Let’s talk baby stuff. You don’t have a baby? No problem, lessons still apply. Whether you’re a parent or a friend of a parent, you either live in or have visited a house cluttered with unattractive baby stuff. And listen up you non-parents, as baby-gift givers, you’re equally to blame.
Baby toys, bouncers, playpens, high chairs… there is SO MUCH CRAP. And you need all of it to capture 30 min of calm and quiet, but why does it have to over run your home’s style?
Here’s a secret: it doesn’t.
In addition to buying beautifully designed pieces (and there aren’t many), there are a few steps you can take to hone in what you might already have or plan to purchase:
- Keep it small: the less clutter the cleaner your home will look and feel. Remove or minimize toys / accessories smaller than a football. And use baskets like these to hide the madness + make your public spaces look sleek.
- Minimize patterns: colors and patterns are great for baby’s growing mind, but they don’t work with your living room rug and throw pillows. Keep big items neutral (off-white, grey etc) and save the color pops for easily hide-able smaller toys, books, and play mats.
- Marie Kondo it: this is the hardest to accomplish with a curious little one that needs constant stimulation, but if possible, keep only what is bringing the most joy to him/her in public spaces. This means keep the bouncy seat and teething toys out, but put the playpen, play mat and crew of stuffed animals in the nursery. Switch it up and flip flop the line up as boredom demands. More work for you, yes. More space for you to live in while staying-at-home? Also yes.
Here is my mom tested, child approved list of home design acceptable baby gear:
Loverly | The Play Gym
This has become a baby-essential and for good reason. It’s clean silhouette, fun colors, and functionality make it a win for everyone. I love how the wood arms ground it with a natural material. The best part: the Mat is washable and detachable so it can double as a play mat as baby grows. We keep our mat in the pack and play for fun, but contained play. Looking for a less expensive option check out this play gym from Etsy.
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Oxo Sprout | High Chair
Nothing irks me more than a terrible high chair lurking in the corner of a beautifully designed kitchen or dining room. This chair is the least offensive one I’ve seen that won’t be a tripping hazard (exhibit A) + has enough finish options to work with both traditional and modern interiors. Not to mention it will go the distance from 6 months to 5 years.
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Baby Bjorn | Bouncer
Nothing exciting here and that’s what I love about it; simple, discrete, and storable. It’s a cozy spot to keep baby happy while you do your thing. And when you’re ready for that upgrade go for the Momma Ru Swing. It has a slimmer silhouette than most and, while I’m not a fan of the color combo on the balls, the arm is easily detachable.
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Baby Bjorn | TRAVEL CRIB
Eventually the day will come when your baby needs his very own cage. Don’t judge. Safety first! Those little guys become rolling and scrooching hazards – containment is essential. Baby Bjorn travel crib is your answer. It’s great for day-to-day contained play and doubles as your travel go-to. It’s light, easy to assemble, and will blend into the background of your home.
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Skip Hop | Activity Center
Woof. These are the worst. Trying to find a design-acceptable one is nearly impossible. Your best option is to go with the least bulky model in the most serene and neutral palette you can find. That landed me on Skip Hop’s version. It’s not perfect, but it’s as close as you can get — and let’s be honest, your baby will love it. Minutes of endless enjoyment (bc hours isn’t a thing that happens).
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Artipoppe | Baby Carrier
And this one is for mom (or dad!). A total splurge item, but let’s be honest you’ve been through enough. Treat yourself to a beautiful carrier you’ll actually want to wear. I’m just smitten with this brand and while I haven’t tried this myself it’s on my list of aspirational buys for baby #2.
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