crib + Accoutrement

Cribs are highly regulated for safety by the CPSC (you can read more here if you're interested), so really anything on the market is fine. Beyond aesthetics, consider if you want (1) something that can transition to a toddler bed (many cribs come with conversion kits, though you can skip over toddler beds entirely and go straight to a twin bed that's low or has side rails) and (2) non-standard shapes and sizes (see: Stokke Sleepi) because those limit your mattress and crib sheet options.

Ikea has a lot of great cribs at great price points. The Sniglar is a wonderful option at $80 and it easily converts to a 3-sided toddler bed. We have been happy with the Oeuf Sparrow and just got the toddler conversion kit.

Babies sleep 12+ hours a day and have a lot of contact with their crib and crib mattress, so I was swayed to get a non-toxic mattress. This Gimme the Good Stuff guide on non-toxic mattresses is very thorough. We went with Naturepedic and have been very happy with it. The Nook Pebble also looks great.

The mattress pad is the waterproof layer between the sheet and the mattress. Get at least 2 because you need a backup when the first one gets dirty. Ours is made by the same company as our mattress (Naturepedic Crib Pad) and have been very happy with it. 

Cushioned crib bumpers are super cute, and lots of people use them, but research shows they are unsafe and the AAP strongly recommends against them (more reading on this topic here). If you want something that prevents the baby from getting his or her limbs stuck between the crib bars, there are mesh bumpers that aren't as cute but they get the job done.

Lastly, bedding: at first you just need the fitted sheet, since babies aren't supposed to sleep with blankets or anything else until they are older (we added a pillow and blanket around 12 months). There are so many good and cute options for crib bedding, and some of my favorite brands are Dwell Studio, Crate&Kids, Little Auggie and Restoration Hardware Baby + Child.