Ok, here it is. The much anticipated crib post. First we have to talk about how giddy we are to have a mini-me mattress going on. Let me explain. Remember back when John and I talked about saving our pennies for an organic mattress (after sleeping on a sketchy old hand me down for far to long) back in June of last year? Yeah, we actually had a “mattress fund” going until we could take that baby home. And pretty much ever since the day that we sprung for our own Organic Serenity Natural Dunlop Latex Mattress By Savvy Rest we dreamed of someday getting a mini version for our offspring in the form of a totally organic crib mattress (p.s. don’t you like my mattress pageantry below?).
After all, if John and I didn’t want to go to bed with just anything (my obsession with all things eco made me yearn for a pure and organic mattress free of fireproofing chemicals and made from 100% natural materials that are just as good for the planet as they are for people) we certainly wanted the same thing for the beanette. So imagine our sheer delight and amazement when the thoughtful and generous people at Savvy Rest contacted us and offered to send over an organic crib mattresses for our big nursery makeover. Yeah, it was enough excitement to make my bladder almost burst (this reaction might also have something to do with all the kicks I’ve been getting lately- we have a little can-can dancer in there
What makes it so covetable? Well it’s totally free of any chemicals and made from five inches of firm all-natural latex. The top and bottom of the mattress are also covered with flame-retardant quilting made of organic wool fiber and organic cotton fabric (it meets all the fire-proofing standards here in the US without being sprayed or dipped in any chemicals). Plus wool is naturally repellent to dust mites and keeps the mattress’s inner environment dry so baby P will sleep cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Doesn’t it sound like the Ferrari of crib comfort? Seriously we were thrilled and we can’t thank the sweet folks at Savvy Rest enough for their amazing gift. Of course we haven’t taken it for a spin since it’s a bit too short for us, but we can definitely vouch for the comfort-factor and durability of our own personal Savvy Rest mattress which we’ve enjoyed for almost a year now (check out an update on how we like it right here). And we haven’t mentioned that Savvy Rest is based right here in Virginia so it’s sort of a “local” company too. Gotta love that it didn’t need to travel far to arrive right at our door.
So that’s the rainbows and unicorns (read: happy-go-lucky) part of the story. Then it was time to figure out where we’d be putting our lovely new mattress… as in, locate a crib. This is easier said than done my friends. It was a major challenge to straddle the line between “we’d like it to be reasonably green and non-toxic since that’s the way we live” (we compost, have a rain barrel, use non-toxic cleaning products, etc) and “our budget isn’t in the $700-1500 range so all those entirely eco crib options sadly aren’t within reach for us” (with things like strollers, car seats, cloth diapers and other big ticket items still on our must-buy list we unfortunately had to set a crib budget and stick to it).
We quickly realized that we’d be happy to find a crib that was somewhat of a compromise (a bit more eco than most super cheap cribs with a few great non-toxic features but obviously nothing in the sadly-unattainable-for-us $700+ price range of those amazing industry leading green crib makers like Oeuf, Cariboo, Pacific Rim, DucDuc, Spot on Square, Argington, and Q Collection Junior). So after a bit of research and soul searching we arrived at a decent little “must-have list” that we thought would work best for us in order to narrow down all the contenders and hopefully leave us with something perfect for Baby P. Here was our required criteria:
- A crib that was constructed entirely out of solid wood (since pressed wood and MDF can be held together with off-gassing glue and formaldehyde)
- Something with a non-toxic finish (since babies are known to inexplicably gnaw on their cribs)
- A price tag under $400 if at all heavenly possibly (our initial budget was actually in the $200 range but we scored such a good deal on a secondhand nursery chair that we had a bit more to put towards the crib).
- A crib that meets or exceeds all of the established US safety standards
- Something modern-ish with clean lines and a white finish (to work with the rest of the room and feel gender neutral enough to reuse for future bambinos)
- A solid well rated stationary crib (we wanted to avoid anything with a drop side since there have been so many recent recalls)
We also had a bonus list of “it would be nice” characteristics that weren’t necessary but were definitely welcome:
- A crib with some sort of pull out storage underneath it (we’re all about maximizing our stash-it space)
- Something that can be converted to a toddler bed or daybed (we’d like to work with what we have for as long as possible)
- A splash of darker wood to balance the clean bright white finish on the rest of the crib (we actually found ourselves loving the dual-toned look but it wasn’t that easy to hunt down)
- Free shipping (because that’s always a nice bonus when purchasing such a big ticket item)
Our minds swirled with a ton of possibilities that we carefully considered as we went…
Idea #1: Could we make our own crib to meet every prerequisite? After a bit of deliberation we realized that with all the safety features, testing and industry standards we’d better leave crib-making to the experts.
