Seeing as I've newly entered the parenting game and I'm now back at work, I thought it would be fitting to write a blog on Nursery styling/ designing.
Maybe a "what I wish I knew before" I started doing it.
So, first things first, unless you never plan on ever having your little baby in their room, it has to be practical.
It's hard to think of everything you're going to need when you're first time parents, but thats what I'm here for.
SO here are the basics (obviously) you will need: somewhere for the bubba to sleep, somewhere to store their clothes, somewhere to change them, somewhere to sit,
Once you have the basics you can expand on that. Not everything has to be conventional but it does have to be practical.
I didn't want a traditional change table, so I didn't get one. I opted for a chest of drawers that I restored and added a change basket that sits on the top. I'm so glad I went for this option, it stylish and functional. See Reva Basket for the one I used.
I get asked a lot do I need a feeding chair in their room..... It is a personal preference but let me tell you, you will want one if you don't put one in. It's so handy to have a chair so close to their bed for those times where you've been tying to soothe them all night and you need to rest your tired legs and back.
Now the basics are covered you need to think about how you want the whole room to look and feel. I mention this a lot in advice that I give; is that the feeling you achieve is the most important part of any design.
Do you want the baby's room to be calm, soft, romantic, stimulating, fun, or high energy? Generally their nursery should be a place of calm and a place to wind down before sleep, so try and bear that in mind when bringing a little tiny human into a space you want them to sleep in.
Most of the time you will be getting the room ready before the baby comes home and you may not know what you're having so that might be something to consider if you were wanting to decorate in a certain theme.
In my case it was a surprise so I did all the bones of the room before and then added the "personality" of the room after Florence arrived.
Something that is worth considering is the size of the furniture, is it big enough to do what you need it to but not too big that you cannot move. You will do a lot of pacing when you first get a baby home so make sure you have enough room to have a good solid "bounce and step" path.
We started Florence in a bassinet in our room before she out grew that in two months and went into her room in the cot. So, essentially I had that time to fine tune her room before she was in there full time.
CHANGE TABLE/ BASKET/ AREA.
You'll want to have room to keep nappies, wipes, creams and distraction toys close by as you never want to leave the bub unattended to go and grab the essentials. I opted for a chest of drawers that had open bays that I put baskets in to keep all those things close to hand. Another idea to keep them occupied is to have a lovely mobile above the changing area. Most people tend to put this above the cot but it's not the best idea if you're trying to get them to sleep and they are over stimulated.
WINDOW COVERINGS.
Total Block Out. and one more time for good measure. TOTAL BLOCK OUT. When you are trying to get bubs to sleep or keep them asleep this is so important. the best way I found was with a blind that sits nice and flush against the window frame. You can soften the area by having a curtain or sheer over the blind for aesthetics.
COT.
Now as we're talking nursery this doesn't include Co-Sleeping arrangements or similar.
This generally will be the hero piece of the room and baby will spend A LOT of time there so take your time, and get just the right one. Remember to keep SIDS advice in mind when making the bed. Keep the linen simple and "dress" the bed just for photos. A fantastic and safe way to spruce up a cot is to get a fabulous canopy. (This also aids in keeping light out of the cot.) When styled right this can completely change the look of a nursery from a bare space to a lush oasis for your little one to enter the land of nod. See Incy Interiors for the cot I used. Even though I haven't included a pic I also have the Botanical Canopy above the cot.
ROCKING CHAIR/ FEEDING CHAIR.
As mentioned above this is not essential but from someone who has recently "been there, done that" I strongly recommend it.
So when choosing a chair and you've narrowed to the colours and finishes you want, let your backside do the deciding. You need to be able to get in and out of the chair easily and more than likely you will be making this transition with a sleeping baby and you'll want to keep it that way. The arms need to be at the right height to feed (whether it breast or bottle you will get dead arms and you will thank me for this piece of advice).
I had the most gorgeous chair designed for me before I had Florence and I wasn't quite sure of the requirements I needed, the arms aren't quite right for feeding and I really wish I knew then what I know now.
Another important item is somewhere to put your feet up.....trust me.
DECOR.
Some things you might want to consider are shelves for the little bedtime stories, a few baskets for storage of swaddles, Blankets, toys or even dirty washing (you will have a lot of that).
Night lights (not to be left on while sleeping but for those night feeds and check ons.
Prints, wall paper, decals, photos: Nursery's are a great place to have fun with these items, soft or bold it doesn't matter, remember the feeling you're trying to achieve and stick to that.
Pulling this all together may take some time and it may be an ever changing project. Have fun, take risks, think safe and practical. If all this seems too much, I'm happy to do it for you. Call to book a consultation and we can work together to achieve your nursery dreams.
Bec xx