I Love Oliver Furniture
I can't wait to show you the dresser we've decided on from Oliver Furniture in Denmark! But first... I've been doing a lot of sorting through, pinning, mood boarding (is that a word?) and the usual process of elimination as I decorate our baby boy's nursery. It's been a lot of fun and since it's such a personal space, I want everything to be just right. Not perfect but right - not too over the top, not too minimalist, just a fresh slate for him to build upon as he grows and develops his own tastes and interests. One thing that has been super duper important to me from the start has been furniture selection. I didn't want to choose throwaway pieces that couldn't stick around for years to come. I'm done with the throwaway mentality when it comes to bigger pieces that I buy for the home or the more common, "If I don't like it, I'll sell it in a year" mindset that I once wholeheartedly embraced.
These days, I'm purchasing pieces that will last and if they don't always last in his room, I can repaint and use in another room. I want some furniture with staying power. That is why the first thing I did was to hunt for a dresser with a changing table "topper" so that after diaper days are over, his dresser can grow with him for the years that follow post-diaper. I didn't want to buy a separate changing table because then what? It's not like I'm going to repurpose it later as a stylish bar cart for the dining room!
I also wanted a piece made from solid wood so we could paint it and do whatever he fancies as time goes by. I wanted something with clean lines and simple hardware that could be painted or replaced too - again, so that we could change the look of the piece whenever he felt like redecorating his space. That is why the Dresser with Nursery Top from Oliver Furniture, handmade and designed in Denmark, was the perfect piece. Here are two photos of it below shown with and without the topper. Later, in another post (most likely in January) I will show you a pic of how it looks in his new room. Here it is with the nursery topper...
And what it will look like after he is out of his diapers and we remove the top...
And down the road, if I wish to put it elsewhere in the home, I can reuse it in any room - also I can switch out the hardware, paint it, etc. With different styling, it fits a grown up space as well...
And about this lovely company... They design for kids and adults with old Scandinavian furniture traditions in mind. Their lead designer, Søren Rørbæk, has been working on this collection since launch in 2003 and today, they have had great success in mostly Scandinavia and Germany and now, the rest of Europe. My dresser arrived last week and I AM IN LOVE with it. It's so beautifully made. I can't wait to show it to you in the space. Here are a few of my favorite pieces from this gorgeous collection... I'm thinking to order either the first or second glass cabinet for my hallway...
I also love this sweet cradle and this pretty book rack...
See what I mean about paint? A lick of a lovely matt-finish latex can make a world of difference.
A pretty kitchen nook and a great bed with storage for a kid's room or guest bedroom... I also love their new alphabet cushions!
Can you see why I love this collection? It feels very Scandinavian coastal or countryside to me, too. But of course, that's only because of the way these pieces have been styled above and due to the spaces their in. If you add paint or even keep them white, they can be mixed into many different decor styles. This is also something that I look for when buying pieces that I plan to keep for many years - they need to be versatile. Of course, I don't put this much thought into the standard IKEA table or file cabinets that I buy, or a fun stool from Target or even a daybed from West Elm - none of these things are such an investment that I need to be concerned about how long they'll last. Though I've had some pieces from these stores that have lasted for ten years or more... But when it comes to a kid's room, or any piece that will be used frequently and could potentially ruin quickly, I'm all about investing in something special. What about you?
(images: with permission from oliver furniture)