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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

designer's depot

Creating a Nurturing Nursery – Interior Design

Posted: 27 Feb 2012 09:58 PM PST

The nursery is the first room your child will ever inhabit. It’s the place where your baby will learn to sleep through the night, see colors and maybe even say your name for the first time. Since the nursery is the place of so many potential milestones, and because you want your baby to feel completely happy and at peace within your home, it’s important to make sure you plan the nursery to be a warm, friendly, visually pleasing environment in which both you and your baby feel at ease. Decorating a nursery can also be an extremely rewarding experience through which expectant parents bond with each other and their developing child.

Personal style is an important element of nursery design. During infancy, your baby’s attitude will mirror your own feelings. Meaning that if you feel comfortable and at home in the nursery, so will your child. At the same time, you should design with a child in mind. As your baby gets older and has an easier time distinguishing between shapes and colors, he or she will enjoy looking at colorful patterns, toys and artwork throughout the room. If you prefer a well-ordered design, it can be helpful to choose a particular theme such as jungle explorations or fairy tales. Allow colors, images and accents like bedding and pillows to coordinate with the theme more than with the baby’s predicted gender. After the baby arrives, you may use wall appliques to add more gender specific images if you wish.

While decorating a nursery, it’s also important to consider the type of furniture you will need. All nurseries will contain a crib for the baby, and many will have a smaller bassinet in which the baby can sleep before transitioning to a crib. Rocking chairs, changing tables and dressers are also common elements of a nursery. Some families include day beds, futons or small couches so that parents also have the option of sleeping in the nursery if needed. The style and color of the furnishings selected can be used to give the nursery a modern, classic or eclectic look. Likewise, deciding whether certain furnishings such as extra quilts, wash cloths and changing supplies will placed in plain view or tucked into drawers and cabinets contributes to the nursery’s overall feel and design.

The final aspect of designing a nursery is safety. Fortunately, you can design the nursery in a way that minimizes any risks to the baby’r well-being. For example, avoid using heavy bumper pads because younger babies may become trapped beneath them. Likewise, older babies may use these bumper pads as steps for climbing out of the crib. Make sure any wall hangings are out of the baby’s reach and that there is no danger of window dressings, artwork, toys or supplies falling or being pulled into the baby’s crib.

Enjoy the process of designing a nursery and be sure to take many photographs for your baby’s memory album. When one child moves from a nursery, consider updating paint and decorations to create a unique look for additional children who will call the nursery home.

Megan Gates is an active blogger who provides written work to the blogosphere pertaining to NYC Rentals, Hamptons Homes, home improvement and the latest architecture, design, fashion and travel. Follow her on twitter @MEGatesDesign.