Idea #2: Could we grab an unfinished solid wood one (made from birch, maple, oak?) and use a no-VOC stain or paint to finish it ourselves? Well, after hunting down very few totally unfinished solid wood options (many were already stained or sealed so we wouldn’t be able to easily alter the finish) we realized that unfinished cribs were generally in the $500-1200 range (a bit to a lot out of our budget) and usually had country-ish lines due to their raw and unfinished nature (we were interested in something a bit sleeker and more clean-lined).
Idea #3: Could we hunt down a used one? After all, that would be the greenest thing to do. But a bit more consideration had us thinking about those ever-changing safety standards and a slew of recent recalls so it seemed like getting something new that meets all the current safety standards was the right choice for fearful first time parents like us. Especially since my mother generously offered to foot the bill and kept mentioning that we should get something new that we could use again and again and again (somehow she thinks we’ll end up with seven babies since she herself is one of seven). The good news is that we’ve actually purchased an awesome thrift store nursery chair so we were as green as it gets in that category… stay tuned for those details.
Anyway, with all of that pre-hunt brainstorming out of the way, we dove headfirst into active “crib shopping” mode armed with our handy little list of boxes to check off and all the confidence of a nervous eight pound chihuahua (we have to be honest, it was quite intimidating and we were super worried that we wouldn’t find anything at all). But we did manage to dig up this good-looking crib made with solid wood and non-toxic finishes. The only downside: it doesn’t outright say there’s no MDF or pressed wood so there probably is. Plus the $379 price is very close to the top of our range (as in scraping right up against it) so we were hoping to find something that checked off all of our boxes and not just most of them for that price point. Back to the drawing board.
Then we came across this chic looking $419 crib, which was also made with solid wood and non-toxic finishes. But again it doesn’t outright say that there’s no MDF or pressed wood (something that cribs with this feature like to shout from the rooftops) so it also fell a bit short of checking off that last box (and was also a bit over our max budget). That’s ok… maybe the third time is the charm?
Spoiler alert: nope. We then stumbled upon this crib by DaVinci. We actually heard through a few online reviews that DaVinci cribs were usually made from solid wood, finished with non-toxic paint/stain and even came with BPA free crib guards- but there was hardly any information for this particular model except for the super vague “made from Asian hardwood” line (which could also be true if the thing was riddled with MDF) so we’re not really sure it met much of our criteria at all. The styling was also a bit less clean-lined than we wanted, although there was definitely something charming and undeniably “classic” looking about it. On the upside, it did come in white (our desired color) and was priced extremely well at $267… but it just didn’t do everything we hoped that our future crib would do. Moving on.
We began to wonder if we were (pardon my language) being hard-asses. Was our wish list akin to J-Lo asking for nothing but white candles in her dressing room? Were we tirelessly trolling for something that just didn’t exist? We allowed ourselves just two minutes to wallow in self pity before deciding that we had work to do. Back to the search.
Next we came across two potential Ikea cribs, but the first one wasn’t the white color that we hoped for (although it did seem to be made mostly from sustainable solid wood). Sadly it also didn’t boast keywords like “non-toxic” or “low-VOC” when it came to the clear acrylic lacquer finish, and we learned along our little researching tirade that any crib with these features likes to highlight them in bold (so we always assume that if it doesn’t say something is: no-VOC, non-toxic, sustainable, completely comprised of solid wood and nothing else, etc- then it probably isn’t). Too bad because the price was pretty fantastic at $159. But that’s ok, there was another affordable Ikea option to evaluate.
Our second Swedish find (priced at just $99) also mentioned some nice solid wood & plywood materials (no word of pressed wood or MDF) but again neglected to describe that the “tinted clear amino resin lacquer” finish was anything especially non-toxic or low-VOC. (Insert the womp-womp sound effect here).
Admittedly they were both amazingly priced and we actually know of at least three happy babies with these affordable and stylish Ikea cribs so by no means are we saying there’s a thing wrong with them (or the other cribs that we found along the way)! They just didn’t quite check off all the little boxes that we established going into our big crib hunt. We quickly learned that selecting a crib is definitely a subjective and surprisingly personal decision. What’s right for one person might not be right for the next mom and dad to come along so we definitely believe that ironing out what’s most important to you (and acknowledging that it won’t always be as important to the next person) will help you locate something perfect for your family. To each his own, right? But back to our search…
Next we found this crib. At $490 the maple finish was the only one that we could *almost* afford (it was still nearly $100 over budget). Since the tone of the maple is a bit shy of the deep chocolate color that we lean towards, the white finish would have been our preference… but at $700 that option was out of our price range. And although the maple coloring didn’t really work with our ever-evolving nursery scheme, there was something intensely charming about this guy. He’s actually the cream of the eco crop (Argington is one of those fancy top-of-the-line green companies) and is made entirely of solid wood, touted as one of the most eco-friendly options out there, and constructed with all materials (glues, stains, and finishes) that are 100% non-toxic. Too bad it wasn’t the color we were looking for and the price was ultimately still a bit cost prohibitive for two savers like us. Oh well, back to the drawing board.
