Bringing a new baby into your home creates a lot of excitement. The number of decisions you face can also make you feel anxious. Take a deep breath and try to relax! Now, follow these five ways to choose the right paint colors and design for the perfect nursery.
Don’t Choose a Color Based on Your Baby’s Sex
Some parents immediately think that they should paint their nurseries based on the baby’s sex. Do you really want to spend the next few years living with a pale pink room just because you have a little girl? More likely than not, you will get tired of those Pepto pink walls long before she’s a toddler.
The same goes for parents with boys. Short-term color choices will force you to rethink and repaint within a few years.
Don’t choose your nursery’s color on a factor as arbitrary as your child’s sex. Think long-term so you can save time and money as your child grows.
Learn About Color Psychology to Make a Good Choice
The field of color psychology can help you choose a color that makes life easier for your entire household. According to color psychology:
- Red increases heart rate and energy, so it’s probably not a great option when you want a nursery that soothes a crying baby.
- Orange can increase communication and stimulate people. Use it sparingly to add joy to the room without overwhelming your child.
- Blue lowers blood pressure and anxiety, so it’s a popular option among parents who want to keep nurseries as relaxed as possible.
- Green reduces anxiety and improves concentration, making it a good option for growing children as they develop their mental and physical skills.
Not everyone responds to colors the same way. Color psychology looks at the typical ways that people react to colors. Following the evidence of color psychology should help you choose the right color for your nursery, but it cannot guarantee the results.
Think About All the Messes You Will Need to Clean
If this is your first baby, you do not know how many messes you can expect soon. You might think you’re prepared, but your child will always create more chaos than you can handle. The color and design of your nursery could give you an edge, though.
Some tips to help you prepare for messes include:
- Stocking up on all the products you need to clean (wipes, towels, kid-friendly soaps, etc.)
- Placing garbage bins in easily accessible spots.
- Choosing fabrics you can clean easily.
- Setting up a specific place for changing your baby.
Your cleaning needs will vary depending on your baby’s habits. Stay flexible, adapt, and expect the unexpected.
Design Your Nursery for Safety
Nothing matters more than safety when preparing your home for a new baby. You can make your nursery safe by:
- Choosing a safe crib with a strong latch on the gate.
- Removing any heavy objects that could fall onto your child.
- Plugging electrical outlets with safety covers (the type that covers the entire outlet’s face is safer than smaller ones that only plug the outlet. The smaller ones create a choking hazard.)
- Installing cordless window blinds (blinds with cords become unsafe once your child learns to stand).
- Getting rid of hard corners (plenty of companies sell guards that you can attach to tables and other types of furniture with hard corners).
When in doubt, choose the safest option. You can’t be too careful when designing a room for your child!
Plan for the Future
Today’s nursery is tomorrow’s bedroom. Babies grow quickly, so you shouldn’t invest too much money in unessential furniture they won’t want in a few years.
You can save money by choosing modular furniture that adapts to your child’s evolving needs. The best modular sofas, for example, let you rearrange the room’s seating whenever you want. During your child’s infancy, you might separate the sofa’s parts to create independent areas for feeding, relaxing, and playing. As your child gets older, you can put the pieces together to create a larger surface that’s perfect for afternoon naps.
Conclusion
Your life is about to change forever. That’s scary and exciting! Raising a child will force you to confront a lot of difficult questions. Start on the right foot by creating the perfect nursery for your baby. When you make good choices now, you can protect yourself from future expenses and stress. Most importantly, learn to trust yourself. Billions of parents have been in your position before!
