Congratulations, you’re about to become a parent and begin the most rewarding and frustrating journey of your life. You’re eagerly anticipating the birth of your child and anxious to start preparing for their arrival into this world. Realizing that a nursery, plays a vital role in your plans, you immediately decide to create one. The vast amount of products available overwhelms you, and when you notice the price tags attached to said products, panic really begins to set in. Fear not, designing a nursery to grow up does not have to break the bank if you’re smart and follow these simple guidelines.
Create a nursery theme
[one_half_first]Choosing a nursery theme seems almost counterproductive when cost efficiency is thrown into the equation, but it can actually be quite helpful.
It’s true that working around a preconceived theme cuts down drastically on the items you can use or buy, but it also helps expectant parents to focus on a clear, precise vision of what they want their nursery to become. The theme doesn’t have to be too specific or even easily defined.
As long as you understand exactly what atmosphere you’re trying to create, it’s perfectly acceptable to be slightly eclectic.[/one_half_first][one_half_last][/one_half_last]
Have an eye-catching background
The walls of your nursery cover a large area of the room and as such are an integral part of its décor. New parents would probably gravitate towards intricately detailed wallpaper, which while perfectly lovely is also highly expensive. The cheaper alternative is to consider using paint (bright colors could uplift the overall feel of the nursery, but if you prefer more sedate colors, don’t worry, they will work just fine.) and decals. You could decide to be really creative and create your own stencils by photocopying your design onto a Mylar sheet, cut it up, tape it to the wall and then get to painting exactly what your heart desires.
Furniture hacks
The right couch, rocking chair or shelves could really set the tone for a stunning nursery, but the process of acquiring the look you truly desire without having to throw away your child’s college fund can be quite challenging. Fear not though, since there are a few things that you can easily do to ease your financial burden.
- Repurpose old furniture you already own. A dilapidated dressed could quite easily become a changing table if restored properly. An old bookshelf could be converted into a stunning cupboard. It’s all about knowing how you can adapt and convert the items you do have into the items you don’t.
- Visit garage sales or second-hand stores to find hidden gems.
- There are various websites out there that have exactly what you need at bargain prices provided you are dedicated to your search and are willing to spend a little time sprucing up your purchases
Create a focal point
Your nursery needs that one thing that captures a person’s attention and draws the eye in. You want to able to create the ‘wow factor’ effect. This doesn’t have to cost you an arm or a leg; you will discover that simple is often better. A stunning rug, wall painting or even something as inconsequential as shelves with beautiful accents could quite easily become the focal point you need to complete your nursery.
Storage can be décor too
There are going to be numerous items lying around that need to be stored appropriately in a nursery and of course boxes, or baskets can be extremely space consuming. If you decorate your storage containers, however, you have both added to the overall ambiance of the room and solved your storage needs. The interesting idea is to find or buy boxes (they need to be sturdy so shoeboxes cannot be used as they are too flimsy) and cover them with material that correlates with your nursery theme. If you decide that you would prefer to keep your storage boxes out of sight, keep them hidden away under your baby’s crib. A crib skirt will be able to cleverly disguise those pesky storage containers, and no one will be the wiser.
The baby’s crib
This is probably the most important item in your nursery and with good reason. However, this also means, baby cribs can be ridiculously overpriced. There are however various affordable options out there if you are diligent in your search for them. You need to remember that babies grow quickly and cribs that can be converted into a toddler bed at a later stage are worth checking out. Mobiles are a huge trend and have been for a while. Expensive options are out there, but there are just as many cheaper choices. There are various craftsmen out there who create stunning mobiles and sell them at a fraction of the cost you would have paid in a store, but If you’re really creative, you could attempt to make your own mobile. This provides your nursery with that special personal touch is not as difficult a process as you think. There are always numerous books and online videos available that can provide you with the necessary information, step-by-step instructions and all the assistance you could ever need.
Seating options
Your nursery will most likely need a couch or sofa for those times you find yourself needing to get off your feet, or you might simply have guests over. If you have a couch that you don’t mind moving to the nursery, that’s great, but if you’re looking to buy a piece of furniture, take care to look at various options before making a final decision. There are certainly affordable deals out there, especially if you take your time to look for them. This is also the perfect time to consider acquiring a daybed that can later be converted into a child’s bed. Though not necessary, it will save you time and money down the road.