This crib was also super appealing thanks to the eco-advantages that it boasted (made entirely from sustainably grown wood with non toxic finishes). But the $700 price tag was just too steep for us, and the rounded corners wouldn’t fit our lovely new mattress. So we gave it one last look and clicked that window closed as a single tear slipped silently down my cheek (ok so I’m exaggerating, but this entire exercise was kind of an ooh-this-might-be-it-nope-keep-looking roller coaster ride).
Then we found this write-up which honestly helped A TON (update: we’ve since unlinked to the write-up because the site was hacked and then removed so it was a dead link). It reinforced that affordable eco cribs were few and far between (especially in the white coloring and clean-lined styling that we were looking for) but there were a few non-budget-breaking options that were still a bit “greener” than the average crib in that price range.
Ahhhhhhhhmmmmmmm.
Yes, that’s the sound of us breathing a long, deep sigh of relief. The affordable reasonably-green-crib-roundup that we had tracked down was insanely helpful! And the last crib they featured not only met all of our initial criteria but also checked off all of our bonus “would be nice” boxes too. And at $299 it was definitely within our budget. Were pigs flying? Could it really be? Oh sweet victory. It was described as “made from New Zealand pinewood with a non-toxic finish” and “the solid wood and wood veneer construction means no toxic VOCs or formaldehyde associated with pressed wood.” It also met or exceeded all US safety standards and received one of the highest user ratings we’d seen (over 85 people had weighed in after purchasing it and it earned almost five full stars out of five). Plus the $299 price tag even includes the rail to convert it to a toddler bed or daybed, there was free to-the-store shipping, it came in white and had a splash of darker wood, it was clean-lined and sleek looking and it even had a handy little storage drawer (talk about a few nice little bonuses).
It really was one of those miracle moments. Perhaps it’ll be up there with actually meeting our baby girl for the first time in May. Ok so that’s probably pushing it, but after hours (literally at least four solid ones) spent looking for something that consistently eluded us it seriously felt like a major coup to click the “buy” button and exchange a few nerdy high fives that we save for special occasions like these.
We could hardly wait to get it home, put it together, add our awesome new mattress, and test it all out with The Burgette. And about a week later we found ourselves doing just that. Nice, right?
Oh, maybe we should stop to explain who Burgette is. She got her name because she’s sort of a hybrid between Burger + The Beanette (we whipped her up thanks to this Burger zoonie and a recently gifted newborn sleeper… just so someone could take our new nursery addition for a spin). Look… she likes it!
And although we luckily were able to assemble things pretty quickly, we sped things up even more for your viewing pleasure (watch it below or over here on YouTube):
So there you have it. The mind-numbingly exhaustive play by play of how we ended up with an amazing organic mattress and a solid clean-lined white wood crib without any pressed wood or MDF and a non-toxic finish. Of course we realize that one comes from a small Virginia based company and the other comes from a giant big box store (and yes, that it could be even greener if we had twice to three times as much to spend on it). But one thing we’ve already learned about impending parenthood is that it’s all about balance. And we love that we were able to add a thrift store nursery chair to the mix (stay tuned for those details). Balance really feels like it’s the key. We won’t be able to keep our little one away from certain things (like boys for instance) or feed her a completely organic diet until she’s 25, so we did the best we could and set out with a few simple “goals” for the bean’s sleeping situation. And we lived to tell the tale. Whew. Now there are only 579,088,989 more dire decisions that we’ll have to make before she graduates college. This should be interesting…
Psst- Wanna see our nursery progress from the very beginning? Here’s our painting post and here are a bunch of accessory-hunting details.
JPMA says
We have a couple of resources that can help while you’re outfitting your nursery. Visit The ParentHood section of JPMA.org for product safety tips while you’re shopping for baby gear and a room-by-room guide to prepare for bringing the Bean home. Also, follow us on Twitter for ongoing tips and updates @JPMA.
Katryna says
I have the same crib!! The whole time I was reading your post I was thinking: I know I know! Pick me!!!!!
Your blog is hilarious! Keep up the good work!
Kathryn S says
Your nursery is looking great! Mine still doesn’t look finished and the youngest is almost 2…oh well, there’s always next time.
As another tiny mama (I’m 5’2″) I wanted to tell you to consider some sort of step stool for when the crib mattress is lower. Since your crib side doesn’t drop, you may find it is hard to reach the bottom to get the baby in and out after you drop the mattress the whole way. Nothing more frustrating than finally getting the 20+ pounder to sleep and then waking him (her) up putting them in the bed.
Best wishes for healthy baby-cooking! Hopefully I’ll be in your boat again soon. We have two little boys, but we need some pink around here!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the tip! We actually never thought about a little stepping stool but it sounds like a great solution if I have any issues reaching into the crib once the mattress is lowered when the bean is bigger.
xo,
s
susan says
love the post but the one thing that really stands out for me is how excited you must be :-) thanks for sharing the love!
