What is more exhilarating than planning for the arrival of a sweet bundle of joy? Don’t let the excitement be overshadowed by stressing over his or her nursery. Finding an interior design for a baby room that will grow with your child just needs a little planning.
Interior Design for a Baby Room
In many ways, designing a baby room is no different from any other room. You need a budget, a floor plan, furniture, a color palette, and a theme. One addition: in the case of a child’s room there is greater attention to safety.
Safety
Infants are pretty helpless so it may seem too soon to worry about things like electrical sockets and cords, but these are easy to forget about as the child grows. Thinking ahead may save an accident later on. That helpless little angel will be pulling himself up in no time! There shouldn’t be anything within arm’s reach that can be pulled down or into the crib.
There is another aspect of safety to consider: toxins. The recommendation is to use no/low VOC paints and natural and organic materials for bedding, pillows, and floor coverings. Adding a child-safe air-purifying plant or two serves the dual function of creating a serene and calming space.
Budget
There are SO many expenses for a baby, especially if this is the first. It is so easy to get carried away! With so many adorable ideas on Pinterest and in baby stores, the temptation to go over the top is huge. A professional designer is the perfect person to help you decide what you need immediately, what can wait, and how to build the foundation to add budget-friendly necessities and fun as your child grows.
The Floorplan
Create a space that is easy to traverse by creating zones for sleeping, changing, feeding and playing. Furniture and storage decisions become clearer when you can visualize how each space will be used, and how it might be decorated.
Furniture
The largest expense in interior design for a baby room is likely the furniture. There’s the crib, a changing table, some sort of comfortable seating for feeding, snuggling reading, and storage. The choice for furniture style is endless. Baby cute is still an option for the nursery, but so is every other design style. Seamless blending the nursery-to-teen furnishing with the rest of your home has never been easier.
Fortunately, there are now many options for furniture that transitions as the child grows. For example, there are cribs that become a toddler beds and then a twin bed, or larger. It only requires a little reconfiguration and sometimes an additional purchase of piece that converts it to a full size or larger bed. And larger mattresses, of course. These cribs may be more expensive than a simple crib but save in the long run by eliminating the need for purchasing additional beds as the child grows.
The same is true of changing tables. Rather than purchasing a single-task item, there are dressers with detachable changing stations, or a simple topper can be added to almost any dresser. Rocking chairs are traditional, and gliders are immensely popular. There is a wide range of seating choices, so finding one that fits your lifestyle isn’t difficult. For example, there are all-in-one rocker/glider/recliners with a wide variety of options. They are available at many price points, depending on upholstery and add-ons. These chairs transition nicely through the toddler, young child, tween and teen years, and even into other spaces when no longer needed in the child’s room.
Do not Overlook Parents and Caregivers
Designing for a baby room should also consider functionality and comfort for parents and caregivers. They will be spending a lot of time in this room. Comfortable seating is a must, and changing and dressing areas should consider how much bending is required when selecting furniture pieces. While baby accoutrements need to be out of their reach, they do need to be within the adult’s reach. At a minimum, diapers, wipes, ointments and lotions need storage that makes them easily accessible.
Storage
There is an abundance of storage choices for interior design for a baby room that will grow with your child. Consider a crib with drawers’ underneath. If you select a crib that becomes a toddler bed and then a twin, these drawers continue to add storage.
As mentioned previously, choosing a dresser with a detachable changing station or just adding a changing topper provides much more storage than a changing table. A night stand next to the chair keeps things handy needed for feeding and keeping the caregiver comfy. Later it can serve as a nightstand next to the bed. Lidded storage cubes provide a place for toys, blankets, clothes, etc., as well as seating.
Consult with an interior designer for creative ideas for maximizing space in dressers and closets. There are many clever ways to grow these areas as your child grows.
Light, Air and Noise Control
Accommodating a baby’s sleep schedule can be a daunting task. Light-blocking shades and heavy blackout curtains help with both light and outside noise. Lighting that is dimmable mimics nighttime. And as mentioned earlier, air-purifying plants clear toxins. Of course, a quiet air purifier is also an option.
Color Palette and Theme
It isn’t an oversight that we’re just now getting around to talking about the color palette and theme for a baby room that grows with your child.
Big expense items such as furniture should be chosen independent of the color palette. These things need to be chosen based on the long view. Furniture is the supporting cast. The color palette may change as your child begins to form his or her own opinions.
Consider choosing the background colors – walls and window coverings, for example – to support changing interests. For example, softer hues of green, blue, yellow, cream or white can complement many other color choices.
Adding Interest
Prints and bolder colors brought in through bedding, rugs and throw pillows add interest. Artwork – and the frames – is another area to create focal points and express individuality. Bookshelves are functional and the colorful collection of reading material is visually appealing.
In order to transition easily as your child grows, temporary wall adornment is a quick and inexpensive option. You can use removable wallpaper and/or borders or choose from a plethora of peel and stick appliques. As with any room, don’t forget the “5th wall.” There are so many creative options for incorporating the ceiling into the design.
Choosing the Interior Design for a Baby Room
Outfitting a nursery with an eye toward how the room will grow with your child can feel overwhelming. As with any project, breaking it down into components will help de-stress the process. The old adage about how to eat an elephant applies here – one bite at a time! Start with the practical. Measure the room. Standing – or sitting – in the room, visualize yourself performing all the tasks. Figure out the floor plan. Use painter’s tape to mark off the areas for furniture and take measurements to have handy when making choosing the big pieces.
Once you have that in place, the real fun begins as you decide on a theme and begin creating a space for your little one to grow up in.
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