Amidst so much to choose from, decorating and registering can become overwhelming. To sort things out a bit, our new Monday series invites happy nesters to share insight about the gifts that have helped make their homes welcoming and functional.

Today's guest is Nicole Block, a stationery designer and very happy new mama to a beautiful little girl. She recently found a few moments to offer insights that any new nester can appreciate.

What is the most loved wedding gift you have ever received?
“That's a good question! We got a lot of great gifts for our wedding. However, I think the most loved is this illustration that my good friend Danielle Deschenes did for us,” says Nicole. “We all went to college together, and I've always been a huge fan of her work, so to have something expressly made for us is such a privilege.”

What is the most loved housewarming or wedding gift you have ever given?
“I don't know!” exclaims Nicole. After some thought, she concludes, “I'll tell you which one I liked giving the most: for her engagement, I gave a very close friend a picnic basket with everything in it, since she and her husband (then fiance) used to do picnics together all the time. We included a bottle of champagne.”

What is the most useful housewarming or wedding gift you have ever received? “Useful...I think maybe our Alessi corkscrew. It's really great, and it's a wonderfully designed piece.” Triumphantly, Nicole adds, “And, I just realized that it's the ‘Anna’ corkscrew, which is the name of our baby girl. HA!”

What is your favorite home item that you purchased or found for yourself?
“So many!...I think that our buffet (antique piece…found on Craigslist) and our dining table (floor model purchased *on sale!* from ABC Carpet & Home) were our best finds." Nicole's dining table has a hammered surface that "can take everyday living and still look amazing, and I almost want to hug it every day!"

What is your favorite little treat {a certain type of flower, hand soaps, towels, sheets} especially for houseguests?
“A nice pillow. Obviously, we always have clean sheets/blankets/towels, but you need a comfy pillow for a good night's sleep, right?”

What dishware do you use on a daily basis?
“Our Corelle red paisley dinnerware. Love it! It's super lightweight and takes up almost no space. It looks great. And it's completely chip resistant. We got it after using our wedding everyday dishes for two years, which we wound up chipping and cracking so easily. It's a nice change to have something that's our style and that never looks worn.”

Have you ever registered for china or entertaining tableware {or splurged on some for yourself}? Nicole offers great perspective here, explaining that she “only registered for everyday dishes (mentioned above) and ‘better dishes’ - which means that instead of fine china, we registered for better everyday dishes. The Calvin Klein Cargo line are our better dishes, and I love them. We have multi-colored stemware, and the dark brown offsets the colors beautifully without making it look like a circus. I will inherit some beautiful china from my mom & grandma, and our social circles are not formal enough for formal dinnerware!"

That being said, like any girl she has some dream place settings in mind!

{Top row: 1, 2; Middle row: 1, 2, 3: Bottom row: 1, 2. All available from Michael C. Fina & Bloomingdale's.}

"Modern prints are fine for now, but when looking at somethign I'll keep forever, I want to make sure it's something I'll love when I'm 80 as much as I love it today."

What is your next dream or goal for your nest?
“We're considering painting a stripe in the living room where we have Anna's toy chest, as though it's her corner of the room. I'm going to do an illustration for that area as well. Everything we do now not only with our personal taste in mind, but also with our little girl in mind. We want this home to be warm and comfy and approachable, but still maintain its style."

Many thanks to Nicole for sharing her thoughts; you can follow her blog for more insights into modern design and doting motherhood!