See HGTV Star Leanne Ford's New Furniture Collection, Inspired by her Baby Daughter
Crate & Kids
Leanne Ford's lastest home decor collaboration has a very special point of inspiration — her daughter, Ever!
The star of HGTV's Restored by the Fords just released two new collections: a tabletop line for Crate & Barrel and a range of children's furniture and decor for their offshoot, Crate & Kids.
"When you have a new baby, the hours you spend in their room are precious, so I wanted pieces that you would love to look at and really appreciate," says the designer, who welcomed her first child with husband Erik Allen Ford in March 2019.
She jokes that it's a good thing the opportunity to design this collection — which includes large furniture pieces like a crib and dresser/changing table, as well as decorative accents like a heart-shaped mirror based on one of her doodles — came along when it did.
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Crate & Kids
"I’m glad I never tried to do this before [becoming a mom]. Your perspective changes when you have children. I don’t think I would've done a good job before. So thank you, Ever!" she says with a laugh.
One item that was informed by her experience with new motherhood is the "Snoozer" glider. "We knew we needed the right angle, the right material that milk could spill on, a place for you to put your feet up." It had to be comfortable for long stretches, she notes. "That’s where we’ll read all of Ever’s books every night."
Crate & Kids
Though her own daughter is just 18 months, Ford took the opportunity to look ahead to her tween and teen years with her designs for bigger kids, including a scaled-down version of the arched canopy bed she created for her previous, adult-size collection for the retailer.
Crate & Kids
"I’m preparing to have no say," says the TV personality, who also appeared on HGTV's Rock the Block and A Very Brady Renovation. "I can do her room now and pick exactly what I want, but I’m sure as the teen phase starts rolling in, there’s gonna be who-knows-what in there." Still, she allows, "Seeing as I encourage creative expression in others, I’m going to have to let her do what she wants. I can’t wait to see her discover her inspiration."
Crate & Barrel
Ford's other new release, a line of dishes and tabletop items, was born much farther afield. She traveled to Portugal to find inspiration and meet with ceramicists. "It was so overwhelming, the options," she recalls of the pre-COVID trip. "You can do anything, any shape, any color. It was like all my art class dreams coming true."
Crate & Barrel
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The range includes everyday bowls and plates, special serving dishes, and vessels and vases perfect for a centerpiece, all in neutral tones. And they're intended to be mixed and matched. "Everything we created is meant to feel curated and brought from your travels," she says.
Reflecting on the collections, Ford tells PEOPLE, "This whole thing is a life dream come true. I’m a big dreamer, but I don’t know that I even let myself dream this big."
Leanne Ford for Crate & Barrel and Crate & Kids is available to shop now.
