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A LOVELY interior design project landed in my lap recently when my friend and mum-to-be Elaine asked for my help designing a nursery.
It’s easy to fall into the age-old tradition of pastel, pastel everywhere and pink for a girl and blue for a boy.
No harm in those colour schemes at all, but there are other options for your tiny human.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it, designing a nursery? The idea of a baby-centric design is very tempting, but you have to think long-term. They become toddlers so quickly...
So, it really pays to plan for a decorating scheme, and the furniture that goes in it, that will last for – or at least need rethinking after – five years. This level of planning will help your budget go further and should help you avoid costly mistakes.
I’ve learned a lot since I designed my son’s nursery 16 years ago.
Make sure everything you could possibly need is within easy reach of the changing table.
Boxes and storage will be your best friend.
Two words – washable wallpaper. Babies tend to make mess everywhere.
Pick a theme. When I started thinking about
Dylan’s nursery, I started with a felt airplane mobile I had discovered in a baby shop. I went for vibrant colours – green, red, yellow, orange and blue. We added a world map decal and some street art photos and suddenly the space felt exactly like what we wanted to instil in our little bundle, a sense of travel and exploration.
Incorporate touches from people who love them. And lastly, babies don’t care what a nursery looks like. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get those monogrammed letters or that nautical wallpaper hung up in time.
MUST HAVE BUY: What do you buy the baby who has everything? Ewan the Dream Sheep, of course (£29.99, Amazon). This little sleep aid plays a selection of soothing sounds and mimics the “comfort of the womb” with a soft pink glow. It has been upgraded too and features a smart cry sensor that activates when your baby stirs.
CLEANING HACK OF THE WEEK: I’ll be honest, when my son dropped his dummy I just sooked it clean and stuck it back in – THAT IS NOT the advice new mums get nowadays. Everything must be sterile and clean – so try the Dr Brown’s Microwave steriliser bags which are fantastic for quickly sterilising bottles and parts while on the go. Simply add water. They are perfect for dummies and trainer cups too. You can get up to 20 uses per bag.