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Home › Articles › Decorating Children's Rooms › The Baby's Nursery Part Two

The Baby's Nursery Part Two

Planning and Creating This Special Room

By Donna Smith

Pages:  1  2  3  4  

Taylor had the right idea. "I think drapery or shades lined and interlined with blackout fabric provide the most control for the sleeping environment," says Perera. "Mini blinds and shutters both let light creep in, and depending on the baby, this can be problematic."

The Experience

Most of all, it's important to take time and enjoy the entire process. "Enjoy creating a space that nurtures your little one," says Magsamen. "Have fun, don't stress and remember the best things in life aren't things -- the best things in life are the people and moments that make life so wonderful. A nursery is the beginning of a work in progress. As your child grows so does his or her room; it will change so many times over the years to accommodate all the things your child comes to love."

One thing Magsamen wishes she had done more of is taking pictures of her daughter's room throughout its growth. "I have my memories but I would love to have had a photo book filled with all the phases," she says.

Her motto has always been, "fail to prepare, prepare to fail." "I think being ready early is important, so that the parents feel set and relaxed about bringing the baby home," Magsamen says. "Having a baby is a blessing and there is no need to add any stress to this wonderful event."

Read Part One here.

Nurseries: An Extension of Our Homes

Our homes are a reflection of who we are, says Sandra Magsamen, artist, lifestyle and decor expert, author of Living Artfully: Create the Life You Imagine (Free Press, 2006) and creator of the Messages from the Heart brand. "They range from being cozy, elegant, classic, simple, comfortable, welcoming and well-lived-in, to sparse, dramatic, industrial, minimal, exciting and even futuristic. The materials, places and method of building and creating our homes are amazingly diverse and creative, as are the people who live inside them. So when it's time to create that special room for the newest member of the family, the baby, remember: 'a house is made of bricks and beams, a home is made of love and dreams.' Anything is possible -- no wish or idea too big or too small. The nursery, like the rest of your home, should nurture, comfort and reflect who you are. It should be a safe and loving place that will change and evolve as you and your child grow."

Chances are you've had a lifetime of thoughts on this subject. "From the time we're children, we begin thinking and dreaming about our future abode," says Magsamen. "'Playing house' for many of us filled countless happy hours in our childhood. As adults we can still play while acting on those desires, incorporating our current needs, beliefs, values and fantasies into the mix. Through play, creativity, imagination, innovation and curiosity, you create the nursery of your heart's content. Have fun and enjoy the process of creating a special place where your baby will grow to be all that it can be. Remember there are no rules, no right or wrong, just what you think is beautiful."

Magsamen offers these artful tips on creating a nursery:

  • Make a quilt using all the fabric that you've got around the house that's not currently in use -- you know, the material from clothes that don't fit: old ties, baby's clothes or worn or outdated blankets. I bet you have loads of pieces, just take the time to look. Cut them up into 6-inch squares and stitch them together to create a quilt that will surely cover you with well-worn memories.
  • Create a family portrait wall by applying photographs to plates. Purchase transfer paper at your local craft store and glue your loved one's images onto the center of a plate. Hang with plate hooks for a personalized wall of fame.
  • Use clear or light-colored empty wine bottles as picture frames. Clean the bottle with soap and water and let dry. Decide on an image you want to frame, cut it to fit the lower part of the container and carefully roll it into the bottle. Release the paper and allow the image to unfurl inside. Because the bottles take up little space, it is fun to fill a mantel or a shelf with many of these artful frames.
  • Use your favorite essential oil. Place a drop on a light bulb to infuse the air with an intoxicating aroma. A tiny smudge of rose, lavender or vanilla oil can be gently rubbed on a cool light bulb. When you turn the light on the warmth of the bulb activates the scent to gently fill the air.
  • Make pillows with photo transfers. Use your favorite quotations, photographs, fancy buttons and/or trim to decorate each unique work of art.
  • Hot glue your favorite-colored ribbon onto plain white lampshades to create artistic lighting anywhere. You can glue stamps, adhere beautiful papers or rubber stamp words on the surface of the shade as well.
  • Make wallpaper out of your favorite paper or fabric. Wallpaper a sewing room from old sewing pattern tissues. Cover a wall in a children's room with pages from a book of nursery rhymes. Use fabric swatches to create a crazy quilt wall in your laundry room.
  • If you know how to knit, go to your local craft store and buy beautiful yarn in a color you can't resist and stitch together a handmade blanket. If you don't yet know how to knit, you can learn (it's easy!) and finish this project in a weekend.
  • Paint a room red or yellow or blue or pink. Use favorite colors to define spaces and moods throughout your home.


Pages:  1  2  3  4  

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