Soothing spaces for your baby

It’s the first life experience and setting for a newborn, so it’s important to use calming colours and carefully choose the furniture for the nursery from letter boards to velvet, says a mother and decor specialist

“BECOMING a mother has been a completely life-changing experience and, in between all the nappy changes, feeds and sleeps, I’ve come to truly appreciate the soothing space of our nursery,” says Sian Cullingworth. Q How important is the colour I choose for my baby’s nursery? A The colour and design of a room has such an incredible impact on the mood of the individual, and for an infant who is experiencing everything for the first time – and for the new parents as well – it’s really important to choose calming elements that speak to you as a family. Q What trends should I follow for my baby’s nursery? A There are so many trends sometimes it becomes overwhelming to decide what to choose and how to execute your design. For my baby I decided on a colour palette first. Once you have the furniture style and colour you love, start adding one or two trends that complement your style. It’s important it becomes a special place that feels comfortable and calming. Q What did you use in your baby boy’s room? A I selected a grey palette with a blue undertone, incorporating a white dado rail as a way to break up the full colour walls.The furniture I chose is white – something I love – and I’ve added accents of greys and blues in toys and linen to break up the starkness of the white furniture. I fell in love with a cloud mobile that I have hung above the cot, and this inspired me to add a whimsical cloud theme to the nursery, from linen to wooden dye-cut wall decals. Q Can you list the current decor trends in nurseries?: A Letter boards: Sometimes you just need to spell it out, and letter boards are a really fun way to express a message and lighten a room. Scandinavian design: The decluttered, clean lines of Scandinavian design and its signature natural wood is still a major trend in nurseries. Master bedroom nooks: Parents who are pro co-sleeping are now decorating small corners of their master bedroom for their babies. This has brought in furniture that can transform from a small crib to a cot, depending on space and size. Modern Boho: The laid-back, Bohemian aesthetic that’s taken over the fashion world has entered the baby’s room. It’s all about textiles and accents such as fringed tassels, a single hanging plant, handmade wall hangings and even hanging chairs. Large-scale wall prints: This trend took the design industry by storm last year and we are now seeing parents incorporating this into their nurseries. Whether it’s clouds, animals or florals, the bigger the better. Velvet: This textile has made a comeback recently and we are seeing it reflected in rocking chairs and scatters. Modern farmhouse: This is a great design when creating gender-neutral nurseries. Here you can mix in the old with the new, such as childhood favourite soft toys with mommy’s old rocking chair.

It is important to choose calming elements when deciding on colours and designs for a nursery.