One of the more challenging aspects of preparing the home for a baby is designing the baby’s room. Especially for first-time parents, this task can be pretty daunting because of a ton of things you need to consider.
We’ve been there, too. And it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’ve created this quick and easy guide for you:
5 Things to Consider When Setting Up the Baby Room
Safety
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Since babies are naturally curious and carefree, they can (and they usually do) get into a lot of trouble even under close supervision.
By considering all these potential sources of trouble and planning for them accordingly, you can decrease the threat they pose to your child significantly. Make your baby’s room safe through the following:
- All electrical outlets can be covered or are out of reach
- Ample space between the crib and the windows
- No chords, ropes, or draperies are within reach of the baby
- Mattings and/or cushions fit snugly into their respective areas
- Toiletries, foods, medicines, and other stuff are out of the baby’s reach
- Always well-lit (preferably natural light during the day, then lamps or bulbs at night)
If you need an all-in-one baby proofing items, this Complete Baby Proofing Kit by Inaya Store has everything you need!
Storage
Courtesy of Babylist
Babies demand a lot of stuff—change of clothes, bedding, diapers, and a million other things. Because of this, try to incorporate as much storage space in your nursery as possible.
Not only does this make things more convenient, but it’s also safer for the baby when you don’t have to leave the room to get what you need.
For the best storage spacer, this Munchin Diaper Organizer by the Munchkin Store is amazing.
Comfort
Courtesy of Pinterest
Make sure that your baby’s room is not just safe but also comfortable for both you and your baby, especially since you will be staying in the nursery almost as much as your little one during the first few months.
It’s okay to put a few pillows, a bean bag perhaps, or even a recliner. Taking care of the baby can be very exhausting, so there’s no shame in making a room for you to relax in your baby’s nursery.
Baby things can be expensive, so make sure you can get one you can use for the years to come. This multi-purpose pillow by the Infantino Store can be used for tummy and seating support!
Budget
Designing a baby room can be expensive, depending on your space and theme. If you’re on a tight budget, try these tips:
- Paint your walls instead of buying stickers or wallpapers.
- Recycle or re-purpose stuff in the house to add nursery items such as bins and baskets.
- Go for DIY decors instead of buying decors.
- Keep your nursery themes simple, clutter-free, and minimalistic.
Design
When designing your baby’s room, you can choose a color scheme or a general theme. The general color of your baby’s room can do wonders in improving or changing your mood and your child’s. Take advantage of this by choosing an appropriate color to paint your nursery room’s walls and ceiling.
Paler shades of light hues (green, yellow, pink) are generally preferred by childcare experts because of their calming or cheerful effect so you can start with these choices. Dark and vibrant colors are not very common because they either excite the senses or leave a gloomy feeling.
Baby Room Ideas by Color
Courtesy of HGTV
Below are some excellent colors for a baby room. Although you can go for a single color, you may also go for two or three that go well together.
- White Baby Room
This color will make your baby’s room look spacious because it exudes openness, making it suitable for small spaces. However, it is prone to stains. You may also choose to pair this with another color.
- Blue Baby Room
This color is soothing, calming, and relaxed—a mood you want in your baby’s room. You can go for a relaxing powder blue or a cheerful navy one.
- Pink Baby Room
A popular baby color theme for girls, this shade can go from dainty and homey powder pink to lively and energetic bright pink.
- Grey Baby Room
Although grey is not a very popular baby room color, it is a good one to use because it invokes thinking and connects emotionally. If you don’t feel like going for a full grey room, try matching it with any other color.
Theme-Based Nursery Decor Ideas
Courtesy of The Spruce
If color is not enough for you, you can also design your nursery with a specific theme in mind. Here are some recommended themes to consider:
- Wood room – very neutral and earthy design
- Vintage eclectic – old, classic vibe with plenty of personalities
- Disney characters – princesses, princes, and magical creatures encourage imagination
- Vehicles – trucks, cars, and planes stimulate and foster a fascination with tech and mechanical stuff
- Nature – forests, wild animals, and underwater creatures trigger a sense of adventure and bewilderment
- Dinosaurs – often trigger curiosity, an introduction to science, and the occasional make-believe play
- Space – planets, stars, rockets, and astronauts introduce a love for sci-fi
Gender-Based or Gender-Neutral Theme Ideas
Courtesy of Decorilla
You can also settle for gender-based or gender-neutral themes, such as the following:
- Baby boy – often blue; adventure-centered themes like space, dinosaurs, pirates, or vehicles
- Baby girl – often pink; themes can be floral, princesses, castles, unicorns, ballerinas, or bunnies
- Gender-neutral – neutral colors including grey, white, brown, yellow, or orange; can be about landscapes, woodland, underwater, sky, or space
Just note that newborns and babies will probably not be able to see or appreciate your theme’s visual aspects yet, but it will be a visual treat when they become toddlers.
Frequently Asked Questions on Baby Room Ideas
When should you start doing the baby room?
If you already have an allocated room for the nursery, you can complete your preparations a few weeks before the baby arrives. However, if you’re planning on re-allocating an already occupied space in the house for your nursery, you might want to start on this project a little earlier.
Moving things around and getting used to changes in your new house setup takes time. You might also want to factor in things like painting or the creation of additional storage because they will require an additional week or more to complete.
What colors are best for a baby nursery?
There is no official best color for a newborn’s room. After all, a baby’s eyesight is believed to only accurately distinguish color by the time the baby turns five months old. So, you cannot go wrong with any color. However, if you just want to narrow your choices, most childcare experts suggest shades of blue, greens, pinks, pale purple, and yellow.
What colors are best for a toddler’s nursery?
Since toddlers are more susceptible to the effects of colors than babies, you can take advantage of this information to deliberately influence your toddler’s overall mood.
Here are some suggested colors and their perceived effects:
- Red – excitement, passion
- Orange – warm, comforting
- Yellow – lively, cheerful
- Green – calming, refreshing
- Blue – subtle, relaxing
- Purple – mysterious, luxurious
- White – clean, innocent
- Pink – loving, romantic
- Gray – introspective, intuitive
- Brown – earthly-grounded
- Black – powerful, authoritative
What does a baby need in its room?
Here are some things you will need in your baby’s room:
- Cabinet for your baby’s clothes, diapers, blankets, and other apparel
- A comfortable chair for you to sit on or sleep on while breastfeeding
- Small waste bin (with cover)
- Small hamper
- Baby monitor
What do you put in a baby’s bedroom?
Apart from sleeping materials like a crib and mattress, nursery essentials usually include
- A cabinet for the baby’s wardrobes, blankets, and diapers
- A comfortable chair for the mommy
- Wastebaskets (for soiled diapers and other stuff you need to throw away)
- Small hamper (for dirty clothes and blankets)
How do I decorate my newborn’s room?
Follow the steps below:
- Start by making sure that your baby’s room is safe. Minimize potential sources of trouble such as sockets, dangling cords, or any loose items your baby might be able to reach or, worse, ingest.
- Pick a theme that you want for your baby and then complete the rest of the room based on that.
- Find a good place for the crib, away from the windows, but with proper ventilation and lighting.
- Place a chair for the mom near the crib. Set your cabinets close or within arm’s reach of the mom.
What are the best nursery colors?
Popular nursery colors include light blue, light green, pale pink, pale yellow, and white. There is no official best color for nurseries.
What is the best flooring for nurseries?
The following flooring materials are considered by experts excellent choices for nursery flooring because they are soft, resilient, quiet, and easy to clean.
- Hardwood
- Laminate
- Luxury vinyl
