1950s Furniture for Modern Babies

By Carolyn Sayre

Having a baby will certainly change your life. But it doesn't have to change your decor. The newest trend in children's furniture does away with pastel hues and cartoon characters in favor of bold colors and clean lines that fit right in with the modern aesthetic that defines today's interior design.

Baby boutiques and department stores are featuring nursery lines with curvilinear high chairs, sleek wooden rockers and oval-shaped cribs that would make modernist masters Charles and Ray Eames feel at home. "It used to be unheard of to have anything but a pink or blue nursery," says Trish Holbrook-Meyler, owner of Modern Nursery, an online boutique whose sales have risen 84% over the past year. "But today's generation of parents--who tend to be older and more used to their existing decor--are opting for sleeker lines that go with the rest of their furniture." You may pay extra for these chic chairs and dressers, but many of them can be reused later in other rooms. Meanwhile, they give baby a head start on good taste.

Mod Rocker, $285-$385 This elegant twist on the bentwood chair comes in a chic dark stain

Stokke Oval Crib, $869 The Norwegian firm offers an edgy look with a bed that is all curves

P'kolino Klick, $198 A boldly colored modular desk set, it snaps together like a puzzle

Bloom Loft High Chair, $400-$500 Salon-style seating with a pneumatic lift