Since super-talented Sarah just finished designing a room for her daughter, she kicked off the festivities with a boy’s room mood board featuring the Peyton crib in Espresso. Inspired by a vintage poster of an old steamship, a nautical nursery took shape.

Follow the links at the bottom of this Pewter & Sage post for more inspiration – including wallpaper on the ceiling, three fat birds and one rockin’ “Rocking the Casbah” design.

Thanks to everyone who participated and feel free to continue to post designs. We will throw out more inspiration in the future and look forward to continuing to stalk your blogs!

It’s time to furnish and decorate the baby’s nursery and there you are, struggling with the tape measure, staying up all night, browsing online for some great nursery finds, and overwhelmed with trying to figure out how all these pieces will fit and work together in the room! You’re at the edge of your rope and you’ve managed to convince yourself that it’s time to call in the professionals. But, you don’t need to be an interior designer, know an interior design or pay money for an expensive interior designer to plan out your baby’s nursery. Just join a baby-centric mood board party!

We’ve partnered with Pewter+Sage on an exciting mood board party that will revolve around the nursery!

Here’s how it works:

• Follow this link to Pewter+Sage’s  blog post about the Mood Board Party, which is happening next Monday!
• Pick the Bonavita crib (or a conversion of the crib, depending on what stage your baby/toddler/teen is in) you want to work with. You can either select from the Peyton Lifestyle® Crib in Espresso or the Francais Lifestyle® Crib in two-tone Cream.

• Browse the internet for photos of the great baby room finds that you want in your nursery!
• Once you’ve got all of your photos together, it’s time to create your Mood Board! We like to use Olioboard, which is a free service, to create our mood boards.

Once you’ve got your room done, join the party! Next Monday, March 7th, all party participants will upload links to their mood board photos on to Pewter+Sage’s blog. And, by the end of the night, there will be all these Bonavita crib-centric mood boards for you to admire, or get inspired.

Don’t have your own blog to post your Bonavita crib-centric mood board? Not to worry! You can upload a JPEG of your mood board to our Facebook page! Follow the link here, and comment below to let us know!

Good luck with your mood boards, we can’t wait to see the finished products!

As Always, Bonavita Wishes You Inspired Nesting!

Yesterday, celebrated actress Alyssa Milano announced that she’s expecting her first child with husband Dave Bugliari. The actress, notably known for her roles in Who’s The Boss and Charmed, is due in the Fall.

Milano has spent years wowing folks with her Red Carpet stylings, having grown up in the public eye.  She’s worn everyone from Vera Wang to Phillip Lim, and has been branded a fashionista by many publications. But what many people don’t know about Milano is the fact that she is also a fashion designer, having launched a line of female fashion sportswear called Touch back in 2007. The popular line was designed with the die-hard female sports fan in mind, and combines comfortable cottons and denims tailored to fit a woman’s body.

So how does her fashion sense correlate to the baby’s nursery? Boy or Girl, we envision sports related decor (Alyssa is a staunch LA Dodger fan) that’s both soft and simple. And so, for this Mommy-to-be, we recommend the simple lines and elegant style of our Hudson Collection. The versatility of this line and the graceful proportions harmonize with a wide range of individual tastes.

Hudson Lifestyle Crib® Room Scene in Classic Cherry

Urban contemporary, country cottage, traditional or transitional, the Hudson Collection with its classic finishes and stunning looks is the perfect collection to express individual styles.  Graceful, clean and simple, this five piece collection includes the Lifestyle Crib®, 5 drawer dresser, combo, nightstand, and hutch for additional storage space on the combo. In addition, every item in the collection is also available in a Classic White, Classic Cherry, Chocolate or a Licorice finish.

Do you think Alyssa Milano’s nursery will feature a sports motif? What must-have items can you envision this popular actress will purchase for the baby’s nursery? Share your ideas below!

And, as always, Bonavita Wishes You Inspired Nesting!

Golden Globe winning actress Kate Hudson, 31, just announced that she is expecting a baby with rocker boyfriend Matthew Bellamy, guitarist and lead singer of the English alternative rock band Muse. This will be Hudson’s second child; the music loving actress had 7 year old son Ryder with ex-husband Chris Robinson,  lead singer of the rock group The Black Crows.

