagany floors) of my nursery “Modern Baby Blue” that inspired our blog gig! 

Tags: Blue, Chandeliers, Inspire, Lighting, Modern

California Mom Barby has a clean, cool, contemporary style. We couldn’t be more impressed with her modern nursery for daughter Vivian so we had to share it ALL…

Tags: Cribs, Decals, Inspiration, Modern, Yellow

I remember cringing when I had to choose between a rainforest or aquarium motif for a baby bouncer. Don’t get me wrong, it was a life saver but I knew this contraption would sit front and center in my living room. I actually took a moment and tried to envision which one would look even remotely better with my contemporary furniture.

You can now bet that this ultra chic baby lounger will be on permanent display in my living room for baby number two. Bloombaby has created hands down the most stylish baby lounger out there, the “Bloombaby Coco Plexistyle Baby Lounger“. The self rocking base is made out of plexi-glass in your choice of clear, white or black. Stunning “Stylewood” in cappuccino and natural are also available. The comfort seat is covered in micro-suede with a five point harness and cool colors to choose from. It doesn’t get anymore contemporary than this. Prices range from $200-$350.

Tags: Bouncers, Modern