Silver Cross Greenwich 3-piece Nursery Furniture Set review

The Greenwich range includes a cot bed (larger than your average cot) which converts to a toddler bed, a dresser with a removable change table top and a wardrobe. Coming in a white gloss finish, with oak “accents”, chrome handles and a contemporary, minimalist look, the large, sturdy pieces are made to last – although you will need to assemble them yourself at home.

Tested By:

Victoria, mum of 2 boys aged 3 years and 8 months, used the cot bed and change table/dresser for the baby and the wardrobe for storing things for both boys.

What were your first impressions of the Greenwich 3-piece nursery set?

The furniture arrived flat-packed in 8 boxes (plus a mattress for the cot bed, which must be bought separately). Each box can weigh up to 22kg, so it’s worth having some help on hand to move them around when you take delivery!

I thought the pieces would be painted solid wood and was initially slightly disappointed to see the gloss finish, as I thought it might chip easily. However, after several weeks of hard use I’m impressed at how well it’s holding up.

Silver Cross say the set is made from “premium man-made materials” with “oak accents” rather than solid oak for the base, and overall, while there are some elements that felt a little flimsy, like the backing of the dresser and the wardrobe, the Greenwich looked and felt like a high-quality version of most modern furniture.

How easy to assemble was the Greenwich furniture set?

The 3-piece set was quite straightforward to build, especially thanks to the very clear and easy to follow instructions. The contents of each box are clearly labelled with a simple system of numbers and letters, and the instructions are also available to download online.

It took us a weekend to build all 3 pieces at a leisurely pace, but you could do it much faster if you were focused and had no children around “helping”. We used a mallet, screwdriver and the Allen keys provided and assembled them in the room we wanted to keep them in, as they are quite hefty to move.

How does the Greenwich compare to other cots?

I have previously used an Ikea cot and several travel cots including one from Mountain Buggy and Baby Bjorn, however the Silver Cross cot bed felt like a much more stable and permanent piece of furniture.

At L145cmxW75cmxH86cm it’s larger than a typical cot (the Ikea Sniglar is L124cmxW66cmxH80cm) as it converts to a toddler bed, and I really liked the fact it would be useful for a longer period of time.

It would have been handy to have had some kind of built-in storage on the cot, like the Babymore Eva Sleigh, that has a spacious drawer running the full width of the cot bed, but the dresser and wardrobe made up for that.

What age is the Greenwich cot bed suitable for?

Pitched from newborn to 4 years old, I feel it would definitely suit this age range – and potentially beyond. My 3-year-old had plenty of space left in the bed, and I would probably keep it in the bedroom as a day bed for reading once it’s been outgrown, as it’s a lovely piece of furniture. The only caveat for using it from newborn is to make sure you have enough space in your bedroom – it’s recommended by the Lullaby Trust to have your baby in the same room as you until they are 6 months old – as it is rather big.

Does the set include a mattress?

No, the Greenwich set does not include a mattress but the Silver Cross TrueFit mattress (140cmx70cm) fits perfectly and can be added as part of a bundle.

The mattress is made from a breathable, hypo-allergenic fabric that can be zipped off and washed. It also, very cleverly, has a firm side for babies from 0-18 months and a softer side for those from 18 months to around 4 years.

Can the Greenwich be fixed to your bed?

Definitely not! This is a standalone cot bed that would take up substantial space in a bedroom. If you’re looking for something smaller for a newborn, the Silver Cross Voyager co-sleeper bedside crib might be a better bet.

How easy is it to access your baby when they’re in the Greenwich cot?

Very. In fact, the ability to easily see and get your baby in and out is one of my favourite features of this cot bed. The mattress can be set at 3 different levels with the highest for newborns, saving your back from having to bend over too much.

I used the middle setting for my baby at around 7 months and then dropped to the lowest one when he began to pull himself up on the sides.

Can you lower the side of the cot?

The sides of the cot bed are fixed in place and, unlike some models like the Ikea Gulliver cot, there didn’t appear to be an option to drop just one side – at least it didn’t feature in any of the instruction manuals or online.

Instead, further down the line, both side rails can be removed and the cot bed converts to a low toddler bed.

How portable is the Greenwich cot?

Not very! It’s large and heavy, so not something that can be easily transported or moved around the house. But what it lacks in portability it makes up for in sturdiness, and I really liked the sense my baby had a “proper” bed to sleep in.

It does folds down to flatpack size when disassembled, so could be stored in a loft or garage once it has been outgrown. It’s also worth noting the cot bed and toddler bed require different parts, so each mode will need at least some items in storage at any one time.

How comfy is your baby in the Greenwich cot?

The spacious size of the cot, along with the firm mattress (this isn’t included in the bundle) make this a very comfortable cot for babies. We are mid-renovation and my baby has been sleeping in travel cots a lot, and he was very happy to have something more permanent to sleep in – for both naps and overnight.

It doesn’t rock and can’t be tilted (unlike some bedside cribs), but this didn’t bother me or affect my baby’s sleep or comfort.

Does the cot feel durable?

Absolutely. The wooden materials and the heavy base make this cot feel very solid and robust. I have a strong 8-month old who is constantly pulling himself up on the bars of the cot and I was never worried it would tip or rock over.

How do you turn the Greenwich cot into a toddler bed?

