Home Styling: And baby makes three

Jan 28 2009 By Anne Hatton

What can be more pleasurable than the anticipation of new baby? More than any other design project, decorating a baby's room is an intense, but exciting process. It's easy to go overboard when designing a bedroom for a newborn, but following a few guidelines will help keep your sentiments and chequebook in line when planning a nursery.

PINK OR BLUE?

You might already know whether you'll be welcoming a girl or boy, which helps when choosing colours, but perhaps you're saving the excitement of the big event to find out whether you have an Alexander or Alexandra. Whether you want to go the whole nine yards, with pink carpet, walls and cot, or play it safe with other pastel colours, there's a whole industry based on decorating for babies, with a myriad of choice. When picking an overall colour theme, it's worth bearing in mind the long term viability of an all pink or all blue room. If you're prepared to change the decoration relatively quickly (say in two or three years) then indulge in your biggest baby decorating fantasy, complete with ruffles and bows. But if you want to be more practical, then look at making choices that will last into toddlerhood. This could be as simple as having a neutral palette on walls and floors and bringing in colour through bed linen and accessories.

Whilst we traditionally choose pastel colours for babies, in reality, during the first few months of development, babies only see stark contrasts. Don't be afraid to use stronger colours, such as red and deep blue, as these can be effective for your baby's development. Using a few of these colours as accents can be a bold addition to a nursery. Also look at introducing strong shapes into your scheme, as these are easier for a baby to see.

PETER RABBIT OR WINNIE THE POOH?

Picking a theme is an easy way to create a coordinated look. However, don't feel limited to picking a recognisable character, such as from Disney or a book. These will quickly date and you'll be bored in time with such a predictable theme. Why not just concentrate on a soft colour scheme, such as blue-and-yellow, which forms a good foundation to a nursery. Keeping things simple will ensure the room is gender neutral and flexible as your baby grows. Take your lead from cot linen or a rug to pick out a colour for the walls and window treatments. Textiles are an obvious way to soften a room, so look at coordinating fabrics for windows, rugs and cushions to layer the overall decorative scheme. These all can be added to or removed as your child gets older and will allow you the flexibility to alter the overall look as their requirements change.

KID'S CORNER

A cosy corner or chair is essential for a small child's room, particularly when you're nursing a baby. An inviting space will enhance those intimate moments - particularly when they occur at 3 a.m.! Ensure there's a comfortable chair piled high with cushions - for example, a rocking chair that will encourage sleep. Alternatively, a window seat is a charming addition to a baby's room and could become a welcoming area for bedtime stories (and eventually a homework space with a desk when your child starts school.)

LIGHT OF YOUR LIFE

Lighting can be particularly tricky, as you need plenty of strong light when baby's awake and wants to play, but diffused light when you want to encourage sleep. Dimmer switches are a parent's best friend, as it enables you to control the lighting as needed. Night lights come in a variety of forms, from musical lamps controlled by touch, to kinetic lamps that form moving shapes on the ceiling. Whatever you choose, think about what requirements you have - and don't forget this is an opportunity to add another creative layer to your overall scheme.

PLAY SAFE

It's also essential to consider health and safety issues from the start when planning a nursery. Make sure that your radiators are controlled so that they aren't scorching hot. Any electrical equipment, including cords and sockets, need to be well out of reach. All free standing furniture should be heavy enough to withstand a rigorous game of hide and seek or being bounced on (after all, your baby won't remain a baby forever!) All mobiles and hanging accessories should be hung so that inquisitive fingers can't pull them down. Most importantly in the early stages, it's imperative that all cot bedding, such detachable bumpers, should be attached by short ties or with Velcro.

SMART STORAGE

It's an ironic fact that as your infant grows, so does their accompanying paraphernalia! It's important to think about storage in the long-term, such as for books, clothes and games. If you're planning a room from scratch, make sure you have plenty of storage. Include bookshelves, which can house baby accessories for an infant, to be replaced by books when he or she is older, and clothing cupboards or wardrobes which can house anything from a stack of babygro's to a toddler's jumpers, trousers and shoes. Even a chest of drawers can start off as a changing table, only to take over as essential storage as your baby develops.

TOP TIPS FOR COTS

Today's cots seem to have as many options and extras as cars do, with prices to match. How does a new parent make an informed choice? With safety paramount, ensure that any slats are at most 7 centimetres apart, so that your baby's head can't fit through the gap. Any sides that drop down should lock securely into place when both in the "up" position and the "down" one. A new mattress is essential and should fit snugly into the sides of the cot. There should be no jagged edges to the cot frame nor exposed screws or nails. Look carefully at different models and features, such as cots with removable sides, which transition into use for a toddler, or ones with storage beneath the mattress. Also ensure that any bedding you purchase will fit your chosen size of mattress and frame.

Anne Hatton teaches interior design through Bucks Adult Learning, as well as running her own interior design practice, Embellishments Ltd. She is an Associate Member of the British Interior Design Association (BIDA.) She can be contacted on 01753-882425 or 07776-171-328 or through her website (www.embellishmentsltd.com.)