Alpaca Fur Rug and Pillow are Baby-Soft for the Nursery

Alpaca has a lot of great qualities. Chief among them is the lightness, softness, and silkiness of the fur, ensured by careful pelt selection and gentle processing. This softness makes it a natural for nurseries and children's bedrooms, where it can provide a touch of comfort in a fast-paced world.

Alexis, an artist from San Diego was looking for a soft fur rug for her nursery. Sheepskin was a strong candidate, but she was willing to consider alpaca, if it was softer and whiter. I explained that alpaca was not as shaggy or thick as sheepskin, but was softer and lighter. And since children weigh less than adults, the degree of support offered by the fur is not as important.

We then had a conversation about whiteness, because I never want to surprise people who might be expecting a snow-white natural fur rug. There actually is no such thing. Nature seems to like creams and beiges a lot more than white. But we don't bleach our pelts, because to do so would degrade the durability of the leather and the softness and strength of the fur.

While originally interested in a round or oval custom rug in a Puffs pattern, Alexis and her husband ultimately settled on a stock rectangular 4ft x 5ft4in White Puffs Rug and a matching 16in x 24in White Puffs Pillow as seen in the below picture.

"My husband and I purchased the white puffs rug and matching pillow for our nursery and absolutely love them. The natural coloring of the alpaca looks beautiful in the space and is incredibly comfortable to lay on with our son." - Alexis

There are many ways to integrate the the furnishings in a given area. One very effective way is by using the same color or color range throughout as the primary theme. In the above nursery Alexis has created a unified and harmonious feeling with the white rug, pillow, crib mattress and recliner. At the same time, monotony is avoided by the pleasing contrast with the colorful wall mural (which Alexis co-designed!). 

Depth is created as well, by layering the Puffs rug over a carpet of contrasting color and muted texture and pairing the Puffs pattern pillow with a smooth leather recliner. The result is a nursery that is alive and engaging while retaining a tranquil and restful quality.

What do you think about this design strategy? What would you have done differently? Leave us your comments below!