I had 8 weeks and $2,000 to transform our storage room into a green nursery. After sanding, painting, drilling, and otherwise making a 9-month pregnant spectacle of myself, I finished 2 days ahead of schedule and $94 over budget. I remember that, when I finished, I looked around the nursery and told the baby that I was finally ready, he could come now. Maximus Rhys Claburn arrived the next morning.

Pregnancy made me more cautious and more crazy.  I used to hold my breath when I passed a smoker on the street or the exhaust from a truck. Extreme, I know, but I didn’t want the baby exposed to anything impure. I realized I couldn’t protect him forever, but this green nursery was my effort at giving him a safe and healthy start.

Since Zachary Smith and Maria Ivarsson—the Color Crew hanging the wallpaper and painting the nursery—are photographer/filmmakers, I asked if they would document the transformation. I figured when Max is in his rebellious phase, I could point to his nursery and say, “Look how I sacrificed for you!”

I was hoping for a few photographs, but Maria took 3,000 photos over 2 days. She set up a tripod in the closet and captured the room’s image every 5 seconds. Zachary edited the photos into an 88-second time-lapse video (which I find so entertaining, I’m tempted to run on loop in the nursery). Composer Jay Lifton provided the music, performed by Catherine Ho. My entire family is featured—my dad most prominently, along with Menelaus the cat and Maggie the dog. I hope you enjoy the results…

It was not possible to research every item that entered Max’s nursery, and I had to make compromises. Plus, organic and eco-friendly products are expensive (and therefore make excellent baby gifts, if you’re in the market!). But like other parents, we did our best. What I didn’t anticipate is how much the nursery would be, not just a reflection of Max and me, but of our friends and family as well. There are the chimes from his cousins in Israel and the name plate from his cousins in Africa. There’s the handmade knitted blanket from Auntie Phyllis in New York, the quilted playmat from Cousin Robyn in North Carolina, and the height chart and stuffed penguin from best friend Theresa in Massachusetts. Grandmom Claburn gave the glider, Grandpa Provenz built the crib, and Auntie Ruth passed along her dresser. Everywhere I look around the nursery, I see the warm welcome I was hoping to give Max long before we ever met.

Thank you for allowing me to have an adult conversation on a baby topic.  Now I must return to a world ruled by a self-obsessed dictator wearing a bib and footie pajamas.

Maximus’ Nursery Time-lapse
Produced by Jessica Provenz for BobVila.com
Photography by Maria Ivarsson | Video artist Zachary Smith

“Fugitive Garden Gnome”
music by Jay Lifton (ASCAP) Published by Jay Lifton Music (ASCAP)
Performed by Catherine Ho
Produced at Pulse Music, NY

The Final Word: My “Green” Nursery Challenge Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Rafi and Malek: the first users of the cradle.

Fine woodworker Abel Smith, of Tay River Builders, crafted a cradle for his best friend’s baby. He spent months executing a safe, eco-friendly cradle with the dream that it would be passed among friends for generations. He got the idea from a cradle from his own childhood; each parent who used that cradle would sign their newborn’s name on the bottom before passing it on to the next newborn. Since his best friend is Algerian, Abel used African hardwood accents and to represent the American mother, he used locally forested maple, walnut, and cherry. The completed cradle, pictured above, was finished with a clear top-coat from BioShield.

If I was in Abel’s cradle circle, I would have counted myself lucky to share in this wonderful tradition—even luckier to have saved myself the hours of research I ended up doing to find a suitable alternative. Cost was a factor—since infant sleepers are swiftly outgrown—and mine also had to be eco-friendly, safe, and portable. I was game for waking in the wee hours, so long as the wee baby was within arm’s reach.

In my 39th week of pregnancy, I was surprised (correction: overwhelmed) to find the following nine options (I tell you, nothing about having a baby is simple):

Foregoing a transitional bed and going straight to a crib saves money, space, and the environment, plus it might help your baby establish healthy, long-term sleep patterns. But a crib wouldn’t be portable, a deal-breaker for me.

Pack-n-Plays are traveling cribs—with bassinet and changing-table attachments—which can be used as cribs or playpens for years. But while you could theoretically outfit a Pack-n-Play with an organic mattress, you’d still be left with a plastic and vinyl base.

A bassinet is a smaller, portable crib.  A cradle is a bassinet on a rocker. When passed along, a cradle can be a truly great money-saver and heirloom.

