Lauren Ro is interested in baby gear (she’s a new mom) and the ins-and-outs of decorating a home. Prior to the Strategist, she was a writer at Curbed, and before that was Wes Anderson’s assistant.

A lot of baby gear can be garish — bright colors and eye-popping designs stimulate a child’s development but might not fit your more subdued home aesthetic. Baby play mats, with their large surface ...