4 Critical Design Considerations for Your Nursery
Have you ever walked into a room and felt feelings of comfort, uncomfortableness, whimsy, aggression or creativity? From the color on the walls to the layout of furniture, the way a room is designed has proven psychological effects on our mood.
Taking this into account is especially important when designing a nursery. Above all, it’s important that the room is welcoming and practical for parents and their baby − this goes beyond simply picking out the right crib, changing table and toy box.
Whether you’re in the hands of a pro or doing it all alone, here are four design elements to keep top of mind.
Color Scheme
Different shades have different psychological effects on the human brain. Take the color green, for example. Many researchers believe we take our calming cues from green because of its presence throughout nature — a link even young developing minds can make early in life. The key takeaway here isn’t that any color is better than another. Instead, just be sure to consider the different color elements and how they pair alongside one another within the room.
Decor
The environment created in the nursery will of course depend upon more than color alone. While the only limitation on the interior design is your imagination, rule No. 1 is to never put anything in the room that could pose a choking hazard. And while you don’t need to go overboard by setting up mobiles and moving decorations, it is important to have some facets that feature motion and tactile elements for the baby to develop their sense of wonder and creativity.
Mainly, do what works best for you. Like it or not, your child is going to grow up with many of your same sensibilities, so it’s natural to simply surround your offspring with things that you believe will promote a healthy upbringing. Trust yourself more than overly following the advice of others.
Noise Reduction
The popular phrase is “let sleeping dogs lie,” but every parent knows that this adage applies even more to infants. The last thing a mom or dad wants to happen after the wee one goes off to Never Never Land is some unexpected noise to wake them up. It is worth the investment to do anything you can to eliminate outside racket from waking the baby.
Even more important is simply creating a tranquil atmosphere that will prevent your child from being raised in an environment of constant noise pollution. Such a reality can predispose a young brain to expecting chaos and commotion rather than having a resting state at ease. One fantastic method to ensuring a harmonious nursery is by installing noise-reducing curtains. You’ll be amazed at how much this helps the baby — and the rest of the family — sleep better.
Aromatherapy Precautions
While some may scoff at new-age efforts to raise children, there are many proponents. And it’s easy to see why when it comes to the latest fad of aromatherapy, which actually dates back to at least the ancient Greeks. Baby room sprays are increasingly being seen as essential to engendering beneficial feelings of well-being by using the power of our most primal sense: smell.
Young Living highlights the safety precautions that must be adhered to before you introduce any aromatherapy into the nursery, even on a one-time use. Individual babies can have adverse reactions to different scents, and the sensitivity of developing bodies means that heavy dilution is recommended. But it is hard to dismiss the idea when so many mothers now report the benefits shown by substances like lavender (sleep aid) and cedar wood (anxiety reduction).