A stroller is a portable solution, but “pram” mattresses are usually foam and vinyl, not intended for overnight support.

The organic Hushamok swing claims to create a soothing, womb-like environment that lulls infants to sleep.  Perfect; except for the $409 price tag.

Lots of infants end up in “the family bed” – it’s eco-friendly and free, but many first-time parents want another option.

A co-sleeper is a crib with one side opening on the parent’s bed, which allows the baby to be within arm’s reach at night. It can come in natural wood, and like the Pack-n-Play, be broken down and transported in a carrying case.

I chose the organic Moses Basket. True, I found a few other portable options, but the Moses Basket only weighs about a pound. With its handles, it’s good not only for traveling overnight, but also for moving from room to room. It retails for $315 with a wooden rocker, but I purchased a “like new” one for $80. The basket worked well for Maximus (asleep here), but if we have a second baby, I’m angling for a spot in Abel’s cradle!

With this purchase, I completed the green nursery and was ready for our baby to make his entrance! Next week is my final post—I’ll recount, from start to finish, how the nursery came together.

If you recently finished your own nursery makeover, we would love to see photos for future publication. Upload your photos on the Bob Vila Facebook page.

For more nursery remodeling, consider the following Bob Vila videos and articles:

Nursery Safety Tips

Touring a Completed Nursery and Master Bathroom

Installing Insulated Windows in the Baby’s Nursery

Infant Sleeper: The Final Challenge Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

The Pennsylvania House chair before

When I was just 11 days from giving birth, I still had 11^th hour projects to complete for my “Green” Nursery Challenge—like furnishing the room. With $228 left in my budget, the key word that week was “reuse.”

I scanned my extra furniture for anything useful. I say “extra” because my house is where my family discards useful—but no longer wanted—furniture. When the Provenz parents buy a new couch or table, I inherit the old one. Since my husband is an only child, he’s the rightful heir to his parents’ castoffs too. When we first met, he had an entire room of mismatched chairs placed in a circle, as if they were waiting for a self-help group to occupy them.

I located a pair of cherry wood chairs and a matching end table. They had a warm country feel but looked tired and worn. Spruced up with a fresh coat of turquoise paint, I knew they would be perfect for the nursery. (What I didn’t realize: the chairs were purchased from Pennsylvania House 40 years ago and are worth over $400 now. Oops!)

The Pennsylvania House chair after

Not knowing their value, I squatted on a stool in the driveway one night at 11pm, wearing a bandanna over my face and splatter-painted maternity clothes. I was the scariest looking pregnant lady since Frances McDormand in Fargo.

In taking on the chairs, I adhered to the following guidelines on AmericanPregnancy.com:

- wear protective clothing, masks, and keep the area ventilated
- avoid latex paints that contain solvents such as ethylene glycol ethers and biocides
- water colors, acrylic, and tempera paints are preferable to oil paints

I sanded the chairs and table with 180-grit paper ($4), then painted them with Benjamin Moore’s Fresh Start ($15, an acrylic primer that I had tinted to match the topcoat). After applying two finishing coats of Benjamin Moore Regal Select Semi Gloss ($15)—a 100% acrylic latex paint that is water-based, odorless and durable—the chairs and table were refreshed and baby-ready.

Dresser and changing table

I rented a truck to collect more recycled furniture from my family. My sister-in-law gave me a pine dresser with a built-in changing table and hutch.  The piece was in great condition, even after six years of use and two children. I considered a glider but balked at the price range: $200-$1200.  I was just about to pass on this nursery staple when my in-laws informed me that they had not one, but two gliders in perfectly good condition!  And they weren’t pregnant!

Re-purposed rolling cabinet

A rolling cabinet got a new lease on life when I turned it into a crate for bedding and towels. I purchased a closet shelving unit from Lowe’s ($139) and a wooden trunk from Ikea ($99) that could double as a bench. In exchange for a home-cooked meal, my father spent a day drilling and assembling (thanks, Dad!).

This week’s costs:

Trunk: $99

Shelving unit: $139

Paint / Sandpaper: $34

Total: $242

While I was disappointed to be $14 in the red, the finish line for the nursery was within sight (even if my flip-flops were not)!

If you recently finished your own nursery makeover, we would love to see photos for future publication.  Upload your photos on the Bob Vila Facebook page.

