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8 Tips for Designing a Baby Nursery

A baby nursery is possibly the most exciting room to decorate in your home. Every decision that you make will conjure up images of you enjoying the space with your newborn, and it’s hard not to picture the countless memories that will be made in the room. Amidst all the excitement, it’s easy to lose touch of reality, budget and practicality. Here are a few items to consider in the decorating process.

Babyhood is Not Forever
It might be tempting to infuse every square inch of the space with adorable, baby-themed décor, but remember: your baby will age. Soon your newborn will become a toddler, then a young child, and so forth. Unless you want to completely redecorate the room with every birthday, keep the major elements, like walls and furniture, classic, timeless, and adaptable through the early life stages. Artwork, accessories, linens and other decorative items and can be switched up over time. This will give the room the refresh it needs at a much lower cost.

Keep the Palette Peaceful
Bright, trendy colors might seem fun and bright, but much of the time spent in the nursery will be centered around sleep (or willing the baby to sleep). The lime green color scheme will not feel quite as whimsical five months in, when you’re awoken for this fourth time in as many hours.

This doesn’t mean that you need to fall back on those tried-and-true baby pinks and blues—there are many other ways to create a tranquil atmosphere. Play around with light greys, which are a peaceful neutral that can make for a lovely blank canvas. Or choose your favorite color, but ask the people at the paint shop to dilute it with white.

Start Macro, Then Micro
Secure the major furniture pieces first, then work out the details like wall color, themes and accessories. It’s often much easier and cheaper to start with the larger items.

Repurpose Existing Items
For being such small people, babies seem to collect a lot of things! Big ticket items like cribs and changing tables can be costly and will have a relatively short life in your home, depending on plans for future offspring. Consider whether  you have any friends with young children who still have these large pieces of furniture. They might be willing to sell them to you at a fraction of the cost of a new item–or they might even pass them along for free. It’s amazing what a few coats of paint can do to refresh a piece of furniture. Just make sure that the pieces you buy and the finishes to apply to it meet the latest safety requirements and recommendations.

Locate Furniture Strategically
Pay attention to where sunlight enters the room through the window at different times throughout the day, and place your crib accordingly. You don’t want sunlight streaming through your baby’s eyes when they’re trying to sleep. Further, make sure that there is enough space to replace the crib with a bed when the time comes. The less furniture you need to move around, the easier you are making it for yourself down the road.

Keep it Easy to Clean
Don’t prioritize fashion over function. When choosing items for the room, always consider how easy it will be to clean and maintain. For instance, carpeting is cozy, but is not the easiest to clean. Hardwood (or another easy-clean surface) with area rugs that can be tossed in the washing machine are a much better option.

Do Not Underestimate the Power of Storage
When it comes to baby stuff, the general rule of thumb is to plan out the storage you anticipate needing—and then double it. Between diapers, lotions, clothing, toys, and all the other accessories, babies will acquire plenty of items throughout their early years. Chances are, you won’t regret the extra storage space you added in the initial planning stages.

Find the Perfect Chair
Don’t skimp on a nice, comfortable, easy-to-clean chair. Between nursing, reading, rocking and lounging, you’re going to be spending a lot of time in that chair. This is one of the areas where you should definitely be willing to splurge. Your back will thank you later.

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