From the routine that must be adapted to medical appointments to financial planning, which must now include the expenses of one more person, the birth and arrival of a baby brings with it many changes in the home. Among the many concerns parents have, room set-up is one of the most expensive aspects of all the preparations to welcome the child.
A great deal of care must be taken in designing this new and important home environment, and while decorating is one of the most exciting aspects of this process, the most important considerations for the child's room are always about the comfort and health of the child, not the beauty of the room. The biggest mistake made in this planning is "to think more about decoration and less about practicality.
It is therefore essential to make the space more functional and accessible, especially for parents, who will have to meet their child's needs as quickly and as lightly as possible.
It is therefore important, first and foremost, to arrange the accessories and furniture so that the circulation space is completely free. A related problem is noticed, excess furniture can leave the room overflowing and recommends buying the trousseau in sufficient quantity to be able to store it without having to adapt it further in the room of the house.
Along with spatial issues, other details should also be considered a priority. To ensure a good quality of sleep for the baby, the location of windows should be well combined with the position of the crib to provide the child with good ventilation and lighting that doesn't also interfere with his or her breastfeeding routine, as well as safety from falls and insects, for example. Thermal comfort can be ensured at the same time as the floor of the chosen room, which must also be easy to clean.
Ideas for furniture and accessories for the child's room
During the first few months of life, the child's bedroom should be more in tune with the parents' needs, but as soon as the child begins to explore the environment, further care and attractions become necessary. To avoid the need for reforms, great effort and a lot of expense, an intelligent solution is to plan the room so that it can be adapted to different ages by simply replacing furniture or decorative objects.
In order to ensure your child's comfort and not to leave anything missing for basic care, essential items should be selected for the child's room, remembering that it is not necessary to spend a lot of money to have quality accessories and products, and that the cost-benefit ratio should always be taken into account, as some items and products can last for years and can be reinvented to adapt to the different phases of a child's life. It should also be mentioned that having all these products in the baby's room is not an obligation and that it is possible to adapt the room according to your possibilities to receive the child comfortably and safely.
Choosing the right color and paint for baby's room
Concern for the child's well-being is the main point when assembling the baby's room and this attention must also be devoted to the choice of paint that will cover the walls of the room. To ensure that the environment is always clean and that your child does not run any risk of contamination, it is recommended to use water-based and washable paints, such as acrylics, and those that do not have a totally matte finish.
An alternative to traditional paints: the use of mineral and ecological materials because they do not use chemical means and do not eliminate toxins.
Regarding the color, there is a consensus among designers that the color chosen should match the taste of the family and especially of the mother, who should spend more time in the room with the baby because of breastfeeding. The child's taste does not have to be taken into consideration at first, as this type of preference is formed throughout life, based on personal experiences and is not directly related to social conventions.
Moreover, the baby's visual perception is still in the process of formation and is therefore very different from that of adults. The distinction of the colors is still very simple in its first weeks of life, but the nuances are already perceived, especially the most vivid ones, which justifies its avoidance. It is recommended not to overuse warm colors such as red and yellow in areas of the baby's field of vision, such as the roof or the front wall of the crib, as they can cause agitation at a time that should be a time of rest, breastfeeding and sleep.
Transmit sensations to baby's room through colors
Agitation is just one example of the effects that colors can have on children. For psychological reasons, colors have the ability to transmit emotional, material and in some cases physical sensations as well, such as cold and heat. Therefore, in order to align your child's wishes with the desired characteristics of the room, it may be interesting to research color theories which, although they are multiple and inaccurate, have many convergences. Below are some of the common feelings associated with the most common colors in your child's room.
White and off-white
White is emotionally associated with peace, cleanliness, purity and childhood. Already materially, its main associations are with snow and milk. However, its isolated use, without combination with other colors or shades, can refer to lack and, over time, become equally irritating, and may even increase the tendency to develop schizoid characters.
On a more advanced color scale, the approach of shades of gray, white or "off-white" also establishes relationships with wisdom, maturity and the past.
Blue
Blue is the color that Western society remembers most to refer to values such as sympathy, harmony and friendship. In addition, their material associations are related to elements such as sky, air and water.
Because it is a cold color linked to the sky, the emotional sensations transmitted by blue are of truth, peace, serenity, fidelity, dream and eternity. In dark tones, this color is also associated with sobriety, nobility and intellectuality.
Pink
Commonly considered a feminine color, pink symbolizes tenderness, innocence and kindness. It should be noted that the origin of the consideration of the "girl color" is due solely to the name of the flower and the Pink proper names, traditionally feminine.
Yellow
Lively, yellow is a color that brings dynamism to environments. On a material level, its links are with summer, the warmth of the sun and flowers.