Beth says
First, I love the crib!
Second, the amount of “disclaimers” you put in your posts is unreal. I assume it’s to head off negative commenters at the pass — but I would assume that if people are going to share their 2 cents, they’re going to do it anyway, regardless of whatever explanations you give…? Maybe I’m wrong. But for the record, I’m one reader/commenter who wishes you didn’t feel the need to explain your reasoning behind every move. People will always have negative things to say. You are well loved and supported by this community! :)
(I’m left wondering if I’m the only one who feels this way!)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks, Beth! I guess after all this time we’ve learned to anticipate various types of comments and questions that come up, so we tend to try to provide as much as we can upfront. So whether they’re disclaimers or just details about our thought process, we plan to keep on blogging like we always have. Oversharing, going on tangents, using phrases like “do tell” way too much- all of these little quirks really are “us”. Of course it’s always nice to know that we’ve got folks like you behind us!
xo,
s
Pencils says
The DaVinci are nice cribs. I seriously thought about that one until my bosses offered to buy me a crib. So, um, I went with the more expensive Nurseryworks Loom crib. It’s a great crib, we love it, it’s all nontoxic, built with sustainable materials, and our daughter is now 16 months old and it doesn’t have a chip, it looks the same as when it was put together. Although the baby slept in a bassinet her first four months or so, I hate seeing tiny little newborns in huge cribs.
Tamara says
Great post, not so much for the particular purchase, but for sharing your methods on decision making. I really admire the two of you for taking your time, sticking to your budget, and not being obstinate in needing to have that “perfect” whatever. I know I am learning to slow down and taking time to figure out a room and save money while I do. Sometimes the waiting helps for the right season or the right trend to hop along for things to come together.
Anyway, a little off topic, but thank you for sharing, it reminds me that I don’t need to have everything right away to make the perfect room (although with a baby, you do need to hurry things up a little bit when it comes to getting a nursery together).
juliet says
It’s looking great! Also, where is the bed in your master bedroom from? I really love how simple and modern it is!!!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s a malm bed from Ikea. It was such a steal and it looks as good now as the day we got it (over three years ago). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
RM says
I have the same crib! I really like it. I ended up putting a crib skirt on it because when the mattress is on the top or middle setting you can see down into the drawer – and since I’m using the door for spare bedding and the next size of cloth diapers I needed to hide the storage :)
I would love to share pictures, but I don’t have a blog…
Jaimee says
This is the same crib I was planning to buy! Great taste! I was worried about a few of the reviewers who said that most standard mattresses do not fit that great and it was hard to change sheets daily because of the bolts that were on the inside of the crib. Apparently, the awkwardness of the bolts sticking out made it difficult to move the mattress easily. Do you find that will be a problem?
P.S. Burger is soooooooo cute.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jaimee,
We did read those few comments about the bolts but apparently they must have updated the design since we have no issue with our standard sized mattress at all. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Annalea says
Wow. What a search, with an awesome result!
I’m excited to hear that you’re planning on cloth diapering. It’s not only so much healthier and easier on the planet, but can be so much fun, too. I made most of my children’s cloth diapers. Newborn diapers are the most fun to make, as they’re tiny and incredibly sweet. Here’s one of the last batches I made before my last baby was born: http://thepassionatemind.blogspot.com/2008/04/catching-up.html
I also embellished some prefolds with second-hand clothing: http://thepassionatemind.blogspot.com/2008/04/more-sewing-embellished-prefolds.html
It’s completely possible to sew up every diaper you could ever need for less than $50, especially if you source most of your fabric at thrift shops. There’s a WORLD of info out there (as you may already know! lol), but cloth diapering is as simple or complex as you make it. (I prefer simple. :o) I’m pretty sure you’ll never lack for help, but I’m happy to answer questions if you’d like input from a loyal reader.
I can’t wait to see what you come up with as far as cloth diapering goes . . . with your design abilities, you could create a really fun and sweet “stash”, as the cd’ing community calls it. Just think . . . diapers that coordinate with the nursery. :o)
Take care!
Chrissy says
I wish you could hear how hard my two year old daughter was laughing at the Burger video! She loves animals and he is just too cute!
Kate says
Hey guys!!
SO excited for you.. thank you for sharing your journey with us!!! What a great gift for your baby… documenting your excitement, preparation, etc. Awesome.
My hubby and I are hoping to get a room design from you very soon!!!!
We’re cloth diapering as well… it’s so great!!! We’ve saved a TON of money, eco friendly, and they are so darn cute!! :)
Good luck with all of your adventures!!! You two do a FANTASTIC job! You comment on so many posts; it really makes for a “personal” experience on your blog! Impressive!!!
