Although there are plenty of things to get excited about when it comes to being a parent, for many designing the nursery and getting this ready for your baby to come home to is a milestone. There’s something incredibly special about looking for nursery inspiration and then starting work on its creation – which is why so many parents want to make sure they get it right. From checking out Pinterest boards to asking friends for help and advice, it is often the finishing of the nursery that allows parents to think about what it will be like to bring their newborn baby home. That said, nursery design might be an exciting time but it’s actually something important to get it right – because you might want it aesthetically pleasing but it also needs plenty of practical features to ensure it is a safe, comfortable and functional bedroom space for you and your newborn baby.
Here at Mamas and Papas, we understand the importance of getting nursery design right – which is why we have created this guide to help you on your way. Following these steps will help you put together a nursery that ticks all the boxes and is also cost-effective, as we all know how important that is in this day and age. Our in-house nursery experts have shared some of their best tips to allow you to create a nursery whilst enjoying the process – we hope it helps!
Decide The Style of Nursery You’d Like
Before you even get started with making a nursery, it is time to consider what style of nursery you want. At this early stage, it’s perfectly acceptable to let your imagination loose. Create a Pinterest board so you can store ideas, which makes it easy to come back and see what you loved. Many people use this to see if there is a recurring theme in the nursery inspiration they have saved. For example, is there a particular colour scheme or theme that sticks out amongst the rest? When you look at the pictures you have pinned to your board, what would you say the overall style of them is? The chances are that there will be some different styles in the pictures you save, but if there is something that stands out this gives you a starting point. At this stage, it is also worth considering whether you want the nursery to blend in with the rest of your home or if you want it to stand out as a statement room.
Don’t worry if you’re struggling for ideas and/or inspiration because there are plenty of ways to get inspired - think about colours you have seen recently that you love, or even if there is some wall art that has caught your eye. Even a small starting point like this gives you something that you can run with to develop the theme of your nursery. Once you have an idea of what you want the nursery to be like you can then start to browse things like nursery furniture and accessories, so you can visualise what your finished room will look like.
Choosing Furniture For Your Nursery
Once you get to this stage and you have an idea of what you want your nursery design to be like it’s time to start piecing things together. The best place to start is to choose nursery furniture. It goes without saying that the nursery look you are going for and your personal style preferences will affect the furniture that you have your eye on. However, make sure that you consider the space you have available and your budget before you start window shopping too much.
Although the choice of furniture for your nursery is up to you there are a few items that should most definitely be considered essential:
- A cot
- Changing table
- Dresser
- Wardrobe
When it comes to looking for these items you’ll have a choice of buying them on their own or as a complete nursery set. With so many on offer, for many people getting a nursery furniture set is the easiest place to start. These sets tend to have all the essential furniture items within them, so you have peace of mind that you have everything you need. Buying items as a set like this can help bring down the cost compared to buying them individually too – they’re a great choice for furniture that all sticks to your colour scheme too.
Of course, as much as the quality of your nursery furniture matters, it’s also important that they’re strong and sturdy too. The idea behind the furniture is that it will be in the nursery for a number of years – so they’ll need to last throughout your baby’s adventurous toddler stage and beyond too! Keep in mind that furniture is likely to be your biggest investment when it comes to creating and decorating a nursery so it makes sense that you want to get it right.
There are some tips that can help with furniture buying to ensure that you get it right when buying items - for example when buying drawers it’s more practical to buy ones that are extra deep so that you can store plenty of items within them. Wardrobes with removable shelves and rails mean that you can adapt the storage as your child grows – these are also great for space-saving if the nursery you’re creating is short on space. For example, the Harwell Range has a wardrobe with a sliding door to save you even more room.
There are other practical things you can look at when creating your nursery too. For example, soft-close drawers and doors can make all the difference to how the nursery functions when your baby is asleep. We think this is one of the most important features when it comes to nursery furniture, which is why they come as standard with any Mama's & Papa's nursery furniture that you buy.
Colour is important because you want it to be something you love. We do a range of colours to help ensure that there is something for everyone – including our Melfi range, which is a stunning shade of green.
Extra Items - Do You Want a Nursing Chair?
Although a nursing chair wouldn’t be considered an essential item for most, they are something that you’ll most definitely benefit from if you do have one. We stock a range of nursing chairs to help ensure there is a comfortable feeding option for everyone. We’ve put together furniture that is cosy, has an ergonomic design and even things like supportive armrests to ensure that you’re able to be as comfortable as possible when feeding your baby. Don’t worry though, you’ll get great value out of your nursing chair because even as your baby gets older you’ll be able to use it as a space to cuddle and enjoy time with your toddler. You’ll even find that your doddle enjoys sitting there as they get older, meaning it doesn’t have to be a chair used exclusively for nursing.
Deciding Where Your Baby Will Sleep
Deciding where your baby will sleep is a personal decision, so you have to do what you feel is right for you and your baby. There are several options however for lots of parents, a bedside crib (like our Lua range here) or a moses baskets is the best option. As baby gets a little older (6 months and up) cots and cot beds could be the best option, but of course, always follow the advice from any health care professionals. A cot is often a great option, but cot-beds are designed to adjust to a toddler bed as your baby grows, which means that they can give you better value for money in the long term.
One of the most important things when it comes to creating your baby’s nursery is to design something that will grow with your child, which means choosing pieces of furniture that you’ll be able to use for years in the future. A cot-bed is a great way to do this, especially when you consider how many there are on offer, which means that there is something for everyone. Just ensure you buy a suitable, well-fitted and safe mattress for whatever cot or cot-bed you opt for.
Your Own Finishing Touches
Nursery accessories are a great way to finish off a room, especially if you’re looking to introduce a splash of colour or add a little character to the nursery. These also allow you to interchange them as your child grows. There are so many items that you can purchase which can help with this including rugs, artwork, lighting, bean bags, blankets and even plants which can help to change the look of a whole room – and can easily be swapped out for something else as your child grows and develops their own likes and dislikes.
Conclusion
Nursery design doesn’t have to be anything complicated, so try not to overthink things. You should absolutely design in it a style and colour scheme that you love – just consider the practicalities such as this Harwell storage unit at the same time and you should soon have the perfect space for you and your newborn to enjoy.