As it is a warm color, its emotional associations are close to those of red, but cause less irritation. Comfort, hope, spontaneity and euphoria are some of the sensations provoked by yellow, which, in stronger tones, can also lead to jealousy, selfishness and envy.
Green
Green, in general, is one of the best colors for rooms, as it is considered relaxing and stimulating for sleep. Because it is related to ecology, color also conveys calm and freshness, in addition to emotional sensations such as serenity, courage, tolerance and health.
Violet
The result of mixing blue with red, violet and its adjacent shades, such as purple and lilac, is emotionally linked to self-control, calm, dignity, greatness, delicacy and fantasy, which can stimulate the imagination.
The material associations of this color refer to windows, night, dawn and the depths of the sea.
Earthy tones
Closer to brown, earthy tones, because they are directly related to the earth, refer to fertility. In fact, their associations are to resistance, vigor and melancholy.
Tips for not missing out on decoration
With the color of the room's decoration, it is easier to think about decoration. The ideal is to opt for pieces and accessories that complement the environment you want to create for your child, but in any case, it is important to avoid making very common mistakes.
The most common styles of decorating baby's rooms
Each decoration is unique and the more personalized, the better. However, some styles of nurseries never go out of style - or offer the family greater freedom to innovate and leave the child's space comfortable, beautiful and full of love.
Classic
As traditional as the Provençal, the classic decoration room also appears more in neutral tones, the colors being more focused only on decorative objects. Its furniture has straighter lines and is considered a joke for those who do not want to risk making mistakes.
Colorful and fun
Colorful or fun rooms are the least sought after. Less attached to traditional inspirations, this type of room generally brings a mix of styles, blending vintage furniture and minimalist accessories and giving the family the freedom to create a new and more personalized environment for the baby.
Themes
Recommended to create a playful space in which the child feels involved by his imagination, the thematic room is designed from the choice of a character, a story or a subject. Images may appear on bedding, photos and wallpaper, but with caution so that the decoration does not become smelly.
Decoration to buy
There are countless options for baby products on the market today; there are also decorative pieces that can be easily adapted to your child's room and also those that are more neutral, that speak to the rest of the environment and that are adapted to the context in which they are inserted.
At the time of purchase, more important than the beauty of the objects, is to verify their quality, durability and safety. Do not hesitate to ask questions to the sellers and look for the Inmetro seal of the products, especially the cradle. In addition, "it is interesting to study the level of satisfaction of the customers of the store you visit and their time in the market, these are some additional guarantees of the level of the pieces", suggests Ana Lúcia.
In the gallery below, you will find articles that can make all the difference in your baby's room and that can be bought in online stores.
Decorate with economy
Preparing the room for the baby's arrival doesn't have to be an expensive task. It is possible to leave the room comfortable and beautiful without spending too much money and only worrying about the really important factors, such as the quality and finish of the furniture, in order to avoid accidents.
Reusing old furniture, using the cradle of an older son or relative, and giving abandoned furniture a new use, in addition to the savings, are also more sustainable options, avoiding disposal. The main secret is to use your imagination and bet on your ideas for reform and reinvention.
You can manufacture at home with simple materials, such as a support for hanging clothes using only a wooden slat and hooks, a variation of wall stamps produced with EVA and even lamp pendants, which only need bladder moulds, glue string and scissors.
Decorate yourself
To have fun, be creative and make your baby's room beautiful and full of love in every detail, use the internet to your advantage and get involved!
Below you'll find a selection of videos that teach you how to make five different decorating items that are easy to make and can give a special touch to the environment.
Mobiles
Perfect for sharpening the child's vision and provoking other sensory stimuli, the mobiles are suspended above the cradles and come in different shapes and colors for the baby. This decorative piece can be made in different materials and can be made at home without any big secrets.
Attachment of bladder and cords
Lighting pendants allow you to decrease the intensity of light and even create different shadows on the walls. The bladder string technique can also be used to create molds for other decorative objects such as boxes and baskets.
Decorative letters
Using your child's initials or full name is also a great option to leave the room with more personality. With molds, in wooden or cardboard boxes, the decorative letters can be painted and designed in the most appropriate way for the environment.
Hygiene kit
Ointment boxes, wet wipes, cotton and other hygienic items can easily be made of MDF. Just buy the pieces in specialized craft stores and think about it with paint, fabric application and even stone.
Nursing cushion
Nursing pads are perfect to offer greater comfort to the mother, and anyone already familiar with sewing can make them at home. For this item, the coolest thing to do is to look for fabrics that match the rest of the room decoration, making the room even more personal and special for the baby.
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