Kate : )
Molly says
Wow. This post is so thorough. The Jenny Lind crib by DaVinci is my favorite for style. You’ve given me a lot to think about, as I hope we’ll be looking for a crib in the next year or two.
Patti says
No topic of discussion brings out the snarks more than that of parenting. Your decision to buy an eco-friendly crib reminds me that I didn’t make that choice – what does that say about me and my parenting??? And so on.
We all choose our battles with parenting and SOMEONE will always have something to say about what we’ve decided to do. I learned the hard way that listening to all the voices will drive one mad, as will comparing myself to the choices of other parents. Do what you feel is best for your child/family and don’t make apologies for it.
The crib is adorable and the room looks fanstastic so far. Congratulations. Decorating my daughter’s bedroom has been one of the most fun and creative experiences for me. Enjoy it! Soon enough she will have her own opinions – mine is almost 6 and she knows what she likes!
Michelle says
Thanks so much for sharing your crib-finding journey! I’ve been going through the same issues, and this post was like a gold-mine!
Lisa says
John & Sherry – bless you. I would have strangled Barbara for her rude comment.
I think you guys are great and I admire what you are doing. What a lucky Bean!!
Stephanie says
This may have been covered, I only read about half of the posts, but I would just say the one concern of Burger being on the mattress would be allergy reasons. I have 2 kids, my first has 0 allergies and the dog was bff with him from the time he came home from the hospital. The second child however has more allergies than I thought possible! No one in my family has allergies and she was allergic to wheat, eggs, and peanuts and now a whole slew of environmental allergies. We had to get rid of our dog for her health and as devastated as we were, when those babies come along they are #1 for sure. Anyway, I’m not trying to be preachy or annoying, I would just say to keep it in mind. She’ll probably be perfect and have no problem at all, but I would be amiss to not share!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the note! Burger ran around on the mattress for about 30 seconds three weeks ago and hasn’t been near it since we put it in the crib. We even vacuumed it to remove any little pup hairs just in case of any allergy issues. We’ll also be adding a waterproof wool mattress cover and an organic sheet (which we’ll wash quite regularly) so we’re sure the beanette will be a-ok! Thanks for the thought though!
xo,
s
Ashley says
Love it! As I watched the video, my dog jumped up on my lap and started whimpering at the computer screen. She really wanted to play with Burger!
Christy says
Love your nursery! So darn cute. I’m on my way to reading the curtain tutorial next. :) Any help with sewing would be fantastic! A little off related, you mention using only green (non-toxic) cleaning supplies .. curious which brand you use? I’ve done some researching & can’t make up my mind which to choose. And does one cleaner do it all? Counters, bathtubs, floors or do you have different cleaners for each? Thanks for any advice you can offer!
YoungHouseLove says
We love Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyer’s, Seventh Generation and Dr. Bronners- all of which you can get at Target. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Christy says
Curious if you would mention Seventh Generation … I absolutely LOVE their Lavender & Mint Dish Soap!! Thanks!
Becky says
This is out of total curiosity and regarding your response to the question about the fur throws and leather chairs in your house.
Since you have already paid for the throws and the animal has already died, doesn’t it make that animal’s death even more pointless if you don’t put them to use? You bought them under a false assumption (one that I assumed, as well, until this post!) and had no intention of contributing to that industry. Now that you have, who is benefiting by them being in the basement?
It’s like my friend the Priest said after I told him I had left bacon on my plate on a Friday during Lent (after ordering my breakfast without bacon). He said that it was worse for me to waste perfectly good food than to eat it when I wasn’t supposed to.
Honestly, I’m just curious and wondering if you had thought about it that way. If you have and you couldn’t bear the thought of a real animal fur in your home, I completely understand! I’m not trying to judge or tell you what is right or wrong. :)
YoungHouseLove says
We’ll definitely Craigslist them or donate them so they have a second life instead of sending them off to a landfill. That way we can live without them in our house (since we recently learned something new about them) but someone else with different sensibilities can enjoy them for years to come! Heck, we may even gift them to a friend or family member who covets them- we just don’t feel right cozying up to them anymore but it’s a totally personal thing and we know what’s right for us isn’t what’s right for everyone. They’re just sitting in the basement until we get around to it. We hate waste and we hate not using things, so they’ll get the same “recycle or donate” treatment that an extra toaster or an unused collection of old towels would- we’ll be sure that they find a happy home. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jessica says
Wow! I’m late on this one but I have that exact crib for my daughter (who is now 1 1/2) and never really knew it was at all eco-friendly. I can vouch for how durable and light it is and she loves it. She’s started teething on the rail so a little paint gets into her mouth but I checked and it’s non-toxic so she’s fine. We’re having another baby in August so we’ll be using the same crib for him/her as well and hopefully getting to convert it to the toddler bed eventually. It’s comforting to know my taste is backed by the YHL seal of approval. :)
Michelle says
I, for one, appreciate your sharing of your findings about eco-friendly baby things. I feel it’s very important to know what sort of things are in your environment (lead, VOCs etc) and to limit what you can. And I can’t wait to cloth diaper myself – they are so cute! And I won’t feel guilty putting those diapers in the landfills…
Beverley says
Hi,
Your nursery is looking just divine so far. I have a question for you re: the crib. We were thinking of purchasing the very same one, but we were wondering if the top-of-mattress to top-of-railing height is the same as that of other cribs? It just seems a bit short to us, and one of the reviewers on walmart.com said that it was very short and that her 9mo. old could easily climb out of it? Did you by chance have your niece/nephew try it out? I am just really nervous to buy a crib that isn’t going to be safe or practical.
