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Kim, Khloé, and Beyoncé Bought the Same Strange Baby Crib; Should You?

What do the baby nurseries of Beyoncé and Kardashian sibs Kim and Khloé have in common? Turns out all three mamas bought the same crib—and boy, does it look strange.

Behold the latest celebrity baby fad: a see-through crib. Talk about putting baby in a bubble! We guess for moms who want their baby on full display (hey, all the better for all those Snapchat pics!), this crib does the trick.

According to the website where it’s for sale, Modern Nursery, this Lucite crib “is the epitome of modern glamour” that easily “complements any color scheme while adding a chic touch … parents can keep an eye on peacefully sleeping baby.”

Oh, and it’ll cost you $4,500, so moms had best get some big spenders to check out their baby registries!

Khloé, who gave birth to her daughter, True Thompson, in April, is the latest famous mom to flaunt this odd piece of nursery decor, placing it beneath a pink neon sign blaring “Baby Thompson” for a real clublike feel. She’s following in the footsteps of her sister Kim—who selected this same crib for her 2-year-old son, Saint, as well as her daughter North, now 5. But Beyoncé got there first; she used this crib for her daughter Blue Ivy, now 6.

Lucite, a clear acrylic that can be infused with color for a jewellike look, is favored by designers because it goes with a variety of aesthetics. Philippe Starck used it to reinvent the classic Louis XVI armchair, calling his clear version the Ghost Chair.

Sure, it looks pretty cool … but is it safe for kids?

“Yes. It’s a totally nontoxic material—safer than lead-based paint that was once used on cribs—and impossible to gnaw on while teething, so no splinters in babies’ mouths,” explains interior designer Dina Bandman. “It’s also easy to clean; it wipes right down.”

In fact, Bandman also has a see-through crib in her nursery, although a slightly different style (below).

“I’ve been a Lucite advocate and fanatic for some time, even before I became an interior designer,” Bandman continues. “I commissioned a Lucite desk for myself when I was attending law school—I was living in a studio and did not want the desk to take over the space. For small spaces, Lucite is ideal, because it is see-through, so a small room does not appear cluttered.”

But this fantastic plastic is best in small doses.

“Of course, I wouldn’t decorate an entire room with Lucite,” Bandman cautions. “But a special piece here and there is a wonderful add.”

The downsides of Lucite furniture

But there are some disadvantages to this material, starting with the cost: Does a hunk of plastic have to cost as much as a used car?

“I think my vendor would say yes,” Bandman says. “It requires a lot of labor to produce Lucite, and working with it is also more complicated than a more typical material like wood.”

Another downside? “It can be quite heavy and it does scratch,” Bandman adds. Plus, “It needs to be cleaned with a special solvent, to ensure your Lucite piece remains like new for a long time.”

“I love Lucite, but it is high maintenance,” agrees interior designer Ana Cummings, who has Lucite bar stools in her boardroom (below). “It shows every kind of sin, from fingerprints, marks, scratches, every spill, including water.” Nonetheless, “If cleaning the crib is not an issue for the client—think every form of liquid like puke, pee, poop, and consumables like milk, juice, water, formula because I mean, kids are freakin’ messy creatures—then I’d say go for it!”

She means it—really.

“It’s a beautiful piece,” Cummings says. “Most cribs are the same generic pedestrian style from the time we were kids. The design really hasn’t changed. I like the idea of a different material, as long as it remains safe for the child. It will definitely catch on with hipsters or anyone aesthetically inclined.”

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