And when it comes down to fashion, Hudson is the epitome of laid back, Bohemian style. We can only imagine that the nursery furnishings will reflect both her “Earth Mama” fashion sense as well as her passion for music. It’s certainly no coincidence that this baby, as well as her eldest child, are fathered by well known rockstar musicians.

For Kate Hudson, and many expecting parents nationwide, we launched our latest collection just in time. Aptly named: the Gibson Collection.

The Gibson Lifestyle Crib® in Chocolate

The traditional lines and soothing curves of the Gibson Collection suggests the ornamental grace and impromptu stylings of a jazz string bass. The result is a unique arrangement that interior designers would describe as “transitional” – while we prefer “inspirational.” Creating an elegant visual melody, the Gibson 4-piece Collection includes the Lifestyle Crib®, 5 drawer dresser, 3 drawer dresser, and double dresser, available in a Classic Cherry or Chocolate finish.

For Hudson and boyfriend Matt Bellamy, all that’s left is to accessorize according to gender. Whether boy of girl though, we think adding a classic Gibson guitar in the corner of their baby’s nursery would look fabulous.

What do you think of our latest collection? Do you think the Gibson Collection is perfect for Kate Hudson’s baby nursery? Comment below and let us know!

At Bonavita, we are proud to work with well known and distinguished designers and decorators throughout the country. Many bring their own personal flair to decorating nurseries around Bonavita’s line of nursery furnishings, and the results have been nothing short of amazing. We meet many talented decorators at industry trade shows, events and through word-of-mouth recommendations. But we were extremely fortunate to meet Cristin Bisbee Priest of

As a busy mother, professional organizer & designer, Cristin saw a need for functional interior design. Simplified Bee®, based on the San Francisco Peninsula, is a residential organizing & design company specializing in clutter control and functional design.

With such an amazing resource just an email away, we took this opportunity to speak with Cristin about home organization and – specifically – organizing the nursery.

Bonavita: What is Simplified Bee®?

CBP: As a busy mother of young ones, I understand the desire for a home to be functional, yet beautiful. I saw a need for “functional” interior design and knew homes could be orderly without sacrificing style. As a result I launched Simplified Bee® in January 2009 offering residential style-savvy organization and design services in the San Francisco Bay Area. I believe surrounding yourself in beautiful, organized homes reduces stress, makes you happier and inspires healthier living.

In May of 2009, after a client pushed me to do so, I started the Simplified Bee® Blog. With limited marketing funds, the blog was originally a placeholder for a website that would be developed later that year. To my surprise, the little blog grew and I grew to love writing about interiors, organizing and entertaining. “Meeting” new blogger friends has also been a wonderful element in starting the blog.

Bonavita: What are the top 5 things a newly expectant parent should do to organize their baby’s nursery?

CBP:

• Plan the nursery room’s design, take room measurements {twice} and then determine what larger furnishings will need to be purchased {i.e. crib, dresser, and glider rockers}.
• Prepare the diaper changing station and load up on supplies. You will need to keep diapers, wipes, laundry hamper and trash can near the diapering area. It is best to store diapers and wipes on top of the changing table, the first shelf or drawer. Invest in small containers or a caddy to corral wash clothes, rash creams and cotton swabs. If possible, place a laundry hamper and trash can on either side of the changing table.
• Organize the closet and dresser. Family and friends love to purchase cute baby clothing, so you will be getting lots before the baby is even born. Don’t pull the tags off the outfits just yet – especially if it’s sized 3 month +. You will be surprised at how many outfits your baby doesn’t wear. Keeping the tags on will help if you want to exchange for a different size or something else. Organize the clothing according to size, season, style and finally color. Larger sized clothing may have to be put in storage bins {labeled} and store elsewhere until baby grows into them. Also, remember to wash and store all newborn clothing a few weeks before the baby arrives!
• Be ready for the toys! Newborn toys are often small and don’t require lots of space, but keeping them organized is a good idea. Baskets and bins are great to keep toys tidy and age-appropriate. As the baby gets bigger, so do the toys. Larger bins or baskets will be needed at that point to contain them. Toys can quickly take over rooms and even houses. Remember to store toys, loan or donate toys when your child has outgrown them. We have a rule in our house… when one toy comes in, one toy goes out. Keeps mommy sane!
• It’s hard and perhaps impossible to plan for all of the sleepless nights. Invest in a good glider rocker and get a cute nightlight. There are so many glider rocker options today too that would look great long after the baby years.