Shelving is your friend
Shelves can provide storage space or simply be a medium to display Knick knacks. It is easy to purchase a shelf at a reduced price and fix it up to your desired specifications. You can paint it a color that compliments the rest of the room, mount it and fill it with children’s books or toys. In this way, you will actually be using toys as décor, and you create a stunning masterpiece with minimal effort or cash required.
Go simple with your bedding
Often you may find baby cribs overflowing with pillows and plush toys, but it’s something that is completely unnecessary. Choose simple, clean lines and a single pillow (you don’t need more than one) to accentuate the style of your baby crib. This prevents your nursery appearing to be cluttered or unkempt. Baby bedding sets are often priced outrageously high, and again it’s best to go simple where possible. Expectant parents should consider sticking with a firm, well-fitting mattress, a mattress protector, change of sheets and one pillow. It is imperative to note that pillows can pose a risk of suffocation to your baby, so take the necessary precautions if you choose to add a pillow to your crib.
The artwork is whatever you want it to be
Hanging up professional paintings or other pieces of art will uplift the room and help to create your dream nursery, but it is also going to negatively impact your wallet. Instead, ask the children of friends or family to draw their own pictures and have them framed. As your child grows, you can add their own artwork to the wall. If you feel so inclined, go ahead and let your own inner child out to play and you may be surprised at the final result. If you’re feeling sentimental, try hanging family photos on the wall to provide both style and substance. Chalkboard wall art is also extremely versatile and inexpensive. You could pretty much do whatever you want with it. Just let your imagination soars, and soon you will have created a piece of art that’s a perfect fit for your nursery.
Try swapping
Shopping is a thing of the past, well not really, but it is still being challenged by swapping. If you search online, swapping websites are sure to pop up. These sites allow you to trade items with other individuals who are interested in acquiring a specific item or are simply browsing for interesting options. Baby items are a hot commodity on these websites so it can be extremely beneficial for expectant parents to give these swapping websites a quick scan for potential gems.
The various tips and tricks provided in this article to cost efficiently design your nursery are just a few methods you can use in your own personal nursery décor journey. Bringing a child into this world is one of the life’s greatest joys and what better way to welcome that new precious addition to the family home than by having a dream nursery set up and waiting. Now, hopefully, you can provide your child with that very nursery at a fraction of the cost, but with the same degree of style.
While most people would inquire about the sex of their child, many still prefer to have the element of surprise. While their child’s sex is unrevealed, this means that if they were to design a nursery they will have to keep it unisex. There are two possible reasons why people want to create a unisex nursery. It is either they are unaware of the gender of the child or they may be expecting twin or multiple babies that may have different sexes. Whatever the reason may be, designing a comfortable nursery suitable for both boys and girls is not that difficult if you do your research and pay attention to details. Compared to feminine and masculine nurseries designing a unisex nursery may be more challenging and to help you up here are some things to ponder on.
Choose Unisex Colors
The color theme of the nursery is very important because some colors imply masculinity and femininity, we all know that a pink are for girls and blue is for boys. In choosing the colors, you have to choose the neutral ones. Pick the ones that do not have masculine nor feminine inclinations. It is also unadvisable to experiment on strong colors because your child’s eyes may find it too much to handle. Instead, try pastel renditions of colors. Paler colors like light blue, green and pale yellow can provide a pleasing atmosphere. You can also use solid colors; a milder shaded color can be enhanced with some touches of other colors. Be creative in your color combinations but make sure it will provide a bay-friendly appearance
Patterns
The patterns also add up to the overall appearance of the room. You can apply it to the walls, ceilings, floors, windows and even the furniture. You can also set baby patterns for the cushioning, beddings, and accessories. Again never go for patterns that are either masculine or feminine. Skip on trucks, cars and trains, dolls, flowers and faeries. Instead go for unisex cartoon characters, animals or other designs. Sometimes it is easier to stick with the most basic designs like checkers and stripes. You can also consider using bible themes, teddy bears, a wallpaper ABC’s, numbers or other themes that can provide educational purposes. As time goes by, you can add more accessories and designs that will give the child a jumpstart learning experience.
Looking ahead
The nursery room is most likely to be your child’s room in the future. A little foresight wouldn’t hurt, plan ahead. You can make the unisex modifiable in the future by not making its components permanent. This means that you won’t have to redo the entire design when the nursery is converted into a room. Think of it as a base, and as your child grows older you can implement designs that are more appropriate in terms of gender and interests.
