Tips for Decorating a Baby's Room

Here are a few tips from Prominent Paints that will help make decorating and planning your new nursery even better.

 

Keep it Simple for Childhood Transition

If you have a baby on the way you are probably planning your perfect nursery. A big deal for most expectant moms – this room will welcome your baby into the world and needs to be a practical but safe haven for mom and baby. As safety is especially important in the beginning, investing in a good co-sleeper is very important. Planning is important and the best advice is to take it slow. Do your homework before hitting the shops; put themes together, get paint swatches and consider the costs.

If you are clever – your nursery will easily transition into a toddler room when the time comes – so choose an ageless design that will grow with your child.

Use these tips from Prominent Paints to help when decorating your nursery:

Consider a cot that can be adjusted into a toddler-friendly bed or even a day bed. We recommend purchasing a wooden bed – making it easier to paint and change the colour of the bed to suit your growing child’s needs.

Ever heard of "too much of a good thing?" Don’t go heavily into themes (princess, poodles, outer space) and if you do – use tasteful accents that don’t dominate the overall design. You don’t want the theme so accessorized that it takes over. If you go overboard – it will date and your child will outgrow it as quickly as he or she outgrows those early baby grows. Opt for one big element that stands out and is a focal point in the room.

Try a rug, or wallpapered accent wall and keep everything else neutral. In so doing you can swap out elements that do date without starting from scratch, which is expensive and unnecessary.

Avoid going for trendy colours and themes – instead go classic – to ensure it doesn’t date and it’s more your style than what’s trending at the time.

An arrangement of family photos or framed pictures above the changing table will double up as art that isn't overly babyish – consider painting a 'family tree' on the wall as a way to add to the décor.

When choosing your paint finish – choose practically – different finishes offer different benefits:

• Matt paint has a velvety texture and hides imperfections on walls and ceilings, but it can be difficult to clean – not ideal for a baby come toddler room.

• Eggshell or satin paint is more reflective and it’s durable and easy to clean: fingerprints will wipe off more easily – a good option for a nursery.

• Semi-gloss and gloss paints are the most reflective, highly durable and will withstand multiple cleanings. It will highlight surface flaws so better for baseboards, moldings and doors.

• When you are selecting your colours – remember everything from bedding to nursery furniture to décor and walls must tie together. You don’t want your colours to shout at each other; there needs to be symmetry and they must have a long shelf-life.

Consider these colour tips:

You don’t have to go with blue and pink pastels to indicate gender – why not consider neutrals like beige, greige or grey, white or cream and then add an accent wall for pops of colour.

If you’re worried that the nursery doesn’t feel like much of a kid’s room because you have opted for a neutral palette, get creative by introducing bold patterns either through matts, cushions, pillow or throws.

The more aqua end of the colour spectrum is a shade that could easily suit either a boy or a girl, especially if it's anchored by black and white. Cool colours also expand a small space, making a room feel open and airy while warm colours are complimented by cool, and vice versa. While staying within the same shade of a colour, like decorating in different shades of blues, will create a soothing feel.

Colours opposite each other on the colour wheel will work well. For example: pink and green work wonderfully together, as do yellow and blue.

Choose the lightest shade on a paint swatch to give you a hint of the colour you’re going for without dominating the room. Save the more saturated shades for artwork, throw pillows, and other small accessories.

Research from the likes of the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute among others, has shown that in the first few months of life, a new-born baby only sees in shades of black, grey and white. The high visual contrast of black and white in a monochrome nursery and the use of these two colours in different shapes and patterns send the strongest visual signals to a baby’s brain. As a result, creating a monochrome nursery provides a visually stimulating environment that is said to boost your child’s attention span and curiosity, while also improving memory, and nervous system development.

This look will also provide the perfect base for growth – it is both gender neutral and not in any way dated – allowing for a swift change in furniture and accessories to transform it from baby blues to childhood chic. With monochrome you can introduce bits and pieces of colour and build up a look in that way.

Regardless of what you choose for your nursery – remember to prepare each surface ahead of painting – from sanding, cleaning to primers – each step will enhance the years and the finish of your room. For more tips and tricks visit our Facebook page: https://web.facebook.com/prominentpaints/