Hubby and I have been on the search for bedding for our baby girl's nursery. I have a definite look and feel in mind and am not inclined to go for Disney Princesses or Winnie the Pooh (not that I don't love both - I just don't want it to be our nursery theme). We cannot find anything that even remotely matches our vision for under $400.00! This seems high to me for a simple four piece bedding set. Am I wrong? Since this is our first baby, we have no clue what reasonable pricing is or what we should expect to pay for nice bedding.
These photos show some of the bedding sets we really love. Most are in the $500.00 range!
We've gone to numerous stores and I've spent considerable time looking for a deal online to really no avail.
I found a few sellers on ebay that were asking more than the retail stores!
Please enlighten me - what is a good price to pay? Do you have any suggestions for quality baby bedding or where to find something that is a little different without being $500.00? Are there any good seamstresses out there? Help!
29 comments:
Holy smokes- $500 for baby bedding-that would be a good little start to a college fund- ok, I know I'm probably too practical. I've had a lot of friends sew their own, but that takes a lot of time. My husband's family took care of a lot of foster babies and sometimes didn't have enough cribs for an emergency baby stay- so they'd used a well padded dresser drawer- so I know you don't HAVE to spend alot of money, but decorating a nursery has to be one of the great joys of having a baby.
It is amazing how the baby product market has exploded! Honestly you can find some nice deals second hand. Craigslist or the Trader. I had really nice furniture for my kids and when I was done I sold it. It was still in excellent condition and lovely furniture. My friend has spent way to much on her nursery, buying that overpriced european stuff, which she later sold when she was done with it. Someone got a really good deal. I made all the linens for my nursery. You said you looked online, overstock.com? Good luck with your hunt! xo, suzy
Wow, Karla, those are gorgeous! I love the one that looks like Cinderella's carriage and I wouldn't want Disney either. I like the idea of looking on Craig's list. Have you checked the classified ads in your newspaper? Just remember, these sheets and blankets are going to be spit-up on and diaper-leaked on! lol! ;)
Oh I remember going through this stage. Fortunately we had a borrowed crib and I sort of mix and matched my bedding. I bought some stuff from Pottery Barn new and found some pieces used on eBay. The sheets will get ruined.. slip up, diaper leakage, sweat, etc so don't go crazy. I made one of my crib bumpers. The babies really kick off blankets and you will get lots as shower gifts so don't buy those. They wear sleepers for the most part for the first year. Take it slow and buy in pieces that can coordinate and you'll be fine.
That's a lot of money! I would mix and match pieces. Buy a a couple of solid color knit mattress covers, and a crib bumper. Look for a beautiful blanket, maybe a handmade quilt and spend a little more on that. I sewed the skirts for my baby cribs, so if you can find someone to make you that. You simply cut a piece of fabric the rectangular size of the mattress and gather a large ruffle to it. Really, if you have a gorgeous blanket all the other nursery bedding items aren't needed.
Oh my goodness, Karla! That's alot of money! Welcome to the world of high-priced baby goods! lol I noticed that with each of my children, the cost of crib-bedding went up and up... and UP!
Here's my little tip... I always (and still do) go into PotteryBarnKids.com and go through their sale bedding. If you catch the sales early enough, you can still purchase all/most of the pieces to a particular line. If not, then I just buy solids to match the line.
Also... I'm sure you'll be having a baby shower. If you register for what you want, your friends and relatives can each buy particular pieces to the set, that way no one has to pay for the complete set (and yes, $400 is sadly what it costs these days for quality bedding).
Oh I know how you are feeling, I was almost relieved when we found out it was a boy, because I knew we wouldn't spend NEARLY as much !
I had picked out several of the ones you have , so pretty , but so expensive. I will email you a few links of a few cheaper ones I had found ..
I ordered our stuff last week , hope it gets here soon , so we can paint and decorate!
Oh Karla...I remember this dilema. Setting up the nursery, especially the first time is so exciting and a must do. I decided to make all my own when I couldn't find what I wanted, although the baby market has exploded in the years since I set up a nursery. Sounds like the prices have exploded too!!
Good luck with this exciting adventure.
Hugs,
Kerryanne
I agree about the theme stuff... not for you. Good bedding, like for adults is an investment but I don't think it is worth it for only having your babe in a crib for such a short period of time! Oh, and the nasty things that get on that crib bedding! Does Rachel Ashwell have a set at Target? I'm sure that would start you off on the look you want.
