Jumat, 29 September 2017

Tips For Decorating Bedrooms For Babies Through to Teenagers

When you plan a room for a newborn, bear in mind that decorating a nursery can be as much about creating a comfortable space for you as your child. With babies rarely spending time alone in their room, a peaceful nook for you to nurse your little one is essential. As they grow, energetic toddlers will need a place for supervised play, as well as a secure and cosy bed to encourage them to snuggle down alone at night. The more independent tweenies will hanker after their own den for games and sleepovers with friends, while for self-sufficient teenagers, privacy and somewhere to do their homework is all-important - what was once your domain will very definitely be their own.

But it's also important not to lose sight of your own aesthetic. 'It's easy to abandon your sense of style when it comes to decorating kids' rooms,' says Esther Wise, founder of cool bed-linen and accessories company Renegade Kids. 'Instead of going all out with pink or puppies, adapt the same procedure as you would when decorating the rest of your home. Don't compromise your own taste.'

So, with the ideas on the following pages you'll be inspired to create a room which will adapt to your children's ever-changing needs, without breaking the bank or compromising your personal style.

Babies
Calm and comfort are all-important for newborns, so choose delicate shades and tactile fabrics for cosiness. Rather than furniture specifically designed with babies in mind, choose well-made items that can adapt with your child. For example, a chest of drawers can be topped with a mat to make a changing table, and wardrobes with adjustable rails can be raised as your child grows up. For a really trendy tot, white lacquer furniture has a timeless Scandi look and works well with colourful accessories and textiles.

'New babies need shapes and movement to stimulate them,' says Laura Slack of Places and Spaces. 'Mobiles are great for this but make sure they are hung high enough to be out of reach when your child is old enough to stand.'

A two-in-one cot bed will last until your baby is ready for a grown-up bed. For a beautiful Scandi design check out the designs by Stokke.

Blackout blinds are a good choice for babies' rooms. They make it much easier to settle small children during the day or on light evenings and should help stop them waking up at dawn in the summer months. Roller blinds also allow you to let in as much natