October Project of the Month Nursery Design, Part 1

Planning

As you know, planning is the oh so important first step in any major interior design project. The New Smart Approach to Kids’ Rooms recommends the following Smart Steps (the following text is used with permission of Creative Homeowner):

Step One - Pick a Location for the Nursery

It can be a spare room or a large corner in a room shared by another young child, if necessary. The latter should be a temporary arrangement. An infant will require your attention often, sometimes during the night, and this will disturb your older child’s sleep. Ideally, the nursery should be away from the public areas of the house where there is a lot of activity. Don’t choose a room that is next to your home office, where there’s noise from computers, printers, telephones, and fax machines.

Step Two - Make a List of Projects and Tasks

It could contain everything from adding a room onto the house to simply painting or buying furniture. If the room needs construction or major renovating, obtain contractors’ bids immediately. The earlier you can get the work done, the better. Lots of new materials, such as carpeting and wood products - even some paints - contain noxious chemicals that take time to dissipate in the air. The last thing you want is to expose your newborn’s lungs to these fumes.

Step Three - Review Your Budget

Decide how much you can afford to spend. Buy what you really need first. Skip the cute accessories until you have purchased the necessities.

Step Four - Decide on a Look with Staying Power

Will it be something old fashioned, newfangled, plain or fancy, inspired by a nursery rhyme or bedtime story? Narrow down the field, and then look for furnishings to reinforce your ideas. It’s wise to stick with a motif that you can retain through your toddler years at least. That way you don’t have to redecorate before your child is school age. If you want to include Babar or Barney, for example, do it with a pillow or some other accessory that can be changed when it becomes too childish for your maturing child.

Design Decisions

Once you’ve made your plan, you need to make some decisions about how the room will be laid out. The New Smart Approach to Kids’ Rooms makes the following recommendations (text courtesy of Creative Homeowner):

Furnishings will fit into the room in a finite number of configurations, but not all of them are pleasing or practical. Begin by placing the crib. Keep the crib away from windows to avoid drafts and any risk caused by an open window. If one side of the crib will rest against the wall, keep the area free of wall hangings. Also, make sure the crib is a safe distance from any heating and cooling vent or radiator.

Nursery Furnishings

When you have decided where to place your crib, build you other nursery furniture around it. The book recommends these pieces of furniture:

• Changing Table
• Chest of Drawers
• Comfortable Chair or Rocker
• Side Table
• General Lighting
• Flooring
• Table Lamp
• Mobile
• Baby Monitor

More Nursery Ideas Next Month

Now that you have planned your project and designed the layout for your nursery, it’s time to pull your look together! Next month, LTK Interior Design will bring your part two of our nursery design guide, in conjunction with Creative Homeowner.

• Country French Style Basics
• Designing for Small Spaces
• Common Themes for Teenage Bedrooms
• Basics of Color Design
• Asian Style Interior Design

• Baby Room Wall Decals
• December Project of the Month
• Basics of Kitchen Design
• Bedroom Design for Children with Special Needs
• Office Design

• Bathroom Galleries