Many moms-to-be have an idea of their "dream nursery."
But their visions may not always be the most practical
for a new baby.
Here are some things to keep in mind before decorating
the room for your new arrival:
PLAN AHEAD: Baby
years are short. If you ae decorating on a budget, think
about choosing wall color that will last 5-10 years.
Then use a whimsical border
if you must that can easily be updated to a ballerina
or airplane version. Use accessories
to give the room a baby feel. Also make sure there's
a place for a bed once your baby grows out of the crib.
DOUBLE DUTY: Purchase
furniture that serves double
duty. You can get a changing table that turns over to
become a dresser. Purchase a crib that converts to a
day bed. This can save you money when it is time to
convert to a child's room.
BABY ROOM THEMES:
From Tropical Jungle to Noah's
Ark, Teddy Bears to
Winnie the Pooh there are many
delightful baby room themes to choose from - any one
will spark enthusiasm and generate exciting nursery
decorating ideas.
NURSERY DÉCOR:
Co-ordinated nursery bedding sets
and matching accessories can make easy work of decorating
a baby room, ensuring nursery décor is effective
and harmonious. But mixing and matching presents the
opportunity for more imaginative nursery decorating
ideas - and it's fun! The key to success with 'mix and
match' nursery décor is to select elements that
share color and pattern elements. Neutral wall and floor
coverings enables endless variations: keeping baby room
decorating ideas flexible makes it easy to adapt to
a young child's developing interests. By changing just
the accessories - nursery bedding
sets, pictures and rugs
- different nursery decorating ideas can be developed
without all the upheaval of a major redecorating project.
COLOR SCHEMES:
Decorating the baby room with a subtle, calm color scheme
is usually the best choice. Introducing warm colors
- rose, peach or primrose - into your baby room decorating
ideas will help create a feeling of coziness.
While decorating the baby room with the cool colors
- aqua, mint or sky blue - can create a feeling of
spaciousness.
Remember that many children's toys are made in bright
or primary colors, so select a color scheme using
colors that will look fresh for a long time. For the
most longevity you may want to steer clear of overly
bright colors such as orange or overy muddy colors
such as dusty avocado. The colors that always work
best are butter yellow, warm pinks, pretty greens,
and sky blues.
WALL DECOR: From
a series of framed art prints
to big cheerful posters, a collage of birthday cards
to giant stick-ups - nursery
wall décor can create an interesting focus and
highlight of color. Good nursery wall
décor will help to create a special place
that excites whimsical fantasy and imaginative storytelling
- the essence of a magical childhood!
FINISHING TOUCHES:
Bring extra interest and visual stimulation to your
baby's room on a budget, with the help of nursery pictures,
nursery bedding sets, toys and accessories. These are
the finishing touches that can bring nursery décor
alive!
FLOORS: Avoid
wall-to-wall carpeting. Use area
rugs on hard floor, if possible. Hard floors are
easier to clean up and they don't harbor allergy-aggravating
dust. Area rugs can be replaced much more easily than
carpeting as they get dirty or your child's tastes change.
STORAGE SPACE:
You'll probably need more room than you think!!! Once
the clothes get bigger and are joined by shoes and other
accessories, you'll need every inch of closet space
you can get. Not to mention a place to put all those
toys!
...A SEAT FOR YOU!:
Don't forget a place for you to sit in the nursery.
Pick a comfortable chair. You'll be spending many nights
there with your baby, reading stories or rocking him/her
to sleep.
And now, some practical Nursery Safety Tips!
*Put plug protectors in unused electrical outlets.
*Keep drapery and blind cords out of baby's reach from
the crib and changing table.
*Make sure that window guards are securely in place
to prevent a child from falling out the window.
*Never place a crib, playpen, or other children's furniture
near a window.
*Make sure your child's toy box doesn't have a heavy,
hinged lid that could trap your child.
*Never use plastic bags as mattress covers. The plastic
film may cause suffocation.
Expecting a child is an exciting time for everyone involved, and the preparations for the baby's arrival are part of the fun and anticipation.
