Life

Dear West Elm, Thank You For Finally Launching A Baby & Kids Line. It's. So. Good.

by Jacqueline Burt Cote

Parents whose taste in home decor leans more towards the modern end of the design spectrum have long been faced with a particular challenge when decorating a nursery or kid's room: How do you stay true to your design aesthetic when most sturdy, kid-friendly furniture is either fluffy and sentimental or covered in superheroes? At last, there is an answer: Pottery Barn Kids and West Elm are collaborating on a baby and kids collection, combining West Elm's sleek style with Pottery Barn Kid's traditional reputation (and marking West Elm's first foray into the world of baby and kids' furnishing).

Here's a fun fact: West Elm and Pottery Barn Kids are both Williams Sonoma Inc. companies, though this partnership is the first time the two have worked together on an exclusive product line. (Pottery Barn has previously collaborated with Lilly Pulitzer for a fabulously breezy and gorgeous kids' line.) The resulting products are expected to fill a long-standing gap in the baby decor market (and one that is most likely getting even wider as more Millennials start having kids). As West Elm President Alex Bellos explained in a statement:

“Customers have long looked to us for our unique designs and quality, and trusted Pottery Barn Kids for its expertise and kid-friendly products. Together, we recognized the opportunity to better serve our customers who are preparing for their next life stage by combining our skills and knowledge to create a modern nursery collection that is beautiful, affordable and sustainably made.”

That "sustainably made" part is a big deal for consumers today, and it's one this new line is taking very seriously. The pieces are made using all-natural, sustainably sourced materials, and meet GREENGUARD gold certification (which ensures low emissions of volatile organic compounds into the air); the bedding is made from 100 percent cotton. Available starting May 10, not all of the line is what you'd call cheap (pieces range from $16 to $1,369), but it's super high quality — these are the kind of purchases that can be passed down to younger siblings, or cousins, or friends, and they'll hold up incredibly well. Some even serve dual purposes: The Audrey 6-drawer changing table ($1,369), for example, has a removable changing table topper that can be removed when it's no longer needed.

The collection is actually split up into three separate collections with distinct vibes, depending on what kind of look you want to create. And while there are no giant rainbow-shaped sprinklers, which is arguable one of the coolest things Pottery Barn Kids ever made, you're still going to want basically everything from every collection.

The "mid-century collection" takes nursery items and gives them the West Elm treatment (think "retro angled legs" and acorn and white finishes). This Charm Wool Rug ($399) is an example of the accents included in this collection, which are colorful but not in a predictable, primary-shades sort of way:

The "modern collection," meanwhile, offers "clean-lined, white furniture offset with warm wood details" and neutral pieces like sleek this Niels Wing Glider and stationary ottoman ($349-$799 and sold separately), which looks like a very calming place to rock a little one to sleep.

Those in search of a more polished look will love the Audrey collection, which has a "luxe style" featuring "lacquer finishes, brass accents, and glam pastel textiles." Those pastel textiles include impossibly soft bedding you'll want to steal for yourself: Silky soft TENCEL sheets and quilts ($24-$79 each), made from all-natural eucalyptus fibers (like the platinum quilt pictured below).

Just start apologizing in advance to your about-to-be-maxed-out credit card now, because this stuff is too amazing to pass up. The West Elm X Pottery Barn Kids collection is available at www.westelm.com and www.potterybarnkids.com, as well as in stores nationwide and through the Pottery Barn Kids catalog (beginning June 1) and the West Elm catalog (starting June 5).