Baby Lars’ French-inspired rattan nursery

When I first published a roundup of my favorite rattan nursery furniture I hadn’t yet revealed the sex of my baby (surprise, Jasper’s a boy! And Felix, too! Ha!) so I kept my nursery favorites simple. While neither of my boys are a surprise to any readers anymore, it’s nice that so much rattan furniture is gender-neutral and timeless, so no matter who you’re expecting there’s something here for you!

In case you haven’t caught it, mood boarding is a major theme for Lars–I use them for pretty much every project! Becca made one for her wedding and I made one for my personal style. They’re just so helpful in setting a foundation for any creative project.

Designing a Nursery

Both times I found out I was pregnant I immediately started a secret Pinterest mood board to narrow down the 1,701 nursery design pins (I’m not kidding!) I had accumulated over the years and I started to notice a trend. The nurseries I was attracted to leaned on the French side with a heavy dose of rattan.

, tooOver the last few years, the USA has woken up to the world of rattan a little bit, but it’s still a lot easier to get show-stopping rattan nursery furniture in Europe. Shipping to the States can get really expensive (think $1500 to ship a crib! *Sigh*)! I spotted this flawless rattan crib, pictured above, on Atelier Vime’s site and it was inevitable, I fell in love. It doesn’t hurt to have aged herringbone wood flooring and other lovely architectural features like in the photo, too…

Rattan Cribs and Bassinets

With that immaculate crib as by inspiration I set out looking for French-inspired rattan nursery furniture and I found this beautiful bassinet by Crate and Barrel.

I did some more digging around and noticed that I loved the rattan mixed in with other wood elements and mixes of fabrics like the one below. Though you’d probably attribute this one to a boy’s room, it could easily be changed up for a girl’s room if these colors and toy choices aren’t your thing. This Cribs and Co. bassinet is for sale on Etsy, and gives the same kind of look.

I’m a big fan of the Jayce bassinet from Pure Salt Shoppe (pictured above), but like any new mother, I’m unsure what types of furniture you actually need. Lots of people swear by bassinets, but I found out they are cute and small but you may not use it for very long. Dommage! I was informed by my dear friends who are mothers that a Moses basket is a great transition into a crib because they’re transportable and cheap and once again, adorable.

They’re not always rattan, but they are a part of the same family so they flow well together. I talked more about my favorite baskets in my Lars Baby Essentials post, so check that out!

Rattan day beds

Paul and I are quite practical when it comes to discussing our sleeping habits so we anticipate needing to spend nights in the baby nursery. Might as well make it comfortable while we’re at it! I’ve spotted a number of lovely rattan beds here in America. Hooray! Like this one from Anthropologie or this much more dramatic one.

I love the back of this Venus Rattan Day Bed, and it would surely hold its own as furniture long after the need for a nursery fades. The Avalon Day Bed (on the right) is another great option, and it comes in a kid’s size too, which means that once you move your crib out of the nursery you can stick with the French-inspired rattan theme!

Rattan Accent Furniture

Don’t limit yourself to cribs, bassinets, and beds! There are so many great ways to incorporate charming, handmade rattan into a nursery. This rattan rocking horse is sturdy and has lovely vintage flair.

Once your kid has grown up a bit, chairs are a great way to bring rattan furniture into their room. This antique rattan and teakwood chair is a great one, and so is this rattan bunny chair for kids.

Kids accumulate STUFF, so this shelving solution is another great option.

I think it’s important to find furniture that you’ll love long after your kids have grown out of cribs, and this hanging rattan swing is sure to do that. It looks so pleasant to sit and rock a baby in, and later you and your kids can read in it. It is truly furniture that will become a fixture in your home through the ages and grow with your family.

No, I don’t think it would be wise to outfit the entire nursery in head-to-toe rattan, but I love the idea of bringing in one or two pieces to set the tone. Perhaps it’s a rattan crib and a lamp or perhaps it’s the daybed with some nursery animals. Who knows! I haven’t yet purchased anything. I love the idea of mixing in some vintage pieces too.

Shops that sell rattan baby furniture

I’ve barely scratched the surface with the above links! There’s so much rattan goodness to find and design with. If you’re lucky enough to live in rattan-friendly countries, here is a list of some of my favorite shops that sell vintage rattan furniture:

• Gabrielle roman (I mean, look at this! And this toy box!!!) 
• Atelier Vime (and what a lovely Instagram!)
• Cribs and Co. out of The Netherlands
• Swit Beds out of Portugal
• Lille Froken Solskinn out of the Netherlands

Custom rattan furniture

I haven’t yet found somewhere in the US that does custom rattan furniture, though I’m sure it exists (anyone know of a place?!) but I did find a place in Australia, The Rattan Collective, where you can get the most beautiful pieces commissioned. And yup, I already asked, and they currently do not sell to the US. (Pssst: this one and this one are my favorites!)

I’d love to hear from you!

Well, I certainly did not intend to write a full post about rattan furniture for the nursery. I guess this exposes my late night obsessions. Guilty! Once again, I’d love to hear your tips about finding beautiful vintage rattan furniture here in the US as the $1500 shipping price really bummed me out, and share your French-inspired rattan nurseries with #LarsAtHome!

Find More!

I have written a few more posts about rattan furniture since I first published this nursery furniture roundup. Check out this post about adding rattan furniture to your home decor and wardrobe, this DIY rattan sunburst mirror tutorial, and a huge roundup of a veritable smorgasbord of rattan furniture and decor.

Looking for more Lars baby content? In the years since I first search for rattan nursery furniture I have come a long way in the baby department, so look no further! Here’s Jasper’s birth story and here’s Felix’s.  Our shop has a dedicated section for babies and children, and it’s full of fun and beautiful toys, patterns for crafts, and art prints to hang in your nursery.

I also made a roundup of my favorite baby gifts and my recommendations for baby essentials, and I would love to hear about your favorite baby gear, too!