WE’LL DO IT OUR WAY
Like Harry and Meghan, modern parents are opting for eco, gender neutral nurseries . . .
HOW to swaddle, how to rock, how to feed. Previous generations have enjoyed passing on — sometimes unwanted — advice. But modern-day parents tend to make light work of the endless tips and do it their own way.
As far as we can gather, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are just such a couple, opting for muted tones, clean lines and — the most championed trend of all — gender-neutrality.
REGAL EXAMPLE
A JOHN LEWIS survey found that the tide has turned against pink and blue among the latest crop of parents, with grey and neutral shades now featuring on most new nursery palettes.
Prince harry and Meghan are said to have favoured paint brand Auro — whose paints are scent-free and non-toxic — in their nursery, opting for a pale range of shades for their son Archie, joining countless others who now stay clear of making statements through colour in their baby’s first bedroom.
neutrality is not completely new, given that the ever popular The White Company ( thewhitecompany.com), founded by Chrissie Rucker, has always promoted keeping things simple, with pale pastels playing second fiddle to the dominant white and grey in its range.
Parents are still proving fans of The White Company, whose bestselling soft baby toys include the Kimbo comforter, £16, and Kimbo & indy Musical Mobile, £55.
‘neutral shades are an excellent choice for a nursery,’ says Charlotte Cosby, head of creative at Farrow & Ball ( farrow-ball.com). ‘As well as creating a calming environment, they make a versatile backdrop for changing interests. For a room that grows with them, use soft School house White on the walls and ceiling and keep colours like Rangwali pink or Bancha green to update pieces such as furniture or woodwork.’
Grace Tindall, founder of interiors company ScandiBorn ( scandiborn. co. uk), which specialises in modern Scandi decor for nurseries, says: ‘Using neutral tones and white, light wood and muted pastels or monochromes means you can add more colourful or graphic accessories in the form of cushions, wall stickers, storage, rugs, mobiles and artwork as the child grows.’
ORGANIC TEXTILES
WITH their delicate skin exposed to our harsh environment, it is paramount to protect baby’s health.
Organic clothing and furnishings are now a firm choice among parents. John Lewis ( johnlewis.com) stocks 80 per cent Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified materials among its babywear.
The Little Blue nest ( littlebluenest.com), a family-run British company, makes pastelcoloured organic muslins.
ila Budgen, of The Little Blue nest, says: ‘We only use organic hypoallergenic cotton muslin for all our products, grown free from any fertilisers or pesticides, and hand-picked so that it retains more natural wax. This makes it more durable, softer and gentler on baby skin.’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex preserved a royal tradition when they introduced Archie to the world for the first time on Wednesday swaddled in a soft, white shawl (inset right) made from merino wool by the small, family- run company Gh hurt & Son, which is based in nottingham.
SLEEP WELL
MEGHAN and harry are about to learn that sleep is a hot topic among parents in the first year of a child’s life.
Conventional standard cots, on the whole, look much like they used to, the big difference being the eschewing of plastic.
The solid wood SnuzPod has become popular given its safe dual-view and zippable, breathable mesh sides, aiding mothers for whom proximity to their baby in the small hours is key (£199.95, snuz.co.uk).
Plum+Sparrow’s hand-woven African Moses baskets, which feature pom poms, tassels and leather wrapped handles, are eye-catching, plus 10 per cent of every sale goes back to the weavers. Baskets start from £111 ( plumandsparrow.com).
WOOD IS GOOD
The increasing use of wood is not new, but nurseries are reflecting this change more than most rooms in the house. The Modern nursery’s Jupiduu Slide, an
all- white wooden accessory, is often found in today’s nurseries (£215, themode themodernnursery.com).
Baby toys adhere a to this trend, too, too like Blossom Blos and Bear’s bestseller, the tactile silicone-beaded Wooden Beehive rattle teething toy (£12.99, blossom andbear.com).
it’s not only toys, though. The theme of sustainability and longevity continues with the walls: parents might choose to frame baby hand-painted prints with The Drifting Bear Company, from £27, which will also personalise blankets, throws, cushions and wooden blocks on request ( thedriftingbear.com).
Or perhaps they’ll opt for spelling out their child’s name with wooden letters across the nursery door with Oskar & Catie (£2.20 each, oskarandcatie.co.uk).
ila, of the Little Blue nest, says: ‘investing in the perfect things will mean they’ll accompany your little one through those precious first years and you’ll cherish them when they’re older.’
PRISCILLA GOSLETT