Thanks!
Beverley
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, we certainly have had John’s sisters over (with babies in tow) and they’ve never mentioned that our crib was any different than the ones they have at home (and by our eye they’re all extremely similar as well). Our crib actually has lower mattress settings for larger kids (we can see how a small child could climb out at the top setting, shown in the post above, but the mattress can be lowered nearly all the way down to the drawer on the bottom which is a good three feet below the top of the crib). That seems like a really nice depth to us. Of course it also meets or exceeds every safety standard in the US, so we’re sure that even though the crib isn’t a tall set-off-the-ground design, there’s still a standard height from the bottom setting of the mattress to the top of the crib that it adheres to along with every other USA manufactured crib. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
yellowRose says
i love this post and your open style of writing and responding. i’m expecting my own little pea in august : ) but im so busy till june with my studies and exams – i hardly can find time to really look for what i want – plus i will only have 2 months at most to do most of the preparing! so it was lovely of you to share your research and cut my work in half – i love your suggestions and your final choice – i just hope that by the time i order it it wont have been sold out!
yellowRose says
looking at some mattress options- most of the manufacturers recommend a hard surface underneath the mattress instead of springs – what could be done about that since this crib has springs?
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! They actually address this question on the mattress site by recommending that you just place a piece of plywood over the springs so the mattress is on a more rigid surface. Easy fix, right? They can even cut the plywood to size for you at Home Depot or Lowe’s. Hope it helps!
xo.
s
Elizabeth says
Hey kiddos,
There is a great website http://www.moolka.com that has wonderfully original and eco-friendly toys, storage, and decor. You can actually choose which country you would like to receive your products from. The only thing I would say is to check the size measurements, I have ordered a few toys that were smaller than I expected (but still oh so cute!)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the link! We’ll have to check it out.
xo,
s
Jenn says
Hope you’re enjoying these last weeks! So, I love the crib. We have the same one for our 7-month-old. I myself had to get over my own personal Wal-Mart issues, but that was because I was a bit of a snotty-pants about Wal-Mart. I’m glad I did, because it is a GREAT crib with lots of style and plenty of other great qualities, something that was very hard to find in our price range. The Comments section on a blog is no place for snark, folks…everything about this decision-making process is completely consistent with their approach to clean living.
Something I wanted to mention about the crib: I’m short (5’2″) and it IS tricky to comfortably put the little man in there. What has happened as a result is that things like belt buckles, or buttons on jeans, have scuffed the edge of the rail. We didn’t put any kind of teething rail on, maybe that would have helped? The other thing that has happened is that we have scuffed the drawer a little bit with our shoes, which is weird because we wear specific ‘inside only’ shoes like Birks or slippers and I don’t really think we’ve banged into the drawer with any frequency. But I’m not exactly the most graceful swan.
Enjoy!!! You’ve inspired me to change our baby room. Can’t wait!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for those tips Jenn! A few other moms with the same crib have also recommended those rail protectors so we’ll definitely be looking into them, and we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for drawer scuffage. We don’t wear shoes inside so hopefully that’ll work to our benefit- although you never know if we’ll end up with a baby who loves to chuck blocks at the crib drawer all day…
xo,
s
Ella says
I’m confused… I don’t actually see the claim that “the solid wood and wood veneer construction means no toxic VOCs or formaldehyde associated with pressed wood” (I’m looking on the Walmart site). And wouldn’t this statement apply to ANY solid wood crib?
