There are basically three things to consider when buying nursery furniture.
Step 1 -- which furniture to buy
Furnishing the nursery isn’t just about buying a cot and a changing mat anymore. There are all kinds of pieces of furniture to choose from -- some come as individual pieces and some as matching sets. In most cases parents can pick and choose items from sets so they don’t need to buy what they don’t need. But, they can add to/change the furniture as their baby’s needs change as it gets older.
Typical sets will contain a cot (or a cot bed/bed) and a wardrobe. Many will also come with some form of changing table or dresser. With a bit of research it is also possible to find all kinds of added extras with some sets. For example, parents can choose from nursing chairs, bedside tables, dressers and storage chests, benches and seats, hampers, shelving and toy chests. The decision here may be based on the available space in the nursery or on the child’s needs at any given time.
Step 2-- what kind of design to choose
It used to be that nursery furniture came in white. And that was it. Nowadays, however, parents can choose from wooden furniture and sets in other colours (white is still popular too!). Many people choose a specific type of material and/or design to suit their own preferences or to match furniture in the rest of the house. So, for example, they may choose an antique oak set or a beech shaker style. Other options here include man-made materials and veneers and it is also possible to find furniture that is decorated with cartoon characters, animals and other designs that kids will like as they get older.
Step 3 -- how to measure quality
The one thing parents cannot cut corners with here is quality. It is important to buy well-made and well-designed nursery furniture from reputable manufacturers and retailers. Imagine how awful it would be if a cot collapsed or a sharp edge on a wardrobe split open the child’s head when they fell over.
Most nursery sets will have been designed with safety in mind -- edges may be rounded, surfaces will be smooth and little wandering hands will have been considered in the construction process! Do check that the furniture is stable and well-made. There is nothing wrong with buying flat-pack sets as long as the person putting them together does so according to the instructions.
If the furniture is painted then check that the paint used was lead-free. Some babies and young children will chew on anything -- including the bars of their cot -- so the paint or stain used needs to be safe.
Conclusion
Follow these three steps and finding, choosing and buying nursery furniture will be a breeze. Make sure that the design is right, that the furniture does the job it is supposed to and that it will be safe and the whole family will enjoy it for years to come.
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Jaci Marr writes regularly on consumer and parenting issues. Further information on nursery furniture sets can be found at Allkids, which is amongst the UK`s most popular childrens and parenting resources with over 3.9 million visitors in 2006. Allkids also includes a wealth of information, resources, kids safe websites & shopping.
