Photo-Illustration: Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers
In my previous “Strategist Brain,” I talked about my first real foray into plant growing and the world of chic gardening gear it opened up. This time around, I’m a little over seven months’ pregnant with my second child (a boy I’ve coincidentally nicknamed Sprout), so I’m once again preoccupied with growing in various forms — particularly my growing family and what feels like the shrinking square footage of our already not expansive home. We have two bedrooms, and very soon we’ll have two kids, so I’m devoting these final two months to some master-level Tetris interior rejiggering to fit both of them comfortably for at least several years to come. This means bringing in additional storage but being highly strategic about it: making sure every single piece works together and can be used for a while, removing and forgoing pieces that sacrifice square footage for the sake of design details, and optimizing empty wall space. I’m also doing a (mini) overhaul of the storage systems in our garage and closets so we can take advantage of hand-me-downs and neatly store what’s not currently in use — all this while spending as little as possible and not skimping on aesthetics. Some of this is what they call “nesting,” but it’s an absolute necessity, too.
I’d love to get as creative and niche as possible with our new layouts, but I have neither the time nor the bandwidth for anything too complicated right now. Ikea is definitely a more uninspired option, but it’s also about as low-lift and affordable as it gets. Our closet space is limited, hence the SMÅGÖRA wardrobe, which is tall but relatively shallow. It also has the same depth and similarly innocuous design details as the HEMNES dresser, which is about twice the width of my daughter’s current dresser and will serve as a changing table (with a Keekaroo Peanut changing pad on top). The IVAR shelving will hold toys, books, and the like, though I’m still playing around with various storage boxes and shelving configurations. I’ll likely be throwing a few TROFAST combos and wall shelves into the mix, too.
While functional, the Ikea items definitely need some zhuzhing up. I love a lot of color, but I prefer to go a bit crazier with extras like art, curtains, and lighting, so I’m opting for fun but minimal details that offset the furniture’s plainness without overwhelming the entire room. Drawer pulls are an easy answer, and Etsy has seemingly endless varieties, including these striped guys that remind me of the Yellow Submarine cartoon (one of my daughter’s early favorites). I also want to add some touches of color to the raw wood, and the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint keeps popping up in my Google searches. I’ll be using some simple bins like the Ikea KUGGIS to help organize the shelves (I already use them for some of my own art supplies, and they’re great), but I would be remiss if I didn’t throw in a few Hay crates as well.
Just because I’m going with Ikea doesn’t mean I didn’t take a little trip down the Scandi modern/modular–furniture rabbit hole for some other options, and my findings are worth mentioning, especially because they’re styles I have bookmarked for future upgrades. The Sprout Kids Adjustable Toy Organizer is designed for Montessori homes but is a fantastically simple shelving unit in general. There are four sizes to choose from, all of which are shallow (just 14.5 inches) yet fit both of the storage boxes I cited above and come with optional extra shelving and in a sliding-door model. Rafa Kids is a Netherlands-based brand, and I’m a fan of its entire line, but the sliding-drawer wardrobe is a real standout. And the String Furniture shelving keeps showing up on my “One Bedroom, Two Kids” Pinterest board (shout-out to Erin Schwartz for pointing me to the brand), so the right configuration may be an option down the line.
For the closets and garage, I’m off to the Container Store. The shoe boxes are how Susan Orlean organizes her shoes, and it’s also how I had been organizing much of my shoe collection for years before slowly repurposing them for various kids’ storage and just getting lax about the whole system in general (a big no-no, per Orlean). But these boxes really are fantastic for someone with limited storage and lots of pairs (they’re cheap and incredibly durable, and they stack neatly on top of one another), so it’s high time I got back to it. I’ll also be picking up multiple Weathertight Totes and Long Underbed Storage Bins, which are Strategist picks for the best heavy-duty storage bin and best underbed storage bin. The former I’ll be using for my garage, the latter for the under the bed (obviously) as well as lower-clearance shelves.
