Green Furniture Options• Think first about what you may already have — a small bookcase can be perfect for holding baby's toys and books, and a dresser can store clothing and stand in as a changing table with a pad placed on top.• Do shop vintage, but with a caveat — it's unlikely that older cribs meet today's stringent safety standards, so I recommend sticking with a new purchase for that one item. Vintage rockers, dressers, shelves and child-size furniture would make great finds.• If you have a hand-me-down crib, check with the manufacturer to find out if it meets current standards, and learn more about what those standards are on the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) website.• When shopping for new nursery furniture, seek out sustainable FSC-certified wood, 100 percent nontoxic or food-grade materials and finishes, and low-VOC paint. Online retailer Fawn & Forest is a wonderful place to start. Even if you don't end up purchasing anything there, you can familiarize yourself with the many green brands available.• If you do purchase furniture brand new from a big-box store, set it up as soon as you can to allow time for off-gassing to occur. If anything you have purchased for baby's room has a strong chemical smell, air it out outdoors (or in a garage) for at least a week, more if possible. The fumes will dissipate over time.• Your baby's crib mattress is an important purchase, since he or she will be spending an awful lot of time pressed right against it. Traditional mattresses are filled with fire retardants and other chemicals that give off harmful fumes, so consider splurging on a natural mattress. Naturepedic is a wonderful company that produces organic mattresses completely free of chemicals, made in Ohio. They are now available through retail giant Babies R Us, or check the website to find a store near you.Green tip: Think quality over quantity. A piece like this classic Eames rocker may be a splurge now, but you will love it forever.Nursery style notes: Don't be afraid of dark, rich hues in the nursery. When paired with white, wood tones and fun artwork, this dark wall feels sophisticated yet still child appropriate — and the lack of cutesy details means you probably won't need to repaint for a while.
