Need a little inspiration for a modern nursery? You don’t have to settle for the cutsie clowns or Disney’s latest movie character. Creating a modern room for baby is easier than you think.Here are a few ideas to help create a sophisticated and unique baby room.

Think: furniture, walls, textiles. Start with modern cribs, changing tables and dressers. Modern baby furniture instantly gives the room a contemporary foundation to build on.

Next, the walls, broaden your color palette beyond pink, blues and yellows. Start with a neutral palette and a color using stenciled patterns or decals.Don’t be afraid to use color in a bold way. Read this article »

This may look like the world’s smallest sleeping bag, (how cute is that photo?!) but it’s actually a medical device that will help change mortality rates in poor countries. Modern medicine has helped save the lives of many premature babies, but in developing countries where medical supplies can be scarce or just to expensive for clinics to acquire, the Embrace Infant Warmer can be literally be lifesaver. Born out of a class project, the baby warmer is in it’s final stages of production and will soon be available to clinics in India, with plans to expand to Asia and Africa. The warmer is essentially a wax-filled heating pad that can be reheated in either an electric warmer or, if electricity is unavailable, in a water warmer for 20 minutes. It can keep the baby warm for four to six hours. Read this article »

Call it a cradle or a bassinet, or if only for the first few months, the future home of your baby. We’ve combed the web to bring you a unique variety of modern baby cradles, some help to help stimulate those developing senses, others are bent on saving the planet, but our favorites will have your baby swinging sweet and low.

The Baby C cradle is little expensive at $4170 but totally worth it cuz it looks so frickin cool! Designed by Dripta Roy for Puur the Baby C Cradle features a unique handle to rock baby to sleep.

This modern adaption of what probably was quite a common way to keep your baby out of harms way in ancient times. Noah was designed by Joost van Veldhuizen for OudenMooi.

The Swing Low cradle by Danish Designer Søren Ulrik Petersen helps baby develop motor skills. Keeps baby high and out of the way of family pets. And the close knit wool felt not only helps dampen surrounding noise but also folds up when not in use.

I love this hanging cradle from Swedish company Knoppa.  I kind of wish they made an adult version.

The sleek Babycotpod by Shaun Milburn looks like a miniature space ship. Babies who wish to be space bound can blast off in his own little time capsule, if only in their dreams!

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One of our favorite blogs is Design Crisis. It’s writer, Karly Hand posted pictures of the nursery she has created for her expected newborn. I love it! Lots of color and personal artsy touches. A variety of styles, my favorites are the birdcage lamp seen above and of course all of the framed outsider art on the walls.

The colors resemble a Baby Einstein play mat, visually stimulating and interesting to ponder. I like that the room as so many different types of shapes and textures. I think her baby will be very happy here.

For more photos of this cute nursery go to Design Crisis.

Are you a dedicated Star Trek fan? You might want to invest in the DoDo Basket, the new futuristic baby crib from Baby Suommo for your new Trekkie!

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The fantastic folks at Bobby Berk Home are giving away a beautiful Dwell Studio Paper Dolls Crib Set! And all you have to do to enter is submit your idea for a unique baby name. The Paper Dolls collection features sweet cut-outs reminiscent of the dolls you played with as a child. The crib set includes:a Bumber, Fitted Sheet, Crib Skirt and Play Blanket. Submit your winning name by commenting on Bobby Berk Home’s blog (click here) or on their Facebook Fan Page (click here). You can enter more than once but each name must be original. They’ll choose 5 of the craziest names and randomly draw a winner from those selected. One lucky winner will walk away with the prize. Drawing will be held Friday June 11th. Good luck!

Sisters Charlotte and Victoria’s sweet little toadstool nightlight provides a comforting glow that will help drive away those bedtime night frights.You can find it at one of our favorite online stores ROMP.

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Here at Modern Urban Baby we love anything sustainable. One approach to responsible manufacturing was represented at ICFF by Connecticut’s ducduc group, introducing their new Mason Gray line. Based in a restored 1897 building on a reclaimed brownfield site, and eschewing particle board and MDF for wood certified by The United States Green Building Council, this company epitomizes smart use. Named for ducduc’s CEO’s daughter Mason, and the Chief Creative Officer’s daughter Gray, 2009′s offerings are intended for “fans of ducduc who also appreciate something more traditional.” Wonderful clean lines and pulls are complemented by hand-applied stains in bright colors (our pick: the fuchsia and green mix) or subtly gorgeous shades including the perfect powder pink. Something about the look says Doris Day film, something says Hamptons, but it all adds up to a green gorgeousness you can be environmentally comfortable coveting.

Looking for some design inspiration for your children’s bedroom? We found these colorful rooms on the Contemporist blog site. These rooms are fun! For inspirational photos  visit the Contemporist.

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Cradles are perfect for newborns, convenient for new parents to carry from room to room and small enough that an infant doesn’t get lost in his own bedding. But your child soon outgrows the convenience and suddenly that expensive cradle becomes a disposable piece of furniture. That’s why we love the the Eco Cradle by Green Lullaby. The cradle is made of recycled corrugated cardboard so it’s durable and because Green Lullaby only uses non toxic paints and adhesives, you can rest easy knowing your little one will not be breathing any harmful chemicals. It’s easy to assemble and folds flat for storage or travel. A great solution for traveling parents or babysitting grandparents. Once the cradle has outlived its purpose your older children can use it as a play crib for their own “children” or store it away for baby #2!