Carousel Designs Blog

I just had a conversation with my wife last night about the need to update our rocking chair pads.  I mentioned the new Modern Fern collection and thought that pattern would go well in our living room.  But she responded by saying, “I don’t think that will match the yoga room…or do you think we should convert the office for our next baby?”

Next baby?

I thought it was funny that a little purchase like rocking chair pads would get tied to matching the next nursery theme that, at this point, is a remote possibility.  Maybe the possibility is not that remote.  At any rate, it seems like decorating the nursery doesn’t quite leave the minds of new moms.

We are not professional designers but we do like to be inventive in our household.  Our current nursery is a combination of some family pictures, animal pictures, flower and butterfly wall stickers and a combination of nature-themed decor old and new.  But given the current level of sleep deprivation in our household, we’re going to need some outside inspiration for the next nursery.  After some research, I came across a great reference for those families who take the do it yourself approach to nursery design – Project Nursery.

Their do it yourself nursery design page has lots of home grown ideas for inexpensive and creative nursery decorations.  If you want some great ideas for making your nursery unique without blowing your budget, they are an abundant resource for great ideas.

John

We’re happy to introduce yet another stellar collection of fun and funky baby bedding to our repitoire.  Our new Hip Floral baby bedding collection was previously a retail store exclusive.  Now we are offering it on our website.

The Hip Floral collection combines a taste of retro and two shakes of hip.  The black, brown, blue and lime green floral patterns contrast with a white background to create a whimsical tone for any girl nursery.  The four piece crib set comes with a solid citron sheet but solid black minky and key lime minky sheets match perfectly as well.  The matching black deck crib skirt creates a cool, contrasting accent with a black and white striped design that will catch the eye of baby as well as parents.

The Hip Floral comforter is made to be as fun as it is long-lasting.  Perfect as a tummy-time blanket for infants or a great way to stay cozy for a toddler, the Hip Floral comforter features whimsical flowers on one side and high contrast black and white stripes on the other.  As with all of our collections, we offer a full set of matching nursery decor including drapes, decorative pillows and diaper stackers.  All items can be purchased individually.

John

Given the cold snap of the past week, spending a little more time in front of the fireplace in your rocking chair may be in order.  If your rocking chair is not the most comfortable chair in the house, it may be time to upgrade your rocking chair pad.

At babybedding.com, we don’t just make baby bedding.  We feature over 80 different styles of rocking chair pads made with generous padding and high quality craftsmanship.  Whether your rocking chair is in the nursery or in the living room, our vast collection of colors and patterns make it easy to find the perfect coordinating chair pad.  Whether your decor is serious or serene, we probably have the right style to match.

Our rocking chair pads are made for the traditional style rocking chairs and are not suitable for gliders.  The bottom cushion measures 20″ wide by 18″ deep and the back cushion is 30″ high and tapers from 21″ at the top to 17″ at the bottom.  Starting at $44, giving your rocking chair a facelift is also easy on the pocketbook.

Enjoy the cold nights and frosty mornings of winter kicking back and rocking in comfort.

Sage and Chocolate Damask Rocking Chair Pad

Today’s changing tables are built with baby safety in mind and most have a convenient strap to keep baby from accidentally rolling off the table.  The contoured changing pads add a small lip on either side for an extra bit of safety.  We actually have an old fashioned baby buggy stroller that doubles as a cradle as well as an emergency changing area and it uses a flat changing pad insert.  In the nursery we have a changing pad table that has the contoured changing pad.

In either case, it has become abundantly clear that a back-up changing pad cover is not just prudent, but often necessary.  In the early days of diaper changing, I simply could not figure out how to take care of all the tasks with just two hands.  And that inexperience often presented a need to quickly wash the changing pad cover.  And babies typically don’t wait until the wash and dry cycle are complete before demanding a fresh diaper change.

For the old fashioned buggy changing pad we stuck with the simple, solid white changing pad cover.  For our nursery and the contoured changing pad, we went with the pink minky changing pad cover as it matched the rest of the nursery.

Quality changing pad covers make great baby gifts and most parents would appreciate a second set.  At Babybedding.com, we have over 150 designs to choose from in both flat and contoured designs.  Starting at just $14, these great gifts will be easy on the pocketbook as well.