For more nursery remodeling, consider the following Bob Vila videos and articles:

Nursery Safety Tips

Touring a Completed Nursery and Master Bathroom

Installing Insulated Windows in the Baby’s Nursery

Furniture: My “Green” Nursery Challenge Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Mirage Natural Exclusive Maple Hardwood Floor

I expect there’s a time for compromise with any home improvement project. If you’ve been tracking my “Green” Nursery Challenge’s ambitions and dwindling budget since the beginning, you might anticipate that the time for compromise is nearing.  With a $288 balance and the floors to redo, that time is now.

Wall-to-wall carpeting in a nursery is not recommended since the chemical adhesives that bind carpets often contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds).  The carpet fibers themselves can also trap lead, pesticides, and other toxins that you bring in on your shoes. And when wet, carpet can also become a breeding ground for mold, dust mites, and other allergens.

The “green” solution is to install hardwood flooring, like Mirage’s ”Natural” Exclusive (the floor of my nursery dreams).  The product is not only VOC-and formaldehyde-free but the company itself is eco-friendly, practicing wood and waste recycling, forest preservation, and reduced consumption.  The cost of installing a wood floor, however, far exceeded my expectations and budget.  While there were other options to consider—natural linoleum, ceramic tile, marble, slate, cork—the carpeting would have to remain intact, at least for now.

Hoover Platinum Collection Cyclonic Bagless Upright Vacuum

To make the carpeting work, I decided to take advantage of one of my husband’s greatest attributes: his love of vacuuming.  Our Hoover upright has a HEPA filter that is said to “trap 99.7% of the dirt, dust, and pollen.”  My husband also bought a plug-in Guardian Air Sanitizer for $60 which, according to the manufacturer, eliminates “over 98% of airborne bacteria, destroys odors and allergens like dust mites and mold spores, and uses natural UV-C light to sanitize the air.”  Those two things, plus a “no shoe” policy in the baby’s room, deserve some “green” points.  I am also hoping that the air filter can perform double-duty by providing white-noise for our newborn.

My father bought his soon-to-be-born grandson a bamboo palm after hearing about a NASA study that found common house plants are used to clean pollutants in space stations.  My dad reasoned if plants could purify the air and reduce VOCs in space, why not add an assist in the nursery?  Other plants that do a good job at air purification include: English ivy, Chinese evergreen, weeping figs, peace lilies, spider plants.

My nursery costs this time were $60. A balance of $228 remains. While I didn’t get my hardwood floor, I did learn an important lesson in compromise, something American Express might deem “priceless.”

For more information on nursery products and room makeovers, consider:

Nursery Safety Tips
Installing Insulated Windows in the Baby’s Nursery
Touring a Completed Nursery and Master Bathroom

Flooring: My “Green” Nursery Challenge Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

ISAK Penguin Turquoise Wallpaper

I settled on a penguin theme because “cars” and “teddy bears” seemed easy, and when you’re nine months pregnant and working full-time, why make anything easy? Penguins are cute, playful, and mate for life (which I hoped would teach our baby commitment). [Full disclosure: in college, I studied and impersonated a penguin for two months in acting class, which resulted in great affection for the feathery friends and, later, proved a fun party trick.]

I Googled “baby + penguin” and stumbled on the Holy Grail: A turquoise, penguin-patterned wallpaper from ISAK, a U.K. manufacturer of design gifts and coordinated home accessories.

Of course, traditional wallpaper is a no-no. Michael C. Lu’s “Get Ready to Get Pregnant” says vinyl wallpaper should not be used as it may contain phthalates.  Today, there are many safe and healthy wallpaper options on the market. Luck was on my side, because my penguin wallpaper was made on recycled and recyclable paper with vegetable based inks, and sourced from sustainable forestry. I ordered enough for an accent wall ($142).

As for the paint, I read “if you can smell it, it’s probably bad for you” in “The Complete Organic Pregnancy.”  The authors advise latex rather than alkyd- or oil-based paints, and suggest looking for paints labeled zero-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds), no-VOC, or VOC-free, as they are “almost completely free of carcinogens.”

