The most beautiful sleigh bed in the world!
Written: Oct 21 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: safe place for your baby to sleep, beautiful craftsmanship
Cons: crib bumper may be loose, long delivery times
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| kgrady's Full Review: Pali Donna |
Why the Donna?
I researched cribs on the Internet, in stores and catalogs, and in the Baby Bargains book by Denise and Alan Fields. My husband and I decided we wanted a sleigh style crib in cherry. We also wanted a safe crib (of course) and one that our grandchildren would be able to sleep in one day.
After some trips to various baby stores to see the cribs and try them out, we narrowed down our choices to the Pali Donna crib and the Vermont Precision Caspian crib. We had also looked at some Ragazzi cribs but they had exposed hardware, which I didn't like. The Pali and Vermont Precision cribs both received high marks in the Baby Bargains book, both had hidden hardware, they were both very sturdy, and they both convert to a toddler bed (we don't expect we'll use this feature, as when Maggie is old enough we'll just move her to a "big girl bed"). Since we had gotten married in Vermont, we thought it would be cool to get the Vermont Precision crib but in the end we chose the Donna by Pali. Why? Well the Vermont Precision crib didn't have an underneath storage drawer. I was sold on the drawer -- I had to have it! I use it store sheets and blankets as well as the setup instructions for the crib. When we ordered the crib we didn't know if we were having Maggie or Jack, but we felt the style of the Donna was appropriate for a boy or a girl even though it has a girl's name.
As far as safety goes, the Donna meets all of the CPSC.
The price for the Donna was the same everywhere I looked -- $649.99. Our total ended up at $717.49 including MA sales tax and delivery/setup.
I can't comment on the setup of the crib as we paid an extra $35 to have the crib delivered and set up. It took the two delivery guys probably an hour to set up the crib (and they do this all the time), so I'm glad my husband and I didn't take that job on! If the store you order the crib from offers setup, I recommend you take advantage of it... it's one less thing you need to do.
The mattress has three height settings and I've just moved it to the lowest setting. Pali recommends doing this and removing the bumper when your child is 4 months old -- I waited until she was 7 months. I suggest you loosen the bolts (you'll see them) before adjusting the height as it makes it much easier and will save you 20 minutes of struggling with the crib! Remember to tighten the bolts when you're done. The mattress rests on top of the springs, so we purchased a mattress protector (a piece of vinyl with ties in the corners) upon the recommendation of the salesman at the store, so the springs won't tear the mattress cover and/or the dust ruffle.
To lower the side of the Donna, you need to pull it up and then push your knee into the lower part of the bars. This took me a while to figure out how to do when I was crib shopping. Luckily I was out with a friend who knew how to work a crib! While the opening/closing of the crib is quieter than most cribs, it’s not entirely silent. I try to make sure the side is down before I get ready to put Maggie in as I don't want her waking up when I'm opening the crib. When you raise the side, it clicks into place (so you'll know it's locked) but the click isn't too loud.
In addition to the cherry finish (which is what is shown in the picture), the Donna also comes in amber, natural and white.
Considerations:
The Donna crib has a solid headboard and footboard. We like this as we can sneak in the room to check on Maggie without her seeing us. But, there are some disadvantages to this style. Our crib bumper (Classic Pooh in white if you're wondering) was designed to be tied on the corner posts of the crib. Since the Donna doesn't have corner posts, I had to tie it on the bars, which meant 1) it was a little loose, 2) I had to loosen the screws for the bars on the back of the crib to get the bumper ties in and then tighten them again, and 3) it was tough to get the ties through on the front as they kept going into the tracks that the side moves up and down on. I was nervous about it being loose, so added extra ties to the top and bottom of the bumper so it ties every three bars. I also had to remove the bumper (at least from the front of the crib) every time I changed the sheets, but I think this is the case with most cribs. Our bumper set also came with a "headboard" bumper, which is supposed to be tied to the top of the headboard, so it was loose on the top. I’ve since removed the bumpers since Maggie was using them to pull herself up.
If you're planning on getting this crib (or any Pali crib for that matter), make sure to order it early! We ordered ours mid-November and were told it would arrive in 12 weeks. Twenty-one weeks later, the crib finally arrived -- two weeks after Maggie was born! The cribs are made in Italy (where Pali is based) and then they travel to the states via boat. Once the crib left the factory, the store wasn't able to give me an update on when it would arrive beyond "it's on a boat". Make sure you have a backup plan for where your baby will sleep if you're cutting it close with delivery times.
Summary
We’ve had the Donna crib for 7 months now, and I’m still very pleased with the purchase. The crib is very sturdy and I feel my daughter is safe when she is in it. It’s also a very beautiful piece of furniture and I enjoy just looking at it. I think Maggie likes it too because I've caught her stroking the wood on the headboard. I've also found her licking the headboard too, but I'm not sure how to interpret that!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
kgrady
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Member: Kathy O'Keefe
Location: Stow, MA
Reviews written: 36
Trusted by: 4 members
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