Etsy.com is going to be hosting a highly innovative online baby shower event beginning this afternon at 4:00 pm EST. 

For those looking for one-of-a-kind handmade baby gifts, there are a lot of small shops on Etsy that are operated by stay at home moms and a variety of artisans.  The virtural shower is a live event where artists and moms are collaborating and donating so all moms will be able to receive a special gift. 

Read more at Etsy

John

For over 20 years, we have been designing baby bedding collections that are bundled together and presented as a package. For instance, we offer 4 piece crib bedding sets, 3 piece cradle bedding sets, 3 piece portable crib bedding sets and 4 piece toddler bedding sets.

What makes us different from typical baby bedding resellers is that we also offer any of our crib bedding pieces A la cart. We are the factory, after all, and that comes with many advantages!

For those looking to accommodate friends and family operating on a tighter budget, the babybedding.com baby gift registry is a perfect way indicate your preferences and allow others buy baby gifts as separate items rather than as an entire collection. Our high quality crib sheets start at just $18 and they can easily be coordinated with any nursery design. And coordinating crib skirts start at a low $37.00.

If you are on a tight budget or just want to be conscientious about the budgets of your loved ones, consider using the gift registry to manage your nursery decorating needs. With many crib bedding and nursery decor products under $40, everyone will be able to share the joy of giving without busting their budget.

John

I’ll have to admit that when my wife was expecting and we were signing up for a baby gift registry, I didn’t even know what a valance was.  Of course, there were many things I didn’t know, but I remember asking, “what is a window valance and why do we need one?”

Like a crib skirt, the primary purpose of a valance is to hide unsightly hardware.  But valances can also bring together a theme and put the finishing touches on a nursery.  Valances can be used with or without curtains, but they are typically paired with curtains for a more formal appearance.

Valances are also considered window treatments and come several styles.  At babybedding.com, we offer two of the most time-honored and versatile styles: balloon valances and tab top valances.

The balloon valance (also known as rod pocket valance) typically envelopes the curtain rod and gathers, or ballons, along the width of the window.

Balloon Style Window Valance

A tab top valance hangs on the curtain rod via a series of loops and leaves parts of the curtain rod exposed.

Tab Top Window Valance

Whether you are looking to add a splash of color to your nursery or want to add the finishing touch to a coordinating design, window valances are a great way to bring together your nursery.

Are you faced with buying a bedding gift for an expectant friend or family member? Are you decorating for your baby’s nursery, but don’t know what you’re having? Don’t worry – there are many options for finding the perfect baby bedding set that is both stylish and practical.

Our selection of gender neutral crib bedding options is perfect for families who are waiting until baby’s birthday to find out its sex. And unlike the baby bedding picks of yesteryear, these products are modern, stylish, and completely loveable. Featuring everything from Western Pony to Just Duck, these picks sacrifice nothing on style. Our nursery decor section also offers an array of matching, gender neutral baby gifts.

For those looking for a basic solid bedding option, we have a wide variety of solid colors represented in our collection. These are also great options that lend for unlimited design ideas.

Haley

It should come as no surprise that Carousel Designs is proud to display the label “made in the U.S.A.”.  Occasionally, we like to spotlight other unique businesses that share that special label and provide services relevant to ours.

Platypus Productions offers unique, handmade wall clocks that can be fully customized to match your nursery.  Send them your fabric swatches from your custom crib set creation and they can create a customized clock that matches your nursery bedding.  Now that’s unique!

They even offer a camouflage clock that would go well with our camo crib bedding set.  Every clock they offer is hand-crafted and original.  Visit their website to order a unique wall clock customized to match your baby bedding.   

John

Are you crafty? Do you know how to sew? Do you crave a one-of-a-kind creation for your baby’s nursery?

If so, check out our vast selection of fabrics, featured in many of the same prints our baby bedding products use. Whether you choose to make a decorative pillow, curtains or window treatments, or a chair cover, these fabrics will take you to your final destination in style. Additionally, many of these fabrics coordinate perfectly with other Carousel Design products.

Use your imagination, look around, and release some creative energy!

Our fabrics are available by the yard. For more information, visit the Fabrics section of our Web site.

Haley