Photo: Maria Ivarsson

Next task was to find a qualified painter/wallpaper hanger.  I interviewed two men who shrugged when I said the words: “non-toxic.” Then I met Zachary Smith of Color Crew, who could write a dissertation on healthy paint.  He endorsed Benjamin Moore Eco Spec paint (low odor with zero-VOCs) for our walls and a low-VOC paint on doors and window trim, because no-VOC paint would require extra coats and wouldn’t last as long. Before I could sputter about my “green” nursery, Zachary counseled that “It is impossible to live a VOC-free life—even plants emit VOC’s.”

While we awaited the wallpaper’s arrival, Color Crew spent hours—okay, days—consulting on color selection before I selected the aptly named “Sweet Dreams” over “Baltimore Sky” (in my next life, I want to be the person who dreams up these names). Zachary’s team accommodated my please-do-it-now-I’m-very-pregnant-time line, and painted and hung wallpaper like artisans (even when my order fell several yards short!).

This week took a big bite out of my nursery budget:
Wallpaper: $142
Wallpaper hang: $180
Paint: $485
Weekly Total: $807

$288 remained of my $2,000 budget.

The fresh coat of paint and the penguin accent wall gave the nursery real personality—now I could only hope it would mesh with our baby’s.

For more on paint and painting, consider:

How To: Paint a Room
Painting with Low-VOC Paint
Quick Tip: Use Low-VOC Paints

Wallpaper and Paint: My “Green” Nursery Challenge Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

My father-in-law pointed out that the crib would be showered by morning rays. I hadn’t noticed since the new nursery was our former storage room. Only the cat spent time there, and now I got it—Menelaus loves to bathe in sunlight. Our nursery wasn’t just bright, it was bright and bright early!  Giving the baby an east-facing room was a major oversight by this over-planner.

My solution: black-out blinds! Sure, they might mess with our baby’s circadian rhythm, but at least he’d err on the side of night. Everything else would wait—sleeping, eating, Kegels—until I made the nursery fit for an airline pilot.

Our plastic-coated blinds were installed by the builder a decade ago.  My trusty resource, Dr. Michael C. Lu’s “Get Ready to Get Pregnant”, gave me further reason to trash those and investigate which blinds are baby no-nos:

- Plastic blinds (with PVC) can give off chemicals, especially when exposed to heat

- Blinds with cords are a strangulation hazard

- Vinyl blinds may contain toxic phthalates (substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity), according to Dr. Lu.  Additionally, the Consumer Protection Safety Commission (CPSC) has found that vinyl mini blinds manufactured before 1997 may contain high amounts of lead, which is hazardous to children under six.

A visit to specialty shops educated me that blinds can cost thousands of dollars—who knew?

My parents offered their discarded, lovely cloth Hunter Douglas blinds, but they were 3 inches too wide. A professional quoted me hundreds of dollars to have them cut down, cleaned and hung. I was certain I could do better.

Redi Shade Easy Touch Cellular Blinds

Sure enough: Amazon had white black-out shades that were cordless and width adjustable (shipped with a special knife).  They weren’t the quality of those $1,300 Hunter Douglas beauties, but—at $40—they were just what this mom-to-be ordered.  Other pluses, they are 100% recyclable, sourced from sustainable forests, energy efficient, and provide protection from 99.99% of UV rays.

Days later, I stood on a ladder at 1 AM juggling screws, a tape measure and drill. My husband suggested I come to bed, but fear of our baby sleeping in a sun-drenched room kept me drilling. The shades were everything I wanted: easy, affordable, attractive, and safe. Best of all, in the middle of the day, the room was black as midnight!

For a touch of color, I opted for valances (easier to wash than curtains). I learned synthetic or treated fabrics also release toxins when exposed to sunlight. Better to use untreated natural fabrics with nontoxic dyes like organic cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo and wool.  For $7 each, I ordered a pair of organic cotton valances. You can’t even see a movie for $7!

For another $20, I purchased a steel curtain rod from Home Depot making week three my most affordable one yet:

Blinds: $80 ($40 each)
Valances: $14 ($7 each)
Curtain rod: $20
Total = $114.00

$1,095 remained of my $2,000 budget.

The day after installing the blinds, I was overjoyed to find the nursery pitch black at 7 AM. Menelaus was not!