I’m trying NOT to spend $690 on an Oeuf Sparrow crib, unless I really have to in order to be certain there’s nothing off-gassing…
Thanks so much for your help!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Ella,
That quote was actually from the green baby site that we found that researched and did a write up about 5 eco-ish cribs that were still affordable, and since that site was sadly hacked (if you scroll back through the comments you can see what happened when we started sending a lot of traffic over there) we can no longer link to it. But that’s where that info came from and we’re happy to say that after receiving the crib, it’s not like just the frame is solid while big sheets of wood for the drawer or the mattress are MDF or pressed wood). It’s true, that statement would apply to any solid wood crib that didn’t have other items (like drawers or crib platforms and parts) that were made with MDF- unfortunately nearly everything we hunted down that was listed as solid wood either had other components like that which weren’t solid wood at all, or they were all over $500. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
betsy says
hi sherry,
congrats on the lil babe! we are expecting in july and are on the crib hunt. i LOVE the crib you picked out…do you know if it is available anywhere other than walmart?
thanks!
betsy
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Betsy,
Sadly it’s only available through Walmart (it’s actually their line, like how Target has their own lines as well). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Abbie says
I like the crib and all of your research on it. What is the name of the crib and who makes it?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Abbie,
Here’s the direct link for ya: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5983290
It was actually included in the post as well. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Tara says
I love this crib! I gotta admit, I decided to go to walmart.com and when I found it on sale for just $265 I bought it to put away for our future baby :)
alisa says
Beautiful! Thank you for posting all of this great info! We are thinking of purchasing the same crib and we have the Ikea Hemmes dresser. I’m concerned about the differences in white as the Ikea furniture is a bit more creamy white than stark white. Is the crib stark white?
Thanks!!
YoungHouseLove says
We don’t really fret about that stuff since we think it makes for a layered and lovely look, but the crib is a stark white. We still think it would look great though!
xo,
s
Ryan says
Great post! We’re currently searching for a baby crib and the choices are somewhat overwhelming! I hadn’t stumbled across the crib you picked yet, but it’s really cute – I will definitely have to check it out! I love your blog!
Jon says
Great post! Thanks for all the deeeetailed info. One quick question for you. How tall are you two? And how has the crib worked out height-wise? My wife and I are considering the same one, and from what I can tell it’s a little shorter than some others. Is that a problem? Or has it been fine? Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
I’m 5’2″ and John is 6′ – so far it has been great for both of us!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
I was wondering if you purchased the changer to match? (Baby Mod – ParkLane 3-Drawer Changer, Amber and White).
The changer says its made of New Zealand Pine and “engineered wood products.” This is what PBK calls their MDF.
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, here’s how the room turned out (and a summary of everything else we picked up for Clara): https://www.younghouselove.com/2010/04/the-big-nursery-reveal/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
cat says
Hi, I don’t know if you still check this thread, but I was wondering if you considered the Baby Mod Olivia? I like the ParkLane but my only concern is that the drawer means you can’t get your feet under the crib and stand as close to it as if there were no drawer – which seems like it would make it more difficult to bend over and pick up/put down baby – if that make sense. I’m about your height; have you noticed that issue at all? The Olivia looks nearly identical but without the drawer, yet the description says “solid New Zealand pinewood” but does NOT say “Solid wood, wood veneers and drawers; no paper press boards used” like the ParkLane does. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Baby-Mod-Olivia-3-in-1-Crib-Amber-and-White/8810319
If you see this, I would love your thoughts!!! And congratulations on your precious bundle and your gorgeous nursery, I am not DIY-inclined and can only dream of such a beautiful nursery.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Cat,
We really liked the drawer so we didn’t consider the Baby Mod Olivia since it was missing that extra storage. If you don’t need it you’ll probably be very happy with the Mod Olivia though! And the solid New Zealand pinewood description suggests that it should be free of glues and fiberboards but of course we can’t be sure. Maybe you can call a customer service representative to see if they can shed more light on the subject? As for the use-factor of our crib, the drawer doesn’t get in the way of use and I can easily lay her down or pick her up without putting my feet under the crib (like I could if the drawer was missing). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
cat says
Sherry, thanks so much for answering my question! Glad you hae been happy with yours.
scott says
i am currently going through the same things and having a tough time. I even asked the buybuybaby salesperson to show me the cribs with the lowest VOC levels and they had no idea what i was talking about. i have even called manufacturers. just a note, USA standards are not the greatest and obviously if a crib does not meet those standard then it can be sold in the US. California has the toughest standards in US so that is what i am using. I think we are going to get the Simmons Northport Collections.
Melissa says
To go along with a non-toxic green nursery, what about eliminating EMF? The savvy baby doesn’t have springs but I noticed the crib bed base is metal springs. Did you/are you planning to replace the spring base with wood slats?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Melissa,
We actually added a flat board of natural untreated wood to sit atop the crib’s springs since that was recommended by SavvyRest. So far that has worked really well for us, but down the line we might consider removing the springs completely if we were confident it wouldn’t compromise the safety of the crib. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Katie says
I was wondering how the chair for baby’s room is going. Do you use it to nurse? Do you wish you had a rocker?
YoungHouseLove says
It’s going awesome! I use it for nursing and we both use it for reading time. I nurse all over the house so I’m not someone who needs to be in a chair that rocks to nurse (heck I nurse laying down in bed and even in the car when it’s parked). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Shelly D says
I too just went through the whole crib search. Since I was expecting twins & knew I’d eventually have to buy 2, it had to be budget-friendly. It took me until I was 8 months pregnant to finally decide & order my crib.