Bonavita: Many people have nurseries that also double as a toddler’s room. What are your tips for creating a nursery that’s good for both a newborn and a toddler?

CBP: When siblings share a room – regardless of age – it is important to coordinate the look and feel. Keeping the color palette and finishes on furnishings consistent can help. For example, if you have a white wooden crib, I would recommend pairing it with a white wooden toddler bed to unify the look. Keeping clothing, toys and diaper supplies separate is achieved by using color coded storage containers.

Bonavita: Do you have any products/tools that you use to keep things neat and organized?

CBP:  I’m a fan of baskets, tins and just about any fun container that can keep a nursery room tidy. In addition, I like furniture that does double-duty such as cribs and benches that offer storage options. For a nursery, dressers that have the ability to be a changing table are great investments.

Bonavita: Just like Bonavita’s Francais Dressing Chest!

Francais Dressing Chest in Antiqued Charleston Cherry

Bonavita: Space is sometimes a big issue when it comes to the nursery. For those who have small rooms, how can they maximize the little space they have to create the perfect nursery?

CBP: Think vertically. Invest in bookcases, shelving or hutches,  or hooks to maximize the space. Just make sure bookcases and hutches are braced to the wall to help keep baby safe.

Bonavita: Finally, for people who are new to organizing, it can seem almost overwhelming when they look around the clutter. For many, even beginning to organize can be an extremely daunting task. How do you recommend they get started?

CBP: Many times the biggest hurdle in getting organized is procrastinating. Taking action is the first step in stopping procrastination. Plan your mission and keep it simple. Just select the one project you must get done to feel productive. It may be going through that pile of mail, purging old shoes from your closet, or organizing the utensil drawer. Keep it simple and choose a manageable item you can complete in 5-15 minutes. Break the day up into a series of “sessions” for other tasks and balance the time spent planning with time spent doing. Don’t over think it and take too much time planning ~ this too can cause procrastination. Once complete, review your progress, pat yourself on the back, and plan your tasks for the next day. I find my clients get more and more motivated as they complete tasks.

Bonavita: Thanks Cristin for these great tips on organizing the nursery!

Are you getting ready to organize your nursery? Let us know if these tips helped by commenting below!

As Always, Bonavita Wishes You Inspired Nesting!

Natalie Portman, actress, activist, and Harvard graduate, is about to add the most important credential to her resume: Mommy. The 29 year old Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominee for her recent film Black Swan, confirmed yesterday that she is engaged to choreographer Benjamin Millepied and expecting her first child!

The baby is due in 2011, which gives Portman plenty of time to pull together the nursery. And, if her nursery style is anything like her fashion sense, we’re confident the baby’s room in her Soho apartment will incorporate modern and traditional elements. She certainly won’t shy away from color or prints, as a recent Us Weekly magazine spread featured Portman wearing frocks in bright yellow, ruby red, and pink lace by celebrated designers Jason Wu, Valentino, Rodarte, Dior, and Lanvin for H&M. The Jerusalem born actress has also been known to favor Zac Posen, Isaac Mizrahi, Helmut Lang, Miu Miu, Prada, Calvin Klein and Abercrombie & Fitch.

Metro Lifestyle® Nursery Furnishings in Licorice

And when it comes to nursery furnishing, Bonavita’s Metro Lifestyle® Collection is the perfect selection for Natalie! The Metro Collection answers the age-old question of city living versus the urban life. With a sophisticated look and feel, Metro is a study in both modern and traditional—providing the best of both worlds.

Stylish and cosmopolitan, the collection includes the Lifestyle Crib™, an armoire, a nightstand, a 5 drawer dresser, a combo, a mirror, a double dresser, and a hutch for additional storage space on the combo. Depending on Portman’s personal taste, she can choose from Classic Cherry, Classic White, Licorice or Chocolate finish, perfect for a woman who has multiple homes – and multiple nurseries – to furnish!