To switch to a toddler bed, you need to remove the mattress and sides of the cot, then take apart the head and foot panels. Once you’ve done that, you screw two planks into place with the shorter head and foot panels, to create a low toddler bed that children can easily hop in and out of themselves. Switching it around took about 30 minutes – or less if you don’t misplace the screws!

How easy is the cot to keep clean?

So easy – you simply wipe the frame with a damp cloth.

If you decide to buy the separate mattress, the cover can be easily zipped off and washed. There’s a waterproof lining inside that can be moved up and down as needed, which would be a useful extra layer of protection when your baby starts potty training.

What was your favourite thing about the Greenwich dresser?

I really loved the removable changer top – essential a raised edge around the dresser, which perfectly contains a standard-size change mat, transforming the chest of drawers into a practical change table. Once your child is no longer in nappies, the edges can be removed, and it looks like a traditional dresser again.

It’s such a simple trick I was surprised I hadn’t seen it before, but it’s a great idea that really extends the life of the product. This is a brilliant addition for anyone like me that has a small house and wants hardworking furniture.

What are the drawers like on the Greenwich dresser?

The dresser measures L83cmxW51cmxH92cm, and the drawers are really spacious – so much so, I was almost able to fit my baby’s entire summer wardrobe in two drawers, including hats, bibs, socks, muslins.

They are also really smooth, gliding in and out easily, with none of the glitchiness I expected from something I’d assembled myself.

The only thing I wasn’t overly keen on were the chrome handles, but I think these could be replaced if necessary.

Is the Greenwich dresser with removable changer top useful?

Despite this being my second baby, I had never actually used a change table before, mainly because we have a small house and I didn’t want something that would be redundant after a couple of years.

I previously used a basket and change mat that I moved around the house, so I was very happy to have everything accessible in the large top drawer to just slide out while changing my baby

I used the second 2 drawers for his clothes, and it made life so much easier to have it all in one place, and saved my knees from bending down so much. Definitely a great addition to the nursery.

How useful is the Greenwich wardrobe for storage?

Honestly, the wardrobe’s minimalist design will not be to everyone’s taste, but I really liked the practical and child-friendly elements.

It has two adjustable shelves, two racks for hanging children’s clothes and is large enough to conceal the chaos of family life. The Greenwich wardrobe doesn’t have a drawer at the bottom like some of the other Silver Cross designs, for example the Coastline wardrobe (£325), but there was more than enough room to store shoes, toys and blankets.

My eldest boy also loved shutting himself in there as a little house for his toys, and the soft-close doors ensured he couldn’t trap his fingers when doing so!

Measuring L90cmxW54cmxH177cm, it’s generously sized for a child’s room. The only disappointment was the flimsy backing board, but as this is to the wall it’s not a big deal.

Of the 3 pieces it was probably the trickiest to assemble due to the door hinges, but this was simple enough to tackle with a screwdriver.

What elements of the Greenwich 3-piece nursery set did you like the most?

I really appreciated the design touches that extend the longevity of the furniture, by allowing them to convert from baby-orientated designs to ones that will suit toddlers and older children.

For example, switching the cot bed to a toddler bed, and taking the change table top off the dresser really ensure these pieces can be used for years, which helps to justify the investment.

I also loved the generous size of the cot bed, the spacious drawers in the dresser and the soft-close features that make it safe for little hands.

What would you have wanted to know before you purchased the Greenwich 3-piece nursery set?

Although all of the measurements are listed on the website, the furniture was larger than I expected so I say it’s definitely worth marking the dimensions on your floor first, to get an idea of how everything will fit in your nursery.

Also, that there’s no need to be put off by the self-assembly – the dresser and wardrobe doors felt as good as anything you would buy fully assembled in a shop.

Who would the furniture set be most useful for?

I’d say it’s ideal for anyone looking for a versatile range of children’s furniture, that will last from birth until school age – provided you have the space for it.

What’s inside the boxes?

Cot bed:

• 3 boxes of furniture panels, plus screws and fixtures

Dresser:

• 2 boxes of furniture panels, plus screws and fixtures

Wardrobe:

• 3 boxes of furniture panels, plus screws and fixtures

What are the additional accessories that you can buy?

• 140cmx70cm TrueFit Classic Mattress (£99)
• Cot sheets (twin back for £19.99)
• Sleeping bag (£25)
• The wardrobe (£600), dresser (£550) and cot bed (£550) can also be bought individually

Is the Greenwich 3-piece furniture set worth the money?

This product retails for £1,700 for all 3 items (excluding the mattress), which although at the higher end of the market, seems like a fair price to me, when you take into account how much use you should get out of the set, and its quality.

The price is the same whether you buy the pieces of furniture separately or as a bundle, and as the set is currently on sale at half price – £850 – it’s most definitely worth the money.

How does it the Greenwich compare to similar 3-piece nursery sets?

Where can I buy the Silver Cross Greenwich 3-piece nursery set?

It is available from Silver Cross. Use MadeForMums’ unique discount code ‘MFM10’ at checkout for an additional 10% off.

MadeForMums Verdict:

The modern look and materials may not be to everyone’s taste, but the Silver Cross Greenwich set is a great package of practical furniture that will grow with your child.

The dual functions cleverly designed into the cot bed and dresser, mean the pieces have a rare sense of longevity that could make them worth the investment.