The decade of reusing and repurposing is upon us and baby nurseries are no exception. While some vintage items come with risks such as vintage prams, vintage nursery decor can be placed out of reach of little hands to bring a rustic, antique and homely feel to your baby’s nursery. In this article, we take a look at how one can add character to a nursery by incorporating a handful of items from the past.
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Vintage Cane Items for Your Nursery
Solid rattan or cane items have been trendy on and off through the decades of the last century. Specifically in the 1950’s and 1980’s rattan or cane items could be spotted in most households and in particular were used to craft bassinets/cradles for a baby to sleep in. Every living room during the 80’s sported a nice cane magazine rack and children were often sat on handcrafted cane chairs to enjoy their afternoon tea. Below we’ve listed a number of cane/rattan items that you may like to include in your nursery:
Vintage Cane Crib/Bassinet for a Nursery
The most important item you will add to your nursery will be the crib or bassinet for your baby to sleep in. Cane and rattan were at one stage the most popular material to craft a baby’s bed from. While you may find a vintage cane or rattan cradle at a garage sale, they are commonly listed on marketplaces or specialized vintage websites. If you choose to purchase a vintage cane crib for your baby, ensure that it does not pose any SIDS risks and that you purchase a new mattress that is measured and fitted correctly.
If you are looking to purchase a vintage-inspired bassinet or crib for your little one, many online baby stores such as Pottery Barn Kids now stock these. They still bring that same vintage feel to the nursery although you can ensure the newly crafted cribs meet current safety requirements.
Vintage Cane Book Shelf for a Nursery
Commonly used to hold magazines in a sunroom or loungeroom during the late 1900’s, these vintage cane magazine racks make for the perfect book storage in your little one’s nursery. There is nothing worse than books and toys scattered across the floor. Having shelves and systems in place will allow you to keep your nursery better organized.
Vintage Cane Children’s Chair for a Nursery
While your little one may not be ready to sit up just yet, a vintage cane or rattan children’s chair can make a nice addition to a nursery even if for the time being it may only be holding a teddy or a doll or two. I remember even owning one of these chairs myself as a kid during the 1990’s when they were a dime a dozen. You can easily find them at second-hand stores or online market places for less than $20 USD each depending on the condition.
Vintage Wicker Rocking Horse for a Nursery
Is a nursery complete without a rocking horse? If you are creating a vintage feel nursery, if you can get your hands on a wicker rocking horse it’ll really complete the room. While these horses at the turn of the century were found in every second nursery, many have deteriorated making those in good condition skyrocket in price. If you can find one on the marketplace that one has no use for the owner, you may be able to fetch a reasonable price for the cutest piece of nursery furniture.
Vintage Cane Rocking Chair for a Nursery
Whether you intend on breastfeeding or bottle-feeding your infant, having somewhere to sit and feed in quiet is important. Vintage cane rocking chairs are commonly associated with old women but let me tell you they are beautiful and unique items that fit well into a nursery space. While you may need to have a custom cushion crafted to fit your cane rocking chair to ensure it is padded enough to be sat in for extended periods, the vintage feel it adds to a nursery is definitely worth it.
Vintage Cane Wall Mirror for a Nursery
Whether you are creating a serene space for an impending baby girl or baby boy, a wall mirror is a nice addition to any room. Cane mirrors were on-trend during the 70’s and 80’s and now many mothers are including these in their babies room today. If a mirror can not be hung if you are renting, you can opt to find a free-standing vintage mirror although in this case ensure your infant cannot pull it over on top of themselves.
Must-Have Vintage Toys to Include in a Nursery
One of the most enjoyable experiences is often seeing your child play with a toy that was once yours or reading them a beloved book from your own childhood. The best news is that many of the items you would have played with as a child are now vintage, or vintage-inspired remakes are available. Take the Fisher-Price remakes as an example; these mimicked toys that were sold by the company half a century ago.