For Loopy, I found high-quality mismatched linens for adult beds and sewed it down to size and made my own coordinating bumper pads and such from the remnants. Shabby Chic wasn't readily available then.
Hi Karla- I don't know about the prices but theses photos are so stunning, it would be hard to say no to any of them. Maybe if (way back when) I gave up chocolate for a while, the savings would cover it!!!
D.
Karla,
Here's my thought, get more plain less expensive fitted crib sheets, pads etc,.. and only pay more for outer coverings, so you have the look, but it doesn't get ruined?!
Are you having a baby shower? That would be helpful, too! ;-)
Well, I don't have a clue on baby pricing, but that seems like a lot. Of course, almost everything seems pricey these days. But let me say that every single one of those sets you showed had shelf-life beyond the baby and could certainly grow up into another room, so that's worth considering. And let me applaud you on passing up Winnie and Walt (Disney) for the nursery. I like your idea far more!
Hi Karla,
Yes, the bedding is expensive! I bought a set for Shelby that was around 300 and thought that I did good. My husband would have had a cow had he known what I spent.
I went for all of the foofy girly stuff. Her crib skirt had pink and green tassels and the comforter had patchwork prints, toille, etc. and I had long flowing pink sheers on her windows. I found the bedding in Babies Are Us.
Shelby was never a sick child and she never threw up or wet the bedding ever, so it is still like brand new.
I bought a pretty conversion crib that is now a full size bed in her room. That was a good way to go.
Keep on looking. You will find what you like at the right price. If you can, register for it and maybe several will pitch in a help buy it!
Happy Hunting.
Tammy
Do you sew at all? Making crib sheets is easy, and instructions can be found online. The Pottery Barn outlet stores have bumpers/quilts on sale. Crib skirts are easy, too. Good luck.
Hi sweets.....are you into vintage?
How about all white? You can accent with new pillows and sheets.
$500 is a lot! We tried the having it made..for our first and to be honest. It ended up being pricey and not at all what I envisioned.
My cousin....was hoping for a girl...all boys on her side right now. We were all really taken with a VINTAGE theme. So many wonderful things for little girls..dresses,baby planters,dolls..etc.
Whatever you decide will be great....can't wait to hear.
Happy Holidays:)
Hey Karla, hard to find a good deal when it comes to the really pretty baby bedding. I would say you definitely need two sheets, a bumper and a duvet is nice for baby to lay on over the sheet. I like Pottery Barn Kids duvet's and sheets. Look for the sale items if you can. When it comes to a bed don't overspend, they only use them two years at most and once it's in the room you will be just as happy with a simpler bed than a super fancy one. The bedding is a bit more special I think since your baby will use it for some time, it can fit toddler beds, and they may even become attached to a special blanket or duvet they like to sleep on. You are also likely to buy new bedding for your next baby so make this one's as special as she is! In the end baby will be happy with whatever you choose, no matter the price or theme. If you're really wanting a certain look a seamstress does sound like a good way to go and you can do it affordably. Good luck Sugar Bear!
I know isn't it crazy?? Baby stuff is sooo spendy!! I usually either make it myself or try to swap with people that can make something I like.
Hope you are doing great sweetie!! Have a fabulous day!!
hugs!!
Britt :-)
That sounds about right. Baby stuff is a gourmet couture business these days.
I'm not sure where to recommend for you to go shopping. After drooling over lots of cool sets, we ended up just forgoing nursery decoration because of the cost. We did splurge on a nice, safe crib that converted to a toddler bed though and that was a great investment! And I did paint cute little pictures for the walls :)
I agree with MM. You might consider making it yourself. If you don't have much sewing experience maybe you can get help from a friend who does. A set hand made by you may become a family heirloom someday. Anyway, good luck!
Kim
Hi Karla,
There's no way spending four or five hundred can be justified! In our economy we have to find the best buys to make our money stretch! Hopefully you can find one good piece that you can't live witout, buy that, and do your best to find the pieces that match. You could go to the fabric store and just LOOK at fabrics and patterns, to get an idea in case you do find someone who could sew things for you!
