10 Timeless Nursery Items That Will Grow With Your Kids
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I hate to admit it, but we have spent thousands — yes, thousands — of dollars on things our 19-month-old-toddler outgrew in a blink. Cloud-soft newborn hats? Donated to the local thrift store after a few weeks, thanks to his ginormous, Harvard-bound noggin’. An adorable wooden walker? So cute … and he was so “over it!” in a matter of days.
Clearly, the phrase “you win some, you lose some” applies to purchases for your little one. But as a design writer — and someone who loathes being wasteful in general — one place I always aim for timeless options for is in the nursery. Why spend serious money on an elephant-shaped lamp if he’ll groan at the sight of it when he reaches his tween years?
“Aside from a crib, I don’t really buy into the concept of purchasing nursery specific items!” says Seattle designer Julie Kleiner, mother of an 11-year-old. “For my son’s nursery, I invested in a classic walnut dresser with leather pulls when I designed his room, knowing it would be a great piece for years to come.”
Evelyn Pierce Smith, mother of a 4-month-old daughter and a Washington, D.C.-based designer, also aims for purchases that will stand the test of time. For her baby’s nursery, she selected decorative wallpaper to give the room personality — while cutting back on actual clutter. “The dresser is from the early 1900s, so I knew it would last and be an elegant solution,” she says.
Here, a few long-lasting pieces to know and love.