SingaporeMotherhood | Parenting
August 2015
How to Design Your Baby’s Nursery
Are you welcoming a precious little bundle into your life and home very soon? Getting yourself emotionally and mentally prepared to bring a new life into this world are crucial facets of being equipped for junior’s arrival. Simultaneously, you should also be focusing on the creation of an environment in which your baby can thrive in. This includes the proper set-up of a nursery!
[banner][/banner]
Narrowing Your Colour Options
Consider the colours to use alongside the furnishing accessories when setting up a nursery. In choosing colours for a nursery, Jeremy Rowe, Managing Director of AkzoNobel Decorative Paints for South East, South Asia and the Middle East, recommends going for soft chalky pastel shades such as pinks, blues and mint greens. These can aid in creating a relaxing and soothing environment for new-borns as well as young toddlers.
Warm and subtle hues can contribute to a relaxing and soothing environment for babies, whereas warm and inviting pinks can help in putting together a comforting and peaceful atmosphere. You could draw inspiration from Dulux’s ColourFutures™ 2015 Palette Layer+Layer, which is full of predominantly soft and pastel shades of blues and mints, which will give your baby’s nursery that additional tranquil effect. Cool blues and greens are also linked to nature, providing your little one with a calming effect that will help him relax and sleep better too!
Striking yellows are generally considered to be cheerful and energetic colours, but an overdose of these on the walls of the nursery could result in babies staying up all night. They can also become very unhappy and agitated. Thus, utilise eye-catching shades such as yellows and reds in measured amounts, and balance it by matching them with furnishing of softer colours. When you are choosing colours for a nursery, keep in mind that you should be going for colours that will be able to last through future revamps of furniture and other accessories. This will allow you to easily switch textiles and accessories to suit the growth of your baby.
Keep Clutter to A Minimum
In order to achieve a relaxed atmosphere in your child’s nursery, you should keep clutter to a minimum by storing your child’s toys in a large storage unit, such as a trunk that is painted in a similar shade to the rest of the nursery. If you wish, you can display a few of the most beautiful toys and mementos on wall shelves. Also, consider including natural textures, such as as soft sheepskin rug, woven storage boxes or a snug nursing chair. Why? These will help to improve your baby’s first sense – his sense of touch! Patterned walls are also highly recommended for nurseries as they can help conceal inevitable stains, scuff marks and little handprints!
The Type of Paint Matters Too
Select paint products that are free of toxic chemicals such as mercury and lead, and are low in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and environmentally-friendly as well. All of Dulux’s interior emulsions are Singapore Green Label certified, and they are also low in odour to reduce unbearable smells during and after the painting process. They guarantee comfort for your family and for the little ones.
Have you been wishing for a paint that is completely odourless? Consider your wish granted then! Dulux PureAir™ contains two revolutionary technologies, Paint Happy™ and AirFresh™, put together in a one-of-a-kind formulation which provides more breathable air with virtually no odour of paint throughout the painting procedure! Alternatively, you could go for Dulux Wash & Wear™, a paint that is washable! It offers effortless wipe-to-clean maintenance in the event of food spillage or doodling by mischievous toddlers. Made with KidProof Technology™, the paint has an innovative film coating which resists and repels tough stains so that cleaning will be a breeze! It is also scrub-resistant so that colours look fresh for a longer time!
Image courtesy of AkzoNobel.
Nursery’s Location & The Style of Your Home
You will definitely need to take into account the location of your baby’s nursery within your home. If you have a choice, opt for a quiet room that is close to your bedroom so that you do not have to walk far in the middle of the night. Ensure that a cold room is equipped with adequate heating and a warm room has proper ventilation. Should the windows of the nursery be letting in a lot of light, consider installing blinds or curtains to keep the room dark and thus allow your baby to sleep better at night.
What is the interior design style of your home like? Traditional or contemporary? Or perhaps a mix of both? Whichever it may be, it is essential that the design of your baby’s nursery reflects your own personal style and is in line with the rest of your home. Otherwise, you may find it being out of place and tire of it in the near future.
Other Design Tips to Note
Do keep in mind that you should create a safe zone around your baby’s cot by positioning it away from windows, heaters, lamps, wall fixtures and cords. Any furniture which you think your baby could climb onto should also be kept at a distance from the cot. Before you commence the process of decoration, select your furniture pieces first. It is simpler and also cheaper to match paints, fabrics and wallpaper to the key furniture pieces of a room.
Image courtesy of AkzoNobel.
Try your hand at striking a healthy balance between form and function as well. One of the challenging aspects of designing a nursery is ensuring that it remains practical and easy to use. You will need to consider what the nursery needs to be used for, its size, and the span of time for which it will function as a nursery. This will aid you in designing the perfect space that will cater to all your needs. All set to start decorating that nursery for your much awaited bundle of joy?
All content from this article, including images, cannot be reproduced without credits or written permission from SingaporeMotherhood.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram for the latest article and promotion updates.
