FS&O: Making Room For Baby

The main conversation topic around our house, well condo, has been "How do we make room for a baby in our 1300 SF condo???" My friends in New York would gasp at this question and say how much room this is. My friends in Atlanta however would probably agree with my sentiments. I suppose it is all a matter of perspective. However, this still leaves me with the problem of how do I make room for a baby when my husband and I have already filled up our two bedrooms with a master bed, guest bed, design supplies and "stuff". I think that I could probably fill an entire room with my design supplies and still need more space. As a designer, it is easy for me to walk in someone else's home and fill the conversation with suggestions about how they can make things work, but with my own place it is a completely different story. Especially when we have never had a baby before and don't really know what that entails as far as supplies and space. I think that this is the time when many people realize that they need a designer, when they are moving or adding to their family or experiencing some other type of life change.

Dwell magazine had several interesting articles in their March 2011 issue about space-saving apartments and lofts. One article, entitled "Stow Aways" describes a couple living in New York who decided to renovate a 650 SF co-op (keep in mind they had no children). Both architects, they were able to come up with some really unusual ideas for making their space work: clothes hampers hidden in the wall, drawers hidden under the couch, a couch that turns into a queen-sized guest bed and the use of a hydraulic Murphy bed for the master bed. Their apartment looks beautiful and the space is inspirational. But, those of us who are not architects and do not have the money to renovate an entire space are in a different situation. However, taking ideas from the article is certainly on my list!

In my case, I am my own designer and am on a limited budget so here it goes.

Step 1: Clean out every nook and cranny and take un-needed items to goodwill.

Done! You can thank the snow week in Atlanta for giving me time to do this.

Step 2: Figure out how to get all of my clothes from my walk-in closet and all of my husband's clothes (already filling up two closets) into to two reach-in closets in our master bedroom.

In Process. I have gone back and forth about whether to do some kind of temporary system, an Elfa system, a California-closet-type built in system, etc. It is often difficult with design to know whether to get something that will work for a year or two or something that could last for the duration of the condo. The one lasting for the duration of the condo is obviously more expensive; however, it certainly would work for our needs and would offer our condo some future buyer appeal. We decided to go with a California Closet System. The system is being installed today - we will see how it goes!

Next Step: Pick out paint for the baby's room/guest room/art room and start looking at baby furniture!

Here is the current inspiration for the future nursery:

Photo Source: Restoration Hardware, www.rhbabyandchild.com