I also considered all of the above (modern cribs are so pricey! But I was trying to find a modern crib that didn’t include dark wood, since I’m into mid-mod teak furniture & I’m tired of the chocolate wood look…
I FINALLY found a white crib with clean modern lines made of poplar wood (better than pine!) http://www.allmodernbaby.com/Sorelle-406-W-UO1378.html
All Sorelle was on sale at the time, no tax & free shipping, so TOTAL was $289.75! But Target online also carries it.
I definitely recommend this crib – it was really easy to put together & actually it came with the toddler rail in the box as well, which I wasn’t expecting…
YoungHouseLove says
Wow- what a deal! Thanks for sharing your search for others who might be on the lookout!
xo,
s
Gaby L says
hello Young House Love,
Was wondering if you have any painting tips for a crib? I’m thinking about getting a used oval crib like the one you’ve posted here and to make it “new” again. I thought I could paint it a lovely color to freshen it up. i would like to keep it non toxic of course. It’s already white. Should I keep as it is and make everything else colorful?
thanks,
new mommy to be!
Gaby
YoungHouseLove says
First you’ll have to test your used crib for lead (just to be sure!). You can buy a lead test kit for $4 at Home Depot. Then once you find out that it’s clear, we’d recommend roughing everything up (spindles included) with low grit sandpaper and then using some sort of non-toxic primer (check out greendepot.com to order some). Then follow that with semi-gloss latex no-VOC paint (which you can get at more mainstream places like Home Depot or Lowe’s). Thin and even coats of paint are key- so take your time and let each coat thoroughly dry before applying the next super thin and even coat. Good luck!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
We decided to order the SavvyBaby mattress! I know this sounds strange, but did they extend a discount to YHL readers spurred to spend quite a bit lettuce based on your post? I looked on TheNaturalSleepStore and they sell the mattress for $40 cheaper than on the SavvyRest direct site, alas they do not carry the coordinating mattress pad. We really have to go with the direct site as they will ship it to our FPO address (to be sent on to Italy) & TNSS ships via UPS. :(
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jennifer,
That’s so strange! No they didn’t extend a discount to YHL readers or anything like that (although we agree that would have been awesome). We actually got an organic mattress pad from Buy Buy Baby to go with ours (for some great price like $30). Maybe that’s an option? Good luck with your SavvyBaby!
xoxo,
s
Katie says
S&J, I am probably driving you nuts with all my baby questions lately… just currently on the hunt for these items (woo hoo), and y’all have good taste!
How did your crib handle the move? Is the paint still in good shape? [I found a similarly priced crib at Pottery Barn, but lots of the reviews said it dented easily, so I figured I’d see what your experience was with your beauty.]
Also, must mention, we’re trying the BumGenius diapers! Ordered some in the extra small size for newborns. Ah – they are so tiny & cute!! You guys still happy with the Organic One-Size? Too bad they don’t make the sized option with cotton… it would be nice to have a few that weren’t bulky. I saw that you mentioned you use a disposable for pictures. We’re still not sure what we’ll pick when future baby outgrows the XS, any opinions now that you’ve been doing this a while?
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! And a merriest Christmas to you in your new house <3
YoungHouseLove says
Our crib still looks perfect after the move (we were careful with it so it looks great) and we LOVE our one size dipes. So easy to use.
xo,
s
Gretchen says
Thank you SO much for this post. I have been going nuts trying to find the right crib (actually cribs as we are expecting twins so price becomes even more of an issue). We’ve got the same concerns and also are looking for a modern looking crib. Great post! Thanks again for doing all the research!
Jenn says
What is the name of this great crib you bought? It is so cool looking, safe for baby, and relatively cheap! This could be the solution my hubby and I have been waiting for. Thank you!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jenn,
Here’s the link for ya: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Baby-Mod-ParkLane-3-in-1-Convertible-Crib-Amber-and-White/5983290
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
jennycupcake says
Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have made me feel less insane! I have been searching over and over (making my head spin) for a safe, formaldehyde free crib for weeks! Everyone seems to think I am crazy for obsessing. It’s been hard finding definite information to ease my fears. I am so glad you seemed to go through the same thing! I’ve been looking at the Baby Mod pieces and loving them but also worrying because they are from WalMart. I think you are right though about it saying solid wood…. maybe I can end my search and start obsessing about strollers and car seats!
Ashley says
I’m too lazy to read through all of your Savvy Rest posts and comments, so maybe you already know this but your video of Burger on the Savvy Baby mattress is on the Savvy Rest website! I went to their “contact” page to ask a question about a topper and was surprised to see Burger on the sidebar! It’s at http://www.savvyrest.com/contact if you haven’t seen it. Thank you for inspiring us to upgrade our bedding!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, John found that out a few weeks ago. How funny is that? Burger’s letting it go to his head though. Such a diva!
xo,
s