Living / 27 April, 2023 / My Baba
When it comes to designing the perfect nursery, there are few items that can make or break it from a style and functionality perspective – the key is to never compromise on the pieces that really matter.
Choosing a nursing chair
Let’s start with the nursing chair, one of my favourite pieces in any nursery. It’s the only item your baby can’t grow out of, so it’s likely to be one of the pieces you’ll keep. Choose wisely and select something stylish enough to fit seamlessly into your home, as nursing chairs are about so much more than just feeding your baby. There are a lot of books to read with them as they get older!
The support nursing chairs can offer from a postural and alignment perspective is unrivalled. Nursing chairs are designed in a way that give the correct support all over the body to better aid feeding, and yet so many people opt for a ‘chair’ thinking it will be comfortable enough. Spending half the night feeding a fussy baby is a challenge, let alone doing it in an uncomfortable chair!
Support for bump, birth and beyond
Australian brand iL Tutto is my no-compromise brand of choice for nursing chairs. They are beautifully designed and provide the best support for bump, birth and beyond. A piece you’ll be happy to keep forever.
Working with current and classic nursery trends, iL Tutto’s stylish colours and premium fabrics give a nursery a gorgeous textured feel that is both cosy and luxurious. The fact that they are offering a Boucle fabric in their ‘Lulu’ and ‘Paige’ chairs is a real win for me as it’s so on-trend but neutral enough to be a classic.
Other features to consider when shopping for a feeding chair are whether you would like a chair that glides back and forth, rocks, or has an electronic recline, which is a good choice for C-section mums (like me) as nothing is kinder to the core. A glider may take up less space than a rocking chair with a separate ottoman, so consider space and what you will find most useful.
Furniture for the perfect nursery
Many first-time parents consider the cot or crib as the key piece to their nursery, but I’d say that’s one of the items we can plan around. Little ones tend to be in a crib or Moses basket for the first six months before moving to a cot and then graduating to a toddler bed, all within the space of about 18 months – 2 years.
It’s an evolving part of the space so my point here would be not to put as much emphasis on this piece and instead focus on items that can stand the test of time. Invest in a proper size wardrobe and chest of drawers instead of the ‘cute’ baby and children-sized furniture. They may look sweet, but they come with a limited usability period and lack the space and storage you will need as your child grows. Believe me when I say storage is everything!
Keep your space neutral
I usually advise clients to opt for classic full-sized furniture to keep the space as neutral as possible. Classic-style furniture allows for a blank canvas that can be restyled with accessories and textures to meet your child’s ever-changing needs and interests.
There’s a plethora of homeware and accessories brands on the high street and online that are able to cater to any budget, which enables you to achieve a specific nursery style, but a themed space will be temporary, so try to focus on the pieces that will last.
Nurseries are a truly special space and there is probably no other room in the home that can provide quite the sentiment as your baby’s nursery. Above all, design a nursery that you love, can use and enjoy. You’ll be spending plenty of time in that space with your baby so make sure it’s comfortable and works for you.
Article by Claire Totman, Architecture, Interior Design & Project Coordination
Visit iL Tutto’s UK website: https://iltutto.co.uk/ and follow iL Tutto on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iltutto/
Follow Claire Totman on Instagram
Nursery images styled by iL Tutto
Read Next
Recommendations For The Best Pushchairs 2023