Nurseries are a long stay feature in your home. They are not a guest bedroom but the swanky pad of the newest and most precious permanent member of your family. The internet is swarmed with ideas of beautiful nurseries. Furniture, designs, wallpapers, colours everything is just a click away.
But this has a flip side too. One needs to be in touch with ground reality. Yes, the White nursery on your Pinterest board looks sublime, but is it easy to maintain in your dust friendly surroundings? Yes, a low sofa looks fabulous with cute babies modelling and lounging around on them but will it last long enough? These are certain questions that every parent needs to sit down and understand before they embark upon this personal journey of creating a room as special and beautiful as their baby.
The following is a list of tips that one must keep in mind while decorating nurseries:
1. Don’t get caught up in the hype: In other words, keep it simple. It is important to know the necessary from the excessive. Yes, a changing table is important but is the huge giraffe stuff toy in the corner necessary too? Ensure that only items of need are placed in the nursery and there isn’t much clutter.
2. Choice of colours: The colours of the nursery must always be soft. There is a scientific reason behind this. Soft colours are known to calm the nerves. So in the initial days of constant feeding, changing and napping it’s important that the nursery has colours that will negate the pressures of parenting.
3. Safety: When selecting furniture, especially online, make sure that it adheres to the safety norms. Unfortunately, in India there are no regulations for baby furniture, however, there are certain international regulations that may be of help. In the UK, all cots have to adhere to the BS EN 716-1 safety code. This code ensures that the cot is deep enough to keep the baby from climbing out. Similarly, there are regulations on cot bumpers. The fabrics used, the filling material, the size, etc. It is important to read upon these aspects and make an informed choice. Furthermore, the placement of the cot is very important. One must ensure that the cot is away from lamps, heaters, Windows, wall decorations and chords, etc.
4. Select key pieces first: Select your furniture pieces before you start decorating. Parents often choose their colours first, but it’s actually easier and cheaper to match paints, fabrics and wallpapers to your key furniture.
5. Child Proofing: We all need childproofing in the nursery at some point, hence its best to keep childproofing needs in mind throughout the design and assembling process. Saves you time and money later on!
6. Budget: Do not go overboard on your nursery budget. This room is more for the parents than the Baby. Baby cannot comprehend the colour, the look, the feel and by the time they do it’s time for a kids room vis a vis a baby room. So do not invest too much in creating This space. Also, it’s important to save up money now and save yourself trouble in the future as schools, classes, camps and day to day upbringing needs are seriously going to leave a gaping hole in your pockets!
7. Over Crowding:It is not necessary to add too many elements to your nursery. Do not over clutter with accessories and toys. Go easy on these items. Firstly, cleaning them on a daily basis is highly demanding and also babies have no interest in these items for the first 6 months. Keep the toys in a closet and take them out on rotation basis. This way the maintenance is low, toys last longer and tricks the baby into thinking that he or she is getting a new toy to play with every time.
8. Storage: One can never overemphasise on the importance of storage. No matter how much storage space you have with a baby in the house you will always be in the need for more. Make sure that your furniture is designed in such a way that you get sufficient hidden storage space. Apart from that, ensure that the cupboards and drawers are spacious and can take in a lot of the utility items.
9. Night Light: Keep one corner of the room only for the night light. The night light isn’t just for the baby but for parents and caretakers as well especially initially when you have to be up for feeds, changing and cleaning etc. Invest in a good night light that will last you way into the baby’s toddler years.
10. Paint/Flooring: When painting the room make sure that the paint you use does not contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s). VOC free paint is easily available in the market. When doing the flooring of baby rooms always go for wooden flooring. Wood is not slippery like tiles and marble and hence helps the baby during the crawling days. Further, wood stays cool during summer months and warm during winter months. It’s perfect for temperature regulation.
Remember, your baby’s nursery is going to become the one place where you spend most of your time in the near future. You have to make sure that it is your zone, your safe haven. Do not succumb to pressure but go with your gut instinct. Nurseries are purely a parents zone, so ensure that all you do is all you need not all you want.