What do you think of the suspected nursery style of this Manhattan dwelling, Star Wars actress? Do you think she’ll gravitate towards modern and traditional when designing and decorating the baby’s nursery? Comment below!

As Always, Bonavita Wishes You Inspired Nesting!

We are so excited that the 40 year old Grammy winning singer is expecting TWINS with husband, Nick Cannon! Last week, Mariah Carey wore this belly baring dress as she performed songs from her new Christmas album. With Spring less than 13 weeks away – which also coincides with Mariah Carey’s due date – we started thinking about the songbirds sense of style. Particularly, we were wondering how the couple plan on decorating the babies nursery!

Our curiosity led straight to the famous Architectural Digest spread of Mariah Carey’s three bedroom, five and a half baths, tribeca tri-level penthouse in New York City. The 11,000 square foot home features bronze-inlaid limestone flooring, floral chair silks, carved and gilded base Art Deco tables, palm frond chandeliers and silver and gold leaf patterns.

Interior Designer Mario Buatta was responsible for Mariah Carey’s Art Deco influenced home, and we’d love to see what he does with these babies nursery. We imagine the nursery will also incorporate Mariah Carey’s love of butterflies,  Hello Kitty and whimsical knicknacs.

When it comes to nursery furnishings, the Bonavita Francais Lifestyle Crib® in Two-Tone would be the perfect fit for the twins nursery in Mariah Carey’s Tribeca apartment. Reminiscent of treasures found in the French countryside, the Francais Collection offers a vintage feel and understated elegance. The  details found in the scalloped apron, cabriole legs and hand distressed finish creates a soothing and lovely Villa ambience.

What do you think Mariah Carey’s Tribeca apartment nursery will look like? Do you think she’ll incorporate the Art Deco motif in the babies room? Would you like an Art Deco nursery? Comment below!

As always, Bonavita wishes you Inspired Nesting!

Winter Themed Nursery Decor Mood Board

Let it snow! Let is snow! Let is snow! When it comes to nursery decor, people find inspiration absolutely everywhere. Today, we were inspired by the blast of cold air that greets us each morning as December comes knocking on our door!

Snowy weather doesn’t always have to be frightful. In fact, a winter themed nursery can actually be extremely warm and comforting to your baby. If you love snow flakes and snowmen, and if winter is your favorite season, then this mood board is for you!

Here are some suggestions for a winter themed nursery decor:

1. Paint – We went straight to the experts over at Benjamin Moore and explored color through their virtual fan deck. We selected the Violet White color for this mood board, but other great colors include Snow White, Winter Snow, Gray Cloud, Misty Gray and Ice Mist. These colors are all part of the Off-White Color collection, which are sophisticated and also suit tranquil, serene environments.
2. Crib – The crib is the centerpiece of your nursery, and our Seaside Lifestyle crib in Classic White is perfect for your winter themed nursery. A truly transitional design that fits well with any decor, it’s charming, practical, fresh and has a relaxed, vintage feel that adds warmth to this winter themed nursery.
3. Blanket -Keep your baby warm and cuddly with this luxurious, plush security blanket by Kidsline Katie Little. We think white works best, but blue or pink would add some color and look wonderful in this nursery!
4. Wall art – You can’t have a winter themed nursery without some snow flakes! These snowflake decals were a real find on Etsy! At just $37.50, you get a total of 9 starbursts in the two colors of your choice. White and blue would look great on the Violet Mist paint background, but you can be as creative as you’d like to add a pop of color to this winter themed nursery. The decals are made of high quality, self-adhesive and waterproof vinyl and can be applied to any clean, smooth, flat and semi textured surface. They can also be cut to custom size!
5. Mobile – Add a touch of elegance to your baby’s winter themed nursery with this beautiful crystal and pearl mobile chandelier with perched swan birds. Another great Etsy find, we absolutely fell in love with its grace and elegance. The lovely design is like something right out of a story book. The mobile is adorned with top quality acrylic crystals and pearls in white and clear while the center strand can incorporate any custom colors you’d like such as pink, purple, green, blue, yellow, brown or even left white for a sophisticated look. Perched upon the spiral encrusted design are two spectacular white feathered swans, which adds such tranquility to the room!
6. Diaper Holder – What’s a winter themed nursery without some snowmen? This adorable little holiday themed basket is perfect for a diaper holder, which will add some color to the changing table and stimulate your baby during all those daily diaper changes! Another great find on Etsy, this basket is handmade and reinforced with multiple layers of professional weight interfacing for sturdiness, but still remains soft to the touch.
7. Decorative Name Plate – Last but not least, this Snowmen custom family name personalized slate sign is perfect to hang on the nursery door. Once again, we found this gem on Etsy, and it’s 100% handmade. Add your newest addition to your family in the form of a baby snowman on this great plaque. The artist will paint whatever scarf color you’d like, and will craft the number of snow folks in your own family! It’s a great way to set the tone of what’s behind the nursery door!