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I used an Ikea POÄNG as a nursing chair with my daughter, and it was fine — affordable, serviceable, and space saving — but definitely not the most attractive or, most important, comfortable option. I’d like to indulge a bit more this time around, and if I can do it in chartreuse velvet, perhaps my all-time favorite color and fabric combination, even better. (There are plenty of others to choose from, many of which, like my pick, are pet friendly and stain resistant.) This Joybird model is also not a nursery-specific glider, meaning it can easily transition to the living room later if need be.
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I love this mobile because it’s very cute but not cutesy. The balloons and fun colors keep it infant-appropriate, while the construction and materials make it closer to a Calder than your standard over-the-crib model — and thus much more suitable for long-term display.
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I tracked this down after spotting it in a photo on my Pinterest board. It’s made by Copenhagen-based design house Ferm Living (the brand has a heavy presence in our lineup of adult-friendly kids’ decor); technically, it’s a small quilted blanket, but I like it best as a wall hanging for the kids’ room. It’s sizable (about 2.5 x 3.5 feet) and eye-catching, but the muted color scheme will keep it from overpowering the rest of the décor and appearing too precious (I’m not outfitting a true nursery, after all).
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I apparently have a thing for birds? I remember badly wanting one of these lamps as a child but never getting one, so I may as well live vicariously through my children (because that’s healthy, right?). This original model pops up from time to time on various auction sites. If you want a new one with a more consistent (and typically much lower) price point, Belgium-based toy-maker Egmont sells a near-perfect match.
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This lamp is decidedly more grown-up than a goose, but it’s still really fun. Looks aside, it’s also highly practical — it takes up zero floor space (the base gets attached to a wall, similar to a sconce), it requires zero rewiring (unlike a sconce, it has a cord that plugs into any outlet), and there’s no chance of an accidental tip over.
The reincorporation of classic made-in-France clips into my hairstyling routine has been happening for a little while now (sparked by my discovery, while rummaging through a drawer at my parents’ house, of the jumbo-size tortoiseshell barrette I wore routinely in high school). But it recently occurred to me that a rotating collection of such pieces is a very chic way to hide the fact that caring for a newborn means far fewer opportunities for hair washing, so I’m expanding my collection. France Luxe has a huge array of styles. Many are not for me, but there are a few real gems, including some simple shapes in solid colors, tortoiseshell, and this surprising gingham pattern. Etsy’s selection is even bigger and features new and vintage options. I think Machete’s are technically made in Italy, but they’re beautiful quality pieces nonetheless. And while it’s an absolute splurge, Sophie Buhai’s France-made clip is an absolute dream.
I put a few Susan Alexandra necklaces on my “What Do You Buy a Strategist Staffer?” wish list this Christmas, and my husband was kind enough to oblige with her Eye-Con Neckalce. I adore it, but it’s a very look-at-me piece when worn on its own, so now I’m looking for some coordinating styles to pair with it and, paradoxically, mellow it out. Some plain chains are a nice place to start, and I really like the idea of adding some grain-of-rice-size pearls to the mix — or a single pearl, à la the Faris piece. A single initial necklace strung on silk thread (rather than a metal chain) is an interesting change of pace. And Millie Savage’s organic mixed-gem charm is flashy but may be the perfect balance for my standout SA piece.
I have so many shoes, but lately I’ve been cycling through the same few pairs of slip-on flats (mostly Birkenstock Bostons, occasionally Rothy’s Casual Clog) because they’re the easiest things to put on while still looking slightly pulled together (though that feeling is waning the more I wear them). I’ll still need an easy shoe after this kid is born, but I would like (I need) my postpartum wardrobe to both look and feel refreshed. I’m considering everything from dressier options like the studded Banana Republic pair and No. 6 flats to heavy-duty Blundstones and a comfort-forward yet surprisingly chic SAS style. The Vibae clogs are a nice blend of both worlds, while the Birkenstock Tokios are different enough from my worn-out Bostons to feel like a nice change of pace, especially in off-white leather.
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