Unique Decorating Ideas: Cost Efficient Nursery Design
Knowing that you are going to be a parent at the right time brings unmeasured happiness to a couple especially for the mother’s part. This is the very reason why we are all very busy trying to create the perfect room for the coming new member of the family. Creating a nursery theme for a room can be quite expensive; especially if you imagine the number of things that you plan to put in the room. However, it does not have to be this way. And like any other room decorating strategy, there are many economical ways to design that nursery room for your newborn baby.
The crib is the most essential part of any nursery room because this is the main sanctuary of your newborn baby. If you need an economical way to place that crib in that nursery room, then you might prefer buying a second-hand crib from another family not in need of the furniture; or from a general second-hand store. Better yet, if you can find a relative or a friend for this venture, you might get the crib at a very reasonable price or even lower!
The nursery dresser is another important article to be added into any nursery room. Like the crib, you may want to try and purchase a second-hand dresser to serve this purpose. You may, however, put your own customizations into the dresser so that the dresser’s color and theme matches the color and theme of the other articles in the room; as well as giving it a nice fresh look as if it was newly purchased in a nursery specialty shop.
Nursery room: Extra beds and chairs are essential
Extra beds and chairs are also essential in a nursery room as any mother won’t really be standing for hours while cradling the child. These chairs and beds could be made of any material and could be of any design; but as always, would have to be refurnished to match the general theme of the room. Additionally, if you want to be economical in adding these extra articles, there is always the second-hand item option. But being a generic item, there should be a lot of shops out there that have items that can match and suit your preference.
Designing the walls of the nursery room can be as simple as choosing the right mood-inducing color for the room. Choose bright and lively colors that can inject a jolly atmosphere into the room. Avoid gloomy and dark colors at all costs as these can affect how your newborn baby interacts to his or her new world; and these colors promote anxiety and uneasiness which is not very healthy for a newborn baby.
You can have the other generic and minor articles from other families not in need of those articles. Again, if these are incidentally your relatives or friends, getting these might be a lot cheaper than what you might actually think. Just one note though, always prioritize quality over the item’s cost when purchasing at an economical perspective. You don’t really want some crack accident just because you have purchased an article of inferior quality.
How to Create a Baby Room on a Budget
If you are expecting a new baby to join the family there are many things that you need to take care before the baby’s arrival. Among the plethora of things that you would need to fix, setting up the right type of room is very important. There are many things that need to be sorted out before setting up the room. A prudent and planned approach is crucial so that you don’t miss out on some important ones and you will also not have the time and energy to take care of these things when the child arrives. For most young family creating a baby room on a small budget can be a challenge. However, with careful consideration and planning you can cut down the cost. Here are some practical tips of cutting cost
If you are looking for budget baby furniture the best to hunt are the thrift store, swap meets and flea markets. It is always advisable to go for second hand furniture because most baby out grow these furniture very fast. The other point that is miss out by most people while looking for furniture is functionality i.e. can the same crib be adjusted to form a bed when the child grow up. This approach of buy furniture will cut your total cost in the long run. Safety is one of the primary issues. While buying any used or old furniture you should ensure that all joints, bolts etc are in perfect shape. If any repair needs to be done try to get a good carpenter.
The other place where you can cut down cost is the room’s paraphernalia, like curtains. If you can have basic skills to quilt, crochet and knit most of these works are easy and can be completed few months before the child arrives. A baby room needs to be vibrant and colorful. You can also cut cost on this front by choosing few primary colors and painting the room on your own. With a nice paint roller and good brush you can get the same quality like most professional. Decorating the room of a baby with limited budget can be both fun and exciting. With creativity and innovation you can cover up a lot of extra cost.
References:
- Creative nursery decorating ideas retrieved from http://www.parenting.com/gallery/nursery-decorating-ideas
- Planning your decorating budget retrieved from http://www.bhg.com/decorating/budget-decorating/
- Unique nursery designs retrieved from https://decorating.visitacasas.com/unique-decorating-ideas-cost-efficient-nursery-design/
- Looking for DIY Nursery designs retrieved from http://makeanddocrew.com/12-creative-modern-diy-nursery-decor-ideas/
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