Expecting the patter of tiny feet? You need to put
those decorating overalls on and start getting the nursery ready for
your new arrival
A new baby's on its way and it's time to decorate the
nursery but is it a case of blue is the colour or pretty in pink or
shall we hedge our bets?
Decorating a nursery for the new baby is an enjoyable task that most
couples will, nevertheless, argue over and both mother-in-laws will also
probably have a strong opinion on the matter, too. Ultimately the
decision is with the mother as this will be her domain where she
retreats to care for the new arrival. Therefore the first thing that a
mother-to-be needs to consider is how much she is going to use on the
nursery. The budget dictates whether she is going to shop for expensive
material or the relatively low priced ones. Alternatively, she can visit
resale shops for cheaper deals. Mothers that are more creative can also
decide to reuse old items, which could be improved with repainting to
ease the overall financial expenditure.
The size of the nursery also matters. Decorating a large nursery or a
smaller one still poses challenges to the mother. If you have a large
room, you may be bothered by large pieces of furniture that can give the
room a clumsy look. To utilize space provided by a bigger room ensure
that you get well-designed items. In a small nursery, the mother will
have to devise ways of keeping everything in good order despite the
space limitations. Have the walls fitted with storage shelves and use
furniture like a dressing table as a changing table. Enough space should
be set aside to act as the baby’s play area.
Proper lighting is of great importance in a nursery so ideally make sure
that plenty of natural light is available or, if that is not possible,
then adequate artificial lighting is at hand. Remember that the amount
of light getting into a room can determine how lively or dull the room
turns out to be. Remember to place different lights for different uses
during the night. Bedtime lights should be soothing whereas bright
lights can disrupt a child’s sleep.
Mothers are also torn between using either paints or wallpapers for the
walls. It becomes more difficult when the mother does not know the
baby’s gender. Going for solid colours that are not associated with any
particular gender could do the trick. Mixing colours will also ensure
that no single colour is over dominant. Another tip when decorating your
nursery is to use animal prints as opposed to super heroes and flowers.
This is because animals and alphabets are neutral and can be used for
both boys and girls as well as provide continued interest as the child
grows.
Bedding should be chosen to match the colour of the walls to create
harmony. Why not opt for a variety of prints such as large patterns,
polka dots stripes and plaids. These will unify the room especially if
matched to the window curtains, the lampshades, cushions and pillows.
Preferably, windows should be dressed with a blackout shade that gives
total darkness and allows the baby to enjoy its sleeping hours.
Once everything is set for the baby, a mother will want to put her
cuddle chair in the room and maybe even a footstool. These, too, should
coordinate with the rest of the nursery’s furniture. If the baby will
have to share the room with a sibling, either redecorate the whole room
or retain some of the original settings as a gesture to the older child.
Always remember that the nursery will be the child's room even when
he/she is older. They should therefore avoid themes that are too babyish
and adopt themes the child will still be comfortable with five years
later. Finally, don't forget that as the child grows, so too will their
reach and switches and other features which might prove dangerous should
be kept out of their reach. There's a lot to think about when decorating
a nursery!
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