Wednesday, January 29, 2014

New Arrivals: Interview with Tori Swaim!

      How did you start in this business? 
After my third child was born (a girl, after 2 boys!), I decorated her nursery in pinks and greens.  One day, while changing her diaper, I noticed how my bright blue Pampers wipe box stood out like a sore thumb in her room.  I thought to myself, “There has got to be something available that is cuter to hold baby wipes!”.   After a little researching, I found nothing!   I spent the next year and a half designing my first product, The Hide-a-Wipes Box – a decorative container for baby wipes.   I took my new product to the Atlanta Home & Gift Show in 1998.  The Hide-a-Wipes Box was a hit!  We’ve come a long way since then -  introducing  hundreds of bedding, room décor and gift items for babies and children.

Tori looking gorgeous!
Where do you see yourself going in the next 5 years?
I feel extremely blessed to love what I do!  Owning your own business can have its challenges, but it comes with many more rewards.   I love designing new products, and have an incredible staff that helps to support the business and our customers.  I see us continuing to introduce bedding and room décor items that new moms will love as well as growing our retail store base.  We will focus on what we are good at… keeping our product line current with trends, but also staying true to our style/look.
New Arrivals Stella Gray bedding

How do you find the fabrics you love and what makes them the right fabrics?  
Twice a year I visit Showtime in High Point, NC, which showcases new fabrics from all of the major fabric manufacturers.   Sometimes I am overwhelmed with amazing fabrics, and have a difficult time narrowing down my selection.  Other times I struggle to find a hand full of fabrics that will work for us.  I tend to gravitate towards pastels, bright colors and fun patterns.  I focus on keeping a  good mix of styles and patterns for our Custom Bedding Program available at select retailers. (like Daisy Baby!)

What trend do you see coming now? 
  •  Wall galleries of picture frames, mirrors, monograms, etc.  Check out our blog on gallery walls.
  • DIY.  With the advent of Pinterest, moms are getting inspired to get crafty in their nurseries & kids’ rooms. 
  •  Eclectic Bedding:  Mixing and matching patterns and colors to create a “thrown together” look in the nursery. 
  • Ombre:  On the walls, furniture and more! 
New Arrivals Dakota Blue bedding

 What makes a room more baby
Today’s nurseries are definitely more sophisticated, but should always have some décor items that remind you that the room is for a special baby.  Stuffed animals and sweet pillows can give your room the baby accent it needs.

 If you could give clients starting to put together their nursery some advice, what would it be?

 When designing a nursery, I would start with finding your favorite item for the room…A special wall accent, fabric, wallpaper, rug, etc.  Choose the color palette and style (modern, eclectic or traditional) for the nursery.  Begin with choosing fabrics for bedding and the furniture pieces, and go from there!  Pinterest is a great place for inspiration.  Follow us on Pinterest! (You can also follow Daisy Baby here.)


New Arrivals Storybook Wall Letters

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Crib, Bassinet, Moses Basket?


Lulla Smith bassinet

Where will your baby sleep those first few months? We're often asked why you'd want a bassinet or moses basket instead of a crib. The answer is... it depends on you!
Art for Kids cherub crib
Bassinets, cradles, moses baskets, mini cribs... they all fall into the category of a smaller sleeping space. Newborns are tiny! We don't think much about it, because cribs are made for babies, right? But babies are used to sleeping in a very small space (much smaller than a bassinet!) and then we pop them right into a crib, and crib mattresses work for toddler beds - sometimes up to age 5! They are pretty little for such a big space right away. Many parents prefer to start with something smaller, so we offer several options.

Maddie Boo moses basket
Consider what you're wanting for a sleeping space for your baby, for your individual circumstances, and go from there! Beauty, safety, comfort, size... Whether you choose to cosleep with your baby, bring a bassinet in next to your bed, or start her right out in the crib, that's up to you... and we're here to make sure whatever your baby sleeps in is beautiful, and just right for your family.
Bloom Alma Mini crib

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Color of the Year 2014: Radiant Orchid

Every year, we talk a bit about Pantone's color of the year. Why do we do this? Because that color is the IT color for that year. Chosen in a secret meeting of representatives from color standards groups all over the world, that color will influence everything you see that year... from your clothes, to you child's clothes, to home furnishings, to makeup... pretty much all consumer products will be influenced by Pantone's choices! So, if you're interested in being up to speed on the latest and greatest (which, let's face it, of course we are!) it's time to check out what we can find in the world of baby inspired by Radiant Orchid!



Middle is Pantone's Radiant Orchid. From Top left, we have Momeni's Lil Mo Hipster rug in Funky Paisley, Stokke's Xplory stroller in purple, Baby K'tan in purple, Mamas & Papas Juice high chair in purple, Rug Market's Shaggy Raggy rug in lavender, Baby Jogger City Mini in purple and gray, Cozywoggle in purple, and Maxi Cosi Mico Air in Posh Purple! You can throw a little orchid in the mix even if you don't have a baby girl - strollers, baby carriers, diaper bags... so many fun ways to use this pretty bit of purple!