Travis Isaacs/Flickr.com
Nursery decor is something most people don't think about until they have a deadline (and that deadline is somewhat less than nine months away). It's easy to panic over the thought of decorating the perfect room for a helpless infant, but if you take it one step at a time, before you know it you'll have a beautiful nursery waiting for your little darling.
Instructions
1. Measure the room you will use as a nursery. This will help you determine how much paint and carpeting you need and how big the furniture can be.
2. Choose a paint color. If you're a traditionalist and already know the sex of the baby-to-be, paint the room pink or blue. If you are waiting to be surprised, a buttery yellow or mint green can work for infants of either sex. Consider paying a little more for low-VOC paint, which contains lower levels of toxic chemicals that are released into the air.
3. Buy a soft floor covering. If your nursery already has plush wall-to-wall carpeting, you're set. If not, buy a large, thick rug for the baby's room. It will make it more pleasant for the baby to crawl on, and if she falls over and bumps her head, it won't hurt as much as a hardwood floor or tile would. Be sure to get a rug pad to keep the rug from sliding around or bunching up and tripping someone.
4. Pick out baby furniture. You will need at least a crib, a rocking chair, and a changing station. If you have room, get a dresser and a bookcase, too. Choose furniture that seems sturdy but is within your budget. Children are very expensive, but good nursery furniture doesn't have to be. Make sure the crib you choose meets federal safety guidelines, and attach any standing furniture to the wall so it can't tip when the baby is a little older and uses the drawer knobs or shelves to pull himself up. Order your furniture three months before your due date to allow lots of time for delivery and setup.
5. Choose bedding, window treatments and accessories. Baby bedding usually comes in coordinated sets that include a crib bumper, comforter, sheet and crib skirt. Matching window valances, diaper stackers, lamps and mobiles are often available separately. But don't feel obligated to use expensive prepackaged sets. Choose patterned sheets and receiving blankets that coordinate with the wall color you chose, and buy a mesh crib bumper separately for safety. That's all you really need in the beginning, since your newborn will not use a comforter until she is a year old. Use roller shades or curtains to keep the nursery dark for sleeping.
6. Have fun picking out wall decor. A mural is a great way to decorate a baby's room (think frogs, farm animals or flowers and butterflies). If you're not an artist, try peel-and-stick wall stickers, which are removable and come in nursery-specific themes. If you are trying for an upscale feel, order art prints of modern or abstract art; the colors and shapes in paintings by Joan Miró and Wassily Kandinsky will captivate children as they grow.
Related posts
A nursery is where a baby and his mother spend a lot of time, so it should be relaxing to both parties.A perfectly decorated nursery for a baby is every mother’s dream. She wants the best of every...
Cool colors often make a room calming.Often you choose a color for a room based on your tastes, furniture or current design trends. However, a 2004 study at the University of Georgia suggests that...
Show off some black and white pottery in a painted recessed alcove.A black and white color scheme brings both visual drama and classic elegance to a room. While it's becoming more common to see wa...
A painted mantel is a stunning accent for living rooms.Colors in the home evoke certain moods and tones, and you want your living room to reflect your personal style and well as make your guests f...
Painting color on white walls makes a dramatic change in a room for relatively little cost and effort. You might hesitate to use a dark or vibrant color, thinking the room will look smaller. Color...
