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Baby Nursery Themes

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Decorating Baby Nursery

Many expectant parents choose nursery furniture and decorations based upon manufacturers' collections. However, others want to make a more personalized statement on behalf of their baby. If you're up to the challenge, you can design your baby's nursery along a nursery theme, color scheme or any idea that appeals to you.

The Basics

The easiest way to begin planning your baby nursery design is by choosing your favorite colors. If you know the gender of your baby and have your hearts set on pink for a girl or blue for a boy, use that as the bottom layer of your nursery palette and build up from there.

Pastels are always a good choice for babies. Blue, yellow, pink, lavender and mint green can be excellent places to start. You might decide on a dual-color scheme; if so, make sure they will match so your baby won't be too stimulated at bedtime. Lavender and pink, mint and pink, light and dark blue or orange and brown are good choices.

Experts say primary colors are a stimulating choice for babies. If you're worried your baby will be too excited to sleep in a primary colored room, try adding a few primary color accessories to a neutral colored background.

Furniture

You can select painted furniture to go with your color scheme, or unpainted, finished wood in a variety of shades and types to go with virtually any nursery design. Whatever you purchase, make sure your baby's nursery furniture is sturdy, meets all safety requirements and can last your baby through his or her first three to five years.

Bedding

Bedding is another part of your nursery that you can design yourself. If you're creative, buy a simple blanket and add on patchwork shapes in the design of your choice. Be sure to sew down all blanket additions so your baby won't be able to pull them off and get them into his or her mouth.

Along with bedding, you can buy or make or buy a dust ruffle and a crib bumper. Make sure the bumper has at least six to eight ties so it will attach securely to the crib slats.

Professional Help

A fun way to design your nursery is to call in the “professionals”.

Does your mother-in-law have a knack for sewing? Is your aunt an expert at refinishing furniture? Friends and family members will be flattered when you ask for their help in designing your baby's nursery, and you will likely have a number of keepsakes as a result.

There are also interior designers who can help you design and decorate the perfect baby nursery.

Themes

You can select any theme you'd like for your baby's nursery. Consider the following themes.

• Circus
• Aquatic
• Jungle animals
• Farm animals
• Dancing children
• Moon and Stars
• Sun
• Clouds
• Cartoon characters
• Children's book characters
• Ethnic
• Geometric shapes
• Plaids
• Stripes
• Old-fashioned

Take your time in designing your baby's nursery. Add on new decorations or furniture as you think of them. Take pictures so you and your baby can remember the nursery for years to come.