Nappies In The Vintage Luggage

When I had to renovate our own nursery I found it more challenging than any room I’ve ever designed. There seems to be a lot of ready made solutions for babies and kids when it comes to their room design and I really had to go the extra mile to be creative and to make it our own. I truly believe that every room in a house should have a common design tread running through them. I don’t mean that they all have to match per say, but rather that they are all representative of your family’s individual style. Discovering somebody’s home is much like being on a great holiday. With every day, or every room, you discover a little bit more about the culture, the people and your surroundings. By the end you more or less have an idea of the place.

When I was looking for a baby changing station for our nursery I needed something that was small and compact, within our tight budget, unique and would have a life after Rián was out of nappies.

My husband bought this little vintage luggage at a flea market a few years ago for a project he had planned but (like a lot of things:)) never got around to doing it so for a while it was used for storing books on the floor. When I needed something to keep the nappies and wipes handy I figured it would be quite perfect. The wooden stool underneath is a special piece from a designer friend in South Africa. They look well together and it really works. 

Both the suitcase and the stool can have multiple uses in years to come. The case can be used to store toys or kids books. I’ll even take it back happily any time for my own use. As for the wooden stool, it is just something every house needs. Since we have it has been in every room, it was used as spare chair, bookshelf, desk, garden furniture and side table already and now it’s a piece of nursery furniture.

What I love about second hand furniture is that it come with a history all of its own. And now my family is adding to the story of these two pieces. I think about the person who, decades ago, once bought this suitcase brand new. Would they ever have believed that it would one day be used to store the nappies for a baby they would never meet? And I’m already looking forward to the times when my son starts carrying the luggage full of toys around the house.

Sourcing:

Second hand vintage luggage:

- Try the Oxfam shops, here is a link with all the locations:

https://www.oxfamireland.org/shop/shops-near-you

- Or the ultimate treasure hunt place is the Dublin flea market:

http://www.dublinflea.ie/

- Somewhere between 10-40€ you should be able to get a small one in good condition

Wooden stool:

- Try your local hardwear shop and garden store 

- Or here is a nice basic one from IKEA for 10€:

http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/77996709/