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As a new mom, I know how exhausting the search for an actually stylish nursery glider can be. Don’t get me wrong, 2 a.m. feedings are tough too, but I’ve never felt so drained as I did when I was hunting for a chair where I could comfortably nurse, snuggle, and read to my now-eight-month-old—and on top of that it had to blend in with my apartment’s living room. If only Nate Berkus’s collaboration with Babyletto had timed up with my daughter’s arrival.
So now, the least I can do is share the good news: Berkus has brought his signature tailored touch to the nursery and kids’ furniture brand with a collection that spans 12 pieces, from a convertible crib set on antique bronze casters to an oak armoire with adjustable shelves. The two power recliner styles in the assortment are swathed in timeless fabrics designed by Berkus himself. “Most people look at a glider and immediately think ‘nursery,’ and I really wanted to challenge that,” he says. “We approached the silhouette, the fabrics, the proportions and all of those little details exactly as I would any other chair in the home. It needed to earn its place.” Read on for a closer look at the nursery staple I searched long and hard for, plus a few more standouts from the collab.
The Refined Recliners
The Sigi and Westham power recliners aren’t pretending to be regular chairs, but their fresh upholstery helps them blend in. The Sigi is available in an olive or toffee stripe as well as a cream linen, while the Westham comes in a gray or white tweed-like textile. And as a dad of two, Berkus made sure they were practical: the fabrics are water-repellent, stain-resistant Performance Slub Weave. “I’m under no illusion that anything is going to remain pristine,” says the design pro.
His thinking? These pieces will live a long life outside of the nursery. To prove his point, Berkus styled the chairs for Babyletto’s campaign in a foyer. “I want people to look at these pieces and imagine where they might live five or ten years from now–and we often have a sentimental attachment to the chair that held us through those nights with little sleep,” he shares. I didn’t need anymore convincing that they could go in a living room, too.
The Versatile Case Pieces
Babyletto
Astre Assembled Armoire by Nate Berkus
The chairs aren’t the only pieces that can exist outside of a baby’s room. Berkus points out that the six-drawer dresser, bookcase (cable management included!), armoire, and nightstand can all stick around. The storage essentials are all set on whimsical ball feet and come in a dark wood veneer or a rich green finish. Leave it to the organization-obsessed designer to include patterned fabric boxes in the collection for stashing toys, diapers, blankets, and books.
The Classic Crib That Converts
In true Berkus fashion, the 8-in-1 crib (it can go from a bassinet to a toddler bed) leans a bit Art Deco with its rounded oak veneer silhouette and the elegant trim around the end panels. It’s a solid starting piece for anyone designing a nursery, but once you’ve landed on the essentials for the room, Berkus encourages taking a pause. “I think the best nurseries change almost immediately once you start actually living in them,” he says. “You’ll discover what you reach for 20 times a day. And then the books and toys and photographs and little objects start arriving—the things that actually tell the story of your child.” As a first-time parent, there are a million tasks on my to-do list. Luckily, now, over-decorating isn’t one of them.