Room to Grow: Consider this when Creating a Nursery
Whenever you choose to make any changes or improvements to a property, start by considering the bigger picture and your medium to long-term property goals.
09/12/2022
Few things in life match the excitement of welcoming a new baby into your life and into your home. For most new parents, selecting the perfect design for a nursery is one of the most exciting decisions of being a new mommy and daddy, and si it should be.
Elmarie Bester, Principal at Leapfrog Faerie Glen, recommends that you make decisions carefully and practically in order to ensure a smooth transition from infant to toddler and beyond, that will add value to your property. "Consider designing the nursery in a way that it is able to easily evolve as the child grows. Do this by opting for furniture, finishing and furnishings that are classic and durable, as opposed to fashionable and baby-specific," she advises.
It also pays to consider the overall aesthetic of your home, your long-term plans for the property and, of course, your budget.
Whenever you choose to make any changes or improvements to a property, start by considering the bigger picture and your medium to long-term property goals.
The big picture
Achieving that Pinterest-perfect look might mean breaking down walls, replacing carpets, installing skylights, adding a mezzanine and and and, but start by considering how the change affects the space in the long run. "Changes that alter the structure or layout of a space should be viewed as an investment into the property as a whole. Chat to a trusted property advisor about whether the changes you intend making will add value to the property, should you decide to sell in the future," Bester says.
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Safe and sound
Safety is paramount in the nursery. Pay special attention to the following:
- Make sure the cords of the drapery or blinds are not within baby's reach from the cot or changing table
- Place the cot, changing table and other large furniture pieces away from the window
- Make sure the burglar bars on the windows are tightly secured
- Consider installing a smoke detector in the nursery
- Place plug protectors in all the unused electrical outlets
Fitting furniture
Where possible, opt for furniture that's not
nursery-specific but can grow with your child,
or be used elsewhere in the home.
For
example, rather than forking out the funds for a feeding
chair that only has a single purpose, consider a comfortable occasional
chair in a classic style as an alternative.
Another good example is that of a chest of
drawers that can easily be turned into a changing table
for baby. While
you can't get away from needing a cot, you could
consider buying one second hand.
Colour palette
A nursery is one room where you can feel free to experiment with colour and it is the one room where you can paint the walls in a pretty pink or pastel blue and have wall murals of rainbows and clouds or a colourful jungle screne. But when it comes to selecting colours for the more durable and long-lasting pieces such as curtains, furniture and carpets, classic and constrained may rather be the way to go.
"Keep the big-ticket items plain and neutral but add that pop of colour and fun with less expensive pieces like decorative scatter cushions, loose rugs, art prints or accessories," Bester says.
Love is all you need
At the end of the day, advice around how to design and decorate a nursery is really only a guideline. "Make it a space that's happy, comfortable and fit to purpose - a space that you love being in," Bester concludes.