How To Design a Nursery: The Do's and Don'ts

If only there was a list of nursery do's and don'ts to consider when planning the room you'll be hanging out in with your favourite little person. With so many trends and so many opinions, planning a nursery can get overwhelming, so we have compressed everything you need to know when it comes to planning and styling your nursery. Our list of nursery do's and don'ts.

Baby Furniture:
DO Choose Key Pieces First. As strange as it may sound, decide on your furniture pieces before you decorate. Parents often choose a theme or colour scheme first, but it is easier to match wallpaper, decor and bedding to your furniture.

DON'T Underestimate Space. If you take one thing from this article, let it be this: measure your space and furniture before you make the purchase. Keep the size of the room in mind, and how practical it will be moving around and sneaking in at three am, when there is no space to move.

DO Go for Quality and Functionality. Consider how long you want the nursery to be a nursery and how long you expect the furniture to last. Many key pieces of furniture are designed to fit your needs and grow with your child. i .e a compactum that turns into a dresser when the changer is removed, while the cot transforms into a toddler bed. See our exclusive ranges by Vox Furniture for these handy pieces. Look out for natural and sturdy materials, as there comes a time when your baby will stand up and rock the cot, alternating this with chewing on the edges!

DON'T Clutter. Storage, storage, storage! Think of the midnight drill, it’s dark and you’re half asleep, there's no humour in bumping into objects at this time.

Colour Psychology
Choosing a colour palette for your babies nursery can be a long and frustrating journey. In the past, new parents almost always ended up opting for pastel blues, pinks or even all-white; nowadays parents are much more experimental with colour, but it’s important to consider the psychological effects that different colours can have.

The colours of your surroundings can influence mood and behaviour, stimulate the brain and even affect the health of your baby. Before you decide on a paint colour, take a minute to consider the psychological effects that the colour can have on your little one.

DO: Yellow - Whimsical, cheerful and the colour of sunshine, yellow has long been a popular colour for nurseries and for good reason! Thought to promote concentration and aid learning, yellow is a great colour to surround your baby with during their first few years of life. Pair it with soft cream and warm greys and you’ll have striking, on-trend nursery too.

DON’T: Red - Strong and intense, red is known to increase heart rate, blood pressure and metabolism and is a colour to steer away from when decorating your babies nursery. Some studies suggest that exposure to the colour red can cause mood swings, headaches and even insomnia.

DO: Green - Calming, serene and nurturing, green symbolizes nature and the growth of plants and is the perfect colour choice for a nursery. Associated with good health and healing, green is known to reduce anxiety and will have a soothing effect on the body and mind of your baby. The best shades of green to opt for when painting your nursery are earthy shades such as sage, olive and moss. Pair it with white and bring in some emerald green elements for a beautiful, contemporary nursery.
Read more about colour psychology for a room here.


LIGHTING
Often an afterthought, lighting plays a very important part in our lives. Lighting has the power of adjusting an interior by creating a certain ambience and it also has the power of changing the perceived size of a room!

By combining the right lighting, natural and artificial, with the right furniture and colour selection, your nursery can go from a sunny picnic in the park to a cosy sleep clinic by the flick of a switch.
See our variety of lighting here.

DON’T Be Afraid Of The Dark: When it comes to blinds or curtains, make sure they are dense enough to mimic night time, anytime. You want to be able to fake the dark when it’s time for an afternoon nap, it’s not just beneficial for baby, but for you too! Suns out funs out, after all, and your baby doesn’t want to miss out on anything, so make sure that your curtains are able to block sunlight and any false impression of a day soiree.

DO Avoid Harsh Lighting: Soft lighting is your best friend in a nursery. Babies eyes aren't fully developed, so a soft dim prevents overstimulation. Look for bulbs called “warm white” or “daylight”, which are more diffused, making the light gentler on your baby's eyes.

DO Create Light Layers: We have established that soft lighting is the way to go, but sometimes you just need to be able to see what you’re doing when you're elbow-deep in nappies. The solution: Layers of light. Make use of a variety of functional lights. In addition to the light fixture on the ceiling, aim for task-centred lights, i.e a night light, a reading lamp and a changing table light.

THEME
Surprisingly, as important as the paint and the wallpaper may be aesthetically, more importantly, is the feeling of the room. You want it to give a soothing sense of a place where you can rest and play with your favourite little human.

Out of all the nursery do's and don'ts, do your thing. You’ll be spending days and nights in the nursery, so stay true to yourself here, as cliche as that may sound. Sure, bunnies are oh-so-cute, but if it’s not true to your style, you’ll tire of it very quickly.

Are you a first-time parent? We hope that our nursery do's and don'ts can make your nursery planning less stressful. Not your first rodeo? We would love to hear your top tips for planning and styling a nursery.