For more on creating a “green” nursery, consider:

The “Green” Nursery Challenge
Installing Insulated Windows in the Nursery
Tour a Completed Nursery for the Newborn

Blinds: My “Green” Nursery Challenge Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

As if that wasn’t a tall enough order, a crib designed to “grow” with the stages of the baby’s development made the best fiscal and environmental sense.  I wanted a design where the mattress could be raised for easy access to my baby (Stage 1); lowered when he was able to sit unassisted  (Stage 2); and, eventually, converted into a toddler bed (Stage 3)—with guardrails.

Since I robbed the piggy bank purchasing an organic mattress, I needed to be fiscally responsible this week.  But first, I got mired in crib envy:

The Vetro crib (shown above) is 100% acrylic, see-through, and recyclable.  Who could recycle it, when it costs $3,500!?

Stokke’s sleek, oval-shaped Sleepi crib (shown above) is made of Beechwood.  It’s $800 including their custom-fitted foam mattress—so my organic mattress won’t fit; neither will standard sheets.

Sam Cribs (above) are country chic with a replaceable decorative panel.  American-made of sustainable maple, they retail for $1,175—not including the toddler conversion kit.

These cribs are adorable and eco-friendly but far exceeded my budget (and likely that of any parent who uses the word “budget”).

DaVinci’s Kalani baby crib (shown above) is #1 on Amazon.  Made from sustainable wood, it adjusts from infant to a full-sized bed (yes, you can spend your entire life in this one!).  It’s just $249, but that got me thinking…

If my priority was safe, cheap and cute, why not go to the motherland of safe, cheap, and cute?  Ikea!  Their Somnat crib meets U.S. and Canadian standards, adjusts from infancy to toddlerhood, and it’s made of sustainable wood with a safe acrylic finish.  Plus, it’s sleek-n-cute and comes in 3 colors.  For the $99 price tag, I could buy one of each.  Since my dad volunteered to assemble it, I opted for one: green.

Most nursery bedding and accessories are considered potentially unsafe, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).  To prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) the Commission says “Bare is best.” No pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, or bumpers.  And, no sleep positioners.  These items are widely sold (I received two as gifts), but all have been linked to infant suffocation.  I opted for “breathable bumpers” ($20), which provide padding without any risk. Plus, they come in eight colors to dress up the crib.

For sheets, I wanted organic cotton—free of dyes or chemicals.  But the pickings are slim; mostly all-organic cotton sheets are white or natural.  Where were the teddy bears or ballerinas?  I did find stylish, 100% cotton, American-made nursery bedding by a company aptly named “Inspired.”  For $193, I purchased two sets of sheets and changing pad covers, and a decorative pillow and blanket.

By week 2 of the nursery challenge, baby had a place to sleep—and nothing else!  I had $1,209 and six weeks left to tackle the hard stuff… like VOC-free paint.

My budget was set at $2,000.  Here’s where we stand this week:

Organic Crib Mattress & Protector: $479

Breathable Bumpers: $20

Baby Crib: $99

Crib Bedding: $193

Sub-total to date: $791

Budget remaining: $1,209

For more nursery-related content, consider:

Tour a Completed Nursery for the Newborn
Installing Insulated Windows in the Nursery
Finishing Touches: Childproofing a Kitchen and Stairs and Completing the Nursery

The Crib and Bedding: My “Green” Nursery Challenge Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

My first nursery purchase was the ever-practical crib mattress.  After reading a mattress article in The New York Times about harmful flame-retardant chemicals like PBDE’s (which have been found in breast milk), I knew that I wanted an organic mattress; one that was VOC-free and used natural flame retardants like cotton, wool, and natural latex.

At one national mattress retailer, their “organic” crib mattress had only 20% organic material—soy—the rest was memory foam with potentially toxic VOCs!  Perhaps the way to go was the smaller, mom-and-pop shops.  Of the indie sellers I located, none were within driving distance from our Jersey digs.  I certainly wanted to test the mattresses in person (isn’t that half the fun?).  And, if I didn’t pick a comfy mattress, I felt certain that our future soccer player would complain about it…at 4 a.m.!

Just as I was about to throw in the towel and order online, an organic mattress store—Essentia—opened that very week, just 1 hour away (talk about good karma).  I went to the store and lay on their stock. Luxurious.  Plush.  And, on sale for their grand opening – yippee!

