Baby’s room need not break the bank

DESIGNING your baby’s room is possible on a tight budget. Firstly, it is important to figure out how much you are willing to spend before you begin the decorating process.

• Pick a few key pieces as the central focus of the room:

It is important to spend more on furniture that is of high quality and can blend easily into many different design styles. For instance, it is better to buy a hardwood bureau or bookcase that can withstand the years and fit in with the different decorations that will come and go in your child’s life.

Keep in mind that the best décor is when the objects that surround your child have meaning. A dresser from your grandmother may need to be refinished or painted, but there’s history attached to it.

• Safety is first and style is secondary:

Do your research, and don’t scrimp on price where your baby’s safety is concerned. When choosing a mattress for your new baby for example, look for products that address safety concerns such as sudden infant death syndrome and antibacterial protection.

Experts also warn against dangerous accessories. Mobiles are great ways to add colour and movement to your child’s nursery, but should be removed once the baby starts to pull to a standing position. This is also the time to make sure the crib is positioned away from a window that has a curtain or blind cord.

Decorative pillows and stuffed animals should be removed from the crib when the baby goes to sleep.

• Give old furniture new life:

Instead of buying all new furniture for your baby, take a look around your house or attic and see what furniture can be reused in your nursery. Flea market finds are also making their way into baby’s room. An old wicker hamper can always come in handy as a nappy pail or laundry basket. An antique trunk could be given a fresh look for the new baby’s room and used as a great storage place for baby’s winter clothes.

Simple hand-painting and crackle-paint kits are available at most hardware or do-it-yourself stores.

So when you throw a coat of paint on the wall in preparation for your baby, paint an old coat rack in whimsically bright colors for your nursery at the same time. Decoupage is an easy way to give old pieces of furniture a facelift. And a luxurious slipcover is a great way to spruce up an old nursing chair, yet it can be easily cleaned in the washing machine after a few of your baby’s messy feeding sessions.

• Experiment with color and whimsy:

Why stick to the basic ways of decorating a nursery?

Simple borders of pink bunnies for girls and blue sailboats for boys are still popular, but many experts recommend creating a fantastic and magical haven for young children and babies.

The nursery is the one place in the house where anything goes. Wall murals and hand-painted furniture are easy ways to create magical rooms. You might paint a fairyland castle on a wall and accent the room with flower-shaped rugs.

• Choose practical, no-fuss furnishings that are easy to keep clean:

When choosing colours and fabrics, keep in mind that the nursery is going to be one of the hardest places to keep clean, especially in the toddler years. Plan ahead by choosing stain-resistant and durable fabrics, carpeting, and other accessories. Instead of discouraging drawing on the walls, you can encourage it! Paint a nursery wall with special blackboard paint, creating a surface that can be written on with chalk and erased.

Distressed furniture is another fashionable yet practical way to decorate the nursery. These pieces already have the broken-in look and won’t show any nicks and scratches that they may acquire through the years.