Putting together a nursery is always exciting. Sure, a huge part of it has to do with the anticipation of welcoming your baby for the first time, but working with a blank canvas from which new memories will be created can fill any parent with a heady dose of giddiness.
However, it’s not all fun, games, and whimsical details. The nursery is where you’ll be spending most of your time taking care of your newborn, and merely being beautiful isn’t going to cut it. You’ll want the space to be as functional as possible while also being exceedingly safe and soothing for you and your baby. Our recommendations below will cover a few basics that you’ll definitely want to keep in mind before getting started on your decorating.
Prioritize light management
Lighting is one of the most important design elements. It’s also one of the most difficult things to get right, especially for a nursery.
You’ll want to let in plenty of natural light, of course. It has a positive effect on your overall health and wellness, as well as your baby’s. Most infants are born with yellowish skin and eyes–a condition called neonatal jaundice. This is common and nothing to concern yourself very much about, as it is temporary and will go away on its own after a couple of weeks. Still, gentle exposure to natural light sources like the sun can help your little one recover from it faster.
The problem with natural light, though, is that it inevitably disrupts your baby’s sleep–and they need a lot of it. Light also equals heat, and excessive heat is extremely dangerous for babies: high temperatures significantly increases the risk for SIDS. This means that you’ll have to control how much light gets into the nursery at any given time, making sure there’s always enough to see by but not so much that it’s too hot, or wakes your little one every so often.
Investing in heavy window treatments is a good start. Roll down shades, dark drapes, and blackout curtains will all do a good job of mimicking nighttime in the nursery. You can use these after your baby has had their requisite seven to ten minutes of sunlight each day.
All lighting fixtures should be chosen and installed thoughtfully. One of the easiest upgrades you can do is to install a light dimmer. This allows you to control the amount of overhead light flooding the room without changing the bulb. Speaking of the bulb though, we do recommend changing it to something less harsh, even with a dimmer switch. Halogen lights or anything too bright will make your baby uncomfortable.
Our solution is the Alvin dimmable floor lamp with shelves. It utilizes an LED bulb that gives off a yellow glow that’s easy on the eyes. Using the foot switch, you can easily adjust the level of brightness without having to bend down. Use the lowest setting on this dimmable floor lamp, cozy warm glow, when reading bedtime stories to your baby at night, natural brightness for when you need a bit more for changing time, and high visibility brightness for maximum illumination.
Since it comes with integrated shelves, this dimmable floor lamp is also great for holding photos and keepsakes, or to use as a catch-all for essentials. It only occupies eleven inches of space and each tier can hold up to 40 pounds, making it a mighty, out-of-the-way addition to your nursery.
Optimize the ergonomics
“Ergonomics” feels like a big word for a nursery, but if you make proper use of it in the workplace, then you’ll definitely understand the benefits of doing so in your baby’s room, too. That’s because, in a way, the nursery is also a working environment.
Put simply, ergonomics involves arranging spaces to better fit the ones who use them. In a nursery, the changing area will be where the most activity happens until your baby grows out of diapers. You’ll therefore want everything you need within arm’s reach and organize them in a way that makes sense for your specific process.
In addition to diapers and wipes, consider having your disposal system close, as well as the laundry hamper, extra clothes, and some of baby’s favorite distraction toys nearby. This way, you’ll never have to take even a step from the table, considerably reducing fall risk.
Clear out the clutter
Speaking of fall risk, clutter is one of the biggest contributors to it–and it can accumulate, fast. Taking care of a baby is busy work, and a lot of parents feel too exhausted by the end of the day to think about cleaning up.
The best way to eliminate clutter is to not create any in the first place. You’ll want to be more mindful about cleaning up after yourself. It’s also a good idea to place any furnishings out of the way. A stray chair arm, book, or playmat can prove disastrous when you’re walking into the room while holding your baby. Use bins to store small items and remember to put things back in their proper places so they’re never just lying around on the floor.
Here at ATAMIN, we’re always ready to light the way in your nursery and out of it. For more elegant and functional products for your home, be sure to check out our catalog.