It's such a fun time, decorting the nursery as you await your bundle of joy's arrival! I loved those days!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Love, Heidi
Miss Karla.... well.... you know this is what I do all day long right? Designing nursery's is my thing. Baby bedding can run from $99 for a 4 piece set at Baby's R Us to easily over a $900 for custom made bedding. It's important to notice that you get what you pay for. I was shocked when I saw bedding that inexpensive...until I felt it...it was so scratchy and I'm pretty sure after washing it a few times...OK ALOT of times, it's not going to hold up. On the other hand you can work with a designer and come up with something custom and perfect but with the price tag to match. One of your readers made a great point. If you can sew, or have a friend that can, than that's the way to go. With custom, not only are you paying for the quality of the fabric, the hidden zippers, the fillers and the washability of the sets...you are paying for the labor. I'd suggest 2 quality sheets because they get washed a lot and they are the first tactile experience your baby will have...I would have one in minky and one in a very nice cotton. The entire "look" of your set will be the bumper so invest in that item or make that yourself. Yikes...I could go on and on...I will just email you or feel free to contact me...I've been in this industry for a long time and, as an Interior Designer, I'm happy to share with you some tips on how to achieve the look you want while having the quality and price point that will make you...and baby happy! BTW I came over to wish you a very Happy Turkey Day!!! Huggs my friend! Miss Mari~
I did vintage and mixed pastels for b/g twins. It was a lot of fun collecting everything and it's truly our own...check out my blog over the summer for photos...Vicki at Hollyhocks.typepad.com
Love your blog, can't remember how I got here, but love it! I used to work for a high-end baby chain and our custom bedding was $500-$1000. Check out Land of Nod, very reasonable and good quality, and although there may not be something *exactly* like your pictures, you may find something close. Also, don't get the "quilt" that come with sets, they are the most expensive piece and you don't use them anyway, they are too heavy! Good luck with your nursery, it's so much fun to set it all up!
OK so when you say $500, do you mean, the actual crib, or just the sheets and stuff?
If it's just the soft furnishings, although totally beautiful I see a whole lot of unecessary stuff like all those pillows, which you won't have in the bed with the baby since they're a suffocation hazard anyway! Did you know, bumpers are frowned upon here in Australia because apparently they have something to do with contributing to cot death, and/or SIDS? So we don't ever see them as part of sets anyway... so there's a saving! hehehe!
When Leroy was a baby, I had a hand embroidered blanket, and a handmade quilt, plain white sheets and no ruffles or bumper, so it was pretty cheap for me. Lucky I had a boy because I love all the fluff and frills and pinkness in your pics!
I'd say, go for simple white sheeting you could get anywhere for very little, and have one really special quilt ~ perhaps a handmade one from etsy/ebay/lollishops would be the nice splurge? the rest could be mix and match stuff? Good luck with the hunt!!! xo
Don't ask me. I had my babes so long ago, we just wrapped them in swaddling clothes and laid them on straw. LOL! Just keep in mind that you'll want everything to be easily washable.
Gorgeous!! All these are perfect designs for baby bedding...
Hi Karla, have you tried Bella Notte or Little Giraffe? Those are just 2 of the lines that I have custom ordered for clients. Let me know if there is anything that I can help you get. As for me, I made my first daughter's bedding, and as crafty as you are I'm sure that you could probably whip something up out of some vintage pieces of fabric! And, I absolutely LOVED your post about Grace & Frank! I wish I could have lived back then!
Being of the old skool I have a hard time paying those kinds of prices too. However my yuppish children think it's a steal. My oldest son confiscated furniture from us for their nursery. They turned a low chest of drawers into a changing table. They lined the wall under the one window with cubbies painted pastel colors and I made the window valance (very cute if I do say so myself and they got lots of compliments.) Their theme was "Goodnight Moon". They found the cutest moon hooked rug at Walmart and so on and so on.
Oh my! I know what you mean. I was in sticker shock when I fixed up a room for the fairy grandbaby.
I was lucky to find a $1,000 crib on sale for 75% off. She since moved that bed with her to her mommy's house and I replaced it with a hand-me-down from a freind.
All of the bedding I have for her is from garage sales, or repurposed, like using a vintage table cloth as a bed skirt.
As far as the tenting, remember, you can't leave that up for long. Once she can reach up and grab it, that curtain over the crib has to go. So don't spend too much! I used a lamp shade frame and glued sheer fabric and butterflies to it. That was pretty over the crib while she was tiny and cost almost nothing.
Good luck!
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