When it comes to decorating the nursery and kid’s rooms, we have a rare opportunity as grown-ups to really let our imagination run wild and make dreams tangible. (I’m pretty sure my husband would not be thrilled with glitter all over the Master bedroom). With so many patterns, designs, and themes, there is no limit on how much fun can be had with the decor. With our nursery, we started with the color lavender and let everything spring from there. A lot of the ideas we incorporated into the room were snippets from magazines and pictures. I let a small slice of my creative side out by buying giant letters to spell her name at our local craft store, painting them purple with glitter (the fun of having a baby girl!) and hanging them from a giant ribbon. There are plenty of pictures around, and I’m contemplating giant butterflies and maybe a fun mural (a glitter mural, perhaps?) when I have time to paint. Here are a couple of practical items we did include in creating a room for our baby.
Image Source: potterybarnkids.com
Our nursery has two big windows that face East. They get the most sun in the day, and let in lots of cold air at night. One of the first things we did was pick out baby curtains. I love the black-out panels from Pottery Barn Kids. These curtains have made all of the difference. They not only maintain a good temperature in the room, but they also completely darken the room and block outside noises for peaceful naptimes. Prices range from $39-$59 for the Pottery Barn brand. They have plain panels for layering under curtains, which really give the room a very homey feel and can incorporate so many looks with the option of heavy curtains for a solid look or light curtains for a whimsical feel. I was hesitant to put long panels up as I didn’t want my baby to grab onto them and pull them down as she is learning to stand and be curious. Instead, we opted for blinds against the window with the black-out panels that already come in a colorful pattern that we have hung high enough out of her reach.
Image Source: justkindsstore.com
When it comes to decorating the crib, there’s not a lot that can be done with a brand new baby. Doctors discourage any stuffed animals and pillows in the crib when the baby is brand new, which leaves colorful sheets and a crib mobile to liven up that corner. Since it can be relaxing for a baby who needs to sleep as well as encourage brain development with it’s shapes and colors, picking out a good mobile is important. We picked one out by CoCaLo because it is brightly colored and the repetitive tune (Rock-A-Bye Baby) is not in a terribly obnoxious pitch. Prices range around $30-$50.
Playmats get so much use! When the baby is brand new, they like to lay on the mat and stare at the dangly toys. As the baby becomes more interactive (and starts teething around 5-6 months) those toys get more attention being batted around (and chewed on!). Playmats are where babies can log tummy-time hours and learn how to roll over so they can interact with all of the fun activities. This was how our baby learned to roll over…. as she saw the crinkly ear on the elephant of her playmat, she kept reaching reaching reaching until she had flipped from her back to belly and grabbed ahold of it. When the baby learns how to sit up, playmats are a soft, warm surface to sit on and continue to grow and develop. We really like the Tiny Love Gymini mat because it has something for each of the developing stages of baby’s days…fun animals to watch (and chew on!), classical music to listen to, and bright lights to interact with. Prices on playmats can range from $10-$200, and the one we picked out was reasonably priced at under $60.
There are so many ways to have fun decorating for kids. There is no limit to the color selection, patterns, phrases or pictures that can be put up. Even the practical items can now be incorporated into any decor. Just let your imagination run!
Check out HGTV for more creative decorating tips!
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