I went with the top-of-the-line crib mattress ($579 reduced to $479).  Expensive, but this was my first nursery purchase and nothing seemed too extravagant for baby (yet).  The salesman had undergone three months of education on all things organic and I was his guinea pig.  I went hog-wild and bought a king-sized mattress for myself with pillows (pictured below).  And, since I’d spent two hours listening to his rap—and spending a hefty sum, he threw in a mattress protector for baby ($120 value).

Two words on organic mattresses: “not cheap!”  A crib mattress will run between $175-$600; a king-sized bed between $2,000-$6,000.  Since we spend a third of our lives on mattresses (baby spends half), I reasoned it’s not something to skimp on.  For a cheaper option, consider an organic futon mattress for yourself.

Tips on Buying Organic Mattresses:

- Most sellers offer a satisfaction refund or exchange program – helpful, if you can’t travel to test in person

- “Eco-friendly,” “green,” “environmental” are promo words – they do not mean organic

- Ask what’s in the mattress.  Layer by layer.  Make sure it does NOT contain: latex memory foam (get a natural latex), coils or springs, or polyester fill.

- Most sellers deliver free-of-charge and offer a 20+ year warranty.

Where To Buy an Organic Crib Mattress:

Essentia Organic Mattresses (offers readers of this site a 10% discount on all products through 9/31/11.  Passcode: BOBVILA)

The Organic Mattress Store

The Natural Sleep Store

Satara Baby

Healthy Choice Organic Mattresses

Week 1 of My “Green” Nursery Challenge was a pricey one!  I dropped $479 on a crib mattress and protector (pictured) – reduced from $699 – leaving 7 weeks and $1521 to create the dream nursery.

More importantly, months later baby is sleeping safely and soundly… and so are his parents!

The Organic Mattress: My “Green” Nursery Challenge Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com

Photo: Jessica Provenz

In the third trimester of my pregnancy, I never ate pickles or missed sushi. Sure, my stomach honked the horn by itself, and my toes were a vague memory, but this was not my primary concern.  I was fixated on one thing: the nursery! I could no longer focus on world events, books, or even mindless television. In those final weeks of pregnancy, preparations for our baby boy’s arrival became urgent and all consuming. The nursery would be safe, healthy and, of course, adorable. It would be bright, airy and unique for our little boy.

Photo: Jessica Provenz

Just eight weeks before my due date, I decided to transform our spare bedroom—more accurately, our storage room (that’s just some of the contents, at right, that filled the space)—into an organic baby haven.  While I’m moderately handy, I’d never renovated anything before. In fact, I never wanted to renovate anything before, but those nesting instincts are no joke.

Two books helped me focus on my eco-friendly nursery objectives.  Dr. Michael C. Lu’s “Get Ready to Get Pregnant,” outlines the medical benefits of detoxing your life pre-pregnancy. “The Complete Organic Pregnancy,” by Deirdre Dolan and Alexandra Zissu takes a journalistic approach to an organic pregnancy. Both books walk you through your home and tell you what’s safe for baby and what needs to go.

My budget of $2,000 was limited, but my “to-do” list was not.  Assuming the little one did not make an early appearance, I had eight weeks to complete the following:

• paint the walls (with VOC-free paint)
• hang wallpaper (with non-toxic glue)
• replace wall-to-wall carpeting with hardwood floors
• toss the vinyl blinds and replace with baby-safe treatments
• purchase a crib/dresser/chairs/trunks with a safe finish
• locate a mattress that does not have flame retardant chemicals
• set up storage areas to maximize space
• and most fun of all, select a theme and room colors

Naysayers said my project was too ambitious. Defeatists cautioned I’d get tired and should just put my feet up and eat ice cream.

Were these people kidding? And by “people,” I mean men. Women got it; a pregnant woman is a force! When we put our minds to something, there is no derailing us! My need to turn this 10′ x 11′ junk room into my dream nursery was unstoppable.

I spent countless hours searching stores, consulting experts, and scouring the internet. A lot of information was overwhelming or misleading, but I also found some gems. In this blog, I’ll give you the lowdown on creating a non-toxic nursery so that you can save time and money, and put your focus on the really important stuff… like picking a baby name.

Up next: Where will my baby sleep?

For more on nursery design, child-proofing, and eco-friendly home improvements, consider:

Nursery Safety Tips
Preparing a Quiet and Healthy Home for Baby
Touring a Completed Nursery

My “Green” Nursery Challenge Home Improvement, Home Remodeling & Home Repair - BobVila.com