Are you considering a winter themed nursery? Let us know what coveted items you’ve found to turn your baby’s room into a veritable winter wonderland!

As Always, Bonavita Wishes You Inspired Nesting!

At Bonavita, we like to stay on top of the trends, especially when it comes to nursery decor. Recently, we’ve noticed that the tree decal is extremely popular! Wondering why, we decided to ask one of our favorite nursery decoration authorities, Pamela Ginocchio, over at Project Nursery.

Bonavita: Why is the tree mural so popular in the nursery?

Pam: We sure do see a lot of trees as focal points in the nursery and children’s rooms. I think that parents and kids are drawn to the serene feeling trees and nature bring to a room. It is also a nice gender neutral symbol for shared spaces or nurseries. I prefer tree wall decals to murals so that it can be easily changed up as the room evolves with the childs age.

Here are just a couple of Pamela’s favorite tree murals:

• For modern and bright, try notNeutrals tree decals
• If you’re looking for sweet and tranquil, try this one as featured on Project Nursery
• This one available on Etsy is a nice spin on the tree decals. Pam especially loves the “aqua and orange”.
• Who doesn’t love the children’s book No More Monkeys Jumpin on the Bed? Now you can have these little guys on the walls!
• Tree wallpaper is also a great alternative.
• And, for those who have their heart set on a painted mural, talk to your local muralist and who them pictures of what you envision. According to Pam, you can use this site to find a local muralist.

What do you think about the tree mural? Love it for your baby’s nursery? Think it’s a fading trend? Comment below and let us know!

As Always, Bonavita Wishes You Inspired Nesting!

Celine Dion, Matt Damon, Neil Patrick Harris, Alicia Keyes, the list of stars who have given birth this month is wonderfully long! We are anxiously awaiting some first shots of these celebrity babies’ nurseries! But, until the glossy photos come out, we decided to scour the net to find out what nursery designers to the stars have been doing to ready the nurseries of Hollywood’s newest additions.

According to Shalena Smith, who worked with celebrity Dads like Sean “Diddy” Combs, Wayne Brady, and Sean Patrick Thomas, “a comfortable chair for breast-feeding, story-reading, and bonding is really important”. Just think about all the hours you will spend rocking and feeding your newborns, and then make sure to pick up the most comfortable chair for you!

Smith also thinks that the ceiling is often overlooked when designing and decorating a nursery. “Babies spend a lot of time looking at the ceiling, which makes it the perfect place to hang a beautiful chandelier or paint a sky mural.”  At the very least, a colorful mobile that works with the design of the bedroom would make an excellent addition to your baby’s nursery!

Bonavita LifeStyle Convertible Crib Seaside Collection

Finally, Shalena Smith advises parents to invest in furniture that will grow with your child. “If you’re going to splurge on something, an armoire, a bureau, or a dresser will have life beyond the nursery.”  As you know, Bonavita’s Lifestyle Convertible Cribs® take your newborn through adulthood, converting from a crib to a toddler bed and eventually into a beautifully crafted, comfortable full sized bed.

Bonavita Lifestyle Convertible Full Size Bed - Seaside Collection

Do you look towards celebrity nurseries for inspiration? Would you consider painting a mural on the ceiling in the babies room? If so, what would the mural look like? Share in the comment section below!

As always, Bonavita wishes you Inspired Nesting!