For myself, including vintage books in my son’s nursery was a must. My favorite book as a young child was Parsnip first published in 1997, so there was no stopping me when I saw this same book for sale for a mere few dollars at a second-hand market. Other popular vintage books came within the ‘Golden Books’ series and are often displayed on the shelves within a vintage themed nursery. The Golden Books series first began in the 1940’s so you can imagine just how many of these treasures you can find at the local second-hand store.
Many of the real vintage toys may need to be used as decoration rather than play items due to their condition or age. Some mothers opt to store the vintage toys up on a wall shelf for display purposes only, while some choose to clean them up and allow their children to play with them.
Vintage Toys that Belong in Every Nursery
Next time you are browsing the online marketplace or the second-hand store keep an eye out for the following toys if you wish to create a nursery with a vintage feel to it. Some of the following toys may be in poor condition due to their age and if so they should be used for decorative purposes only. It is important to thoroughly wash and disinfectant any second-hand toys you purchase prior to allowing your infant to play with them. Always remember that vintage items can be painted so do not let cracks and chips deter you from a well-priced purchase.
Vintage Boys Toys to Include in a Nursery
Vintage Girls Toys to Include in a Nursery
Vintage Neutral Toys to Include in a Nursery
Vintage Baby Mobiles, Wall Art and Lamps for Your Nursery
A mobile and lamp while not necessary are definitely nice to have in a nursery. In terms of vintage or vintage-inspired baby mobiles and lamps, you may like to choose one that fits with the overall theme of the room. For example, if you are creating a baby boys nursery, many vintage items come in airplane or hot air balloon themes.
Below we have displayed pictures of a vintage mobile and lamp that are both ‘Peter Rabbit’ themed and were produced during the 1980’s. These would make beautiful additions to a ‘rabbit’ themed vintage nursery space.
In terms of vintage wall art, cross stitch is commonly included. Many vintage cross stitch items can be found on Etsy or alternatively, you may like to try and complete your very own cross-stitch. Macramé wall hangings are also very much vintage items or if they have been produced in recent years they still add that vintage, and warm feel to a nursery.
Vintage Baby Toy Boxes for a Nursery
Every nursery needs a toy box to store away fluff dusters and other bits and bobs. The good news is you can repurpose a vintage item to create a toy box that fits the theme of your nursery. Many mothers use old vintage crates to store toys in. If you are using a vintage wooden crate ensure you sand it back or glaze it to avoid any splinters. Wheels can then be added to allow the toy box to be wheeled around the nursery or house. You may also choose to add some vintage-inspired wall stickers to your toy box.
Vintage Bits and Bobs for a Nursery
While these bits and bots won’t be on show, if you come across them at a second-hand store they may be worth purchasing if you have a love for vintage items. For example, the following brush and comb set is a vintage item that would make a beautiful accessory for a baby girl’s room. You could even sit these in a cup on the shelf to display them.
A crocheted blanket was almost always seen in a baby’s nursery during the 80’s and was often gifted to a new baby by his or her grandmother. Crochet blankets are commonly found at second-hand stores or if you have a keen crocheter in your family, you may even be able to have one made to suit the color theme of the room.
Vintage Style Baby Clothing
If you want to extend your admiration for vintage further than your littlest loves nursery, why not dress them in vintage-inspired clothing aswell. Alternatively, second-hand stores are often jam-packed full with a range of vintage Oshkosh and designer baby clothes that will only need a wash and a stitch or two to bring them back to life.
If you are looking to purchase new ‘vintage-style’ clothing, there a number of websites that specialize in just that. Many handcrafted items can be found on Etsy or the following big brand names also stock many vintage-inspired baby outfits:
- Oshkosh (While not all their items are vintage-inspired, the overalls are amongst their most popular vintage-inspired clothing items for babies and children)
- Arthur Avenue (A range of vintage-inspired children’s outfits up to size 5)
- Rock Your Baby (Many of their collaborations bring to life vintage characters and styles)