Nursery Primer: How to use antiques in your children's bedroom design (And why it's a good idea)
Design: Time & Place Interiors / Photo: Time & Place Interiors
When I welcomed a baby into my life, I wanted to bring the same passion for design into the nursery as the rest of my NYC apartment. I purposely avoided buying all new “baby” labeled furniture, in favor of interesting antiques.
I dressed the floor in a perfectly distressed vintage Persian rug that would easily take wear. Instead of a conventional changing table, I sourced a lovingly worn antique painted cabinet and placed a changing pad on top. An old wood shelf holds children’s books. Next to the armchair is a French vintage milking stool. And I came across a delightful kid-size bergère chair with teddy bear upholstery that was just too cute to pass up.
Whoever said that every piece of nursery furniture needs to be conventionally made for kids was pushing a marketing ploy. Antiques are more fun! For one, they have loads more character than garish plastics or fiberboard. And they’re a sustainable alternative to our society’s throwaway consumerism.
So, how do you use antiques in a nursery and make it liveable? Introducing even one or two vintage accents gives loads of character to your kids’ bedroom or playroom. You’ll be rewarded with a unique design, and your kids will learn to appreciate living with better things from an early age.
Intrigued? Here are ways to use antiques in your nursery or playroom:
Hang antique prints for the nursery’s wall art
Put down a vintage rug: they’re more forgiving of stains, and are healthier alternatives to synthetic fibers
Buy an antique children’s size chair or two for the craft area
Get a vintage dresser to store children’s clothes; put a changing pad on top of it
Choose a vintage bedside lamp: they often come in fun colors and shapes
Pick out a fun antique rocking horse as a beautiful toy that doubles as decor
So, take the cue from these inspiring designs of nurseries and children’s bedrooms that use vintage or antiques. They’re all delightfully sweet and enviously stylish.
A nursery with a Moroccan rug and a little vintage rattan chair would make anyone happy, regardless of their age. Design: Alice Lund / Photo: Stephanie Russo
This classy Brooklyn nursery features a fabulous Mid Century lambswool chair + ottoman set. Design: Hovey Design / Photo: Jonathan Hökklo
A soulful nursery I designed with a restored family heirloom rocker, Persian rug, vintage Brutalist stool, and English-style textiles. Design: Time & Place Interiors
Doesn’t this classic 1950s armchair looks just right in this cozy children’s bedroom? Design: Joana Astolfi / Photo: Francisco Nogueira
These lucky girls! Their super stylish room includes a Raoul Guys table between the beds. Design: Emmanuelle Simon / Photo: Damien de Medeiros
Another detail of my nursery design project: I sourced a mirror framing a19th Century sampler, a vintage Persian Gabbeh rug, and toys passed down from earlier generations. Design: Time & Place Interiors
An antique rocking toy and a vintage-like blanket ladder give subtle touches of historic flavor to this nursery. Design: Plume Events / Photo: Brett & Jessica Photography
An antique chest holds baby gear in an East Village nursery. Custom window treatments have Pierre Frey fabric repeated in the crib bumpers. Design: Louisa Roeder / Photo: Sean Litchfield
Break the mold with an Alexander Calder style mobile. Bonus points for the vintage red clamp light attached to the crib in this Brooklyn space. Design: Margaux Lafond / Photo: Nick Glimenakis
A serene and casual children’s bedroom in a whimsical European bedroom. Design & Photo: Sanne Hop
This Park Slope child’s bedroom is anything but stuffy. It has vintage suzani bedspreads from Uzbekistan, a vintage Turkish rug, and a little antique desk. Design: Kate Reynolds / Photo: Max Zambelli
Vintage accessories add just the right soft touches to a girl’s bedroom on Shelter Island. Design: Workstead / Photo: Matthew Williams
Expecting a baby? Let’s design a beautiful nursery.
Time & Place Interiors offers residential interior design services for New Yorkers seeking a curated space. Founder Ksenya Malina’s specialty of combining vintage + modern design opens opportunities for everyone in the household to live beautifully. Use the link below to schedule a free 20-minute information call with Ksenya to discuss your design project:
