If you plan to use a theme in the nursery, choose it first, before you select borders for the walls or bedding for the crib. To learn more about choosing a theme, please read Baby Nursery Theme Idea.
For decorating ideas, look in stores at baby furniture and at parenting magazines. Your local library may have several issues of a magazine with helpful ideas, and you will find many online too. When decorating, always consider your baby's safety to be your first priority.
Nursery decorating tips:
- Decide if you will use wallpaper, a border or a mural for the room. Choose a print that sets the tone for the room or mural for the focal point.
- If you are not doing a mural, choose another focal point. The crib, a display shelf, or cheerfully appointed play area.
- Select a complimentary background color for the walls, floors, and ceiling.
- If you have hardwood or tile floors with space rugs, be sure the rugs have skid-proof backings.
- Select coordinating fabrics, accessories, and prints that blend with the decor.
- Create window treatments that enhance the theme and provide room darkening as needed.
- Decorative hardware including switch plates and dresser drawer knobs can add continuity to the theme.
- One way to tie everything together is to repeat each color, fabric, and print in at least three places around the room.
- Choose patterns and prints in different scale. For example, use a rocking horse print fabric on crib bumper pads that has large rocking horses on them and then use a similar print on the sheets with smaller rocking horses.
- When shopping for baby furniture, consider buying furniture that baby can grow into, such as cribs that change into toddler beds.
- Make sure all of your nursery furniture meets national safety standards.
The nursery should be a restful and fun place for your baby, but don't forget to consider your needs too. Make it a special place that you both can enjoy. After all, you will spend a great deal of time there, caring for and playing with your baby.
To make the nursery inviting, you may want a rocking chair or other comfortable chair and footstool in the room. Storage will be important too. Make sure it is easy-to-reach for items you will use most often, such as baby clothes and diapers. While caring for you new little one, you will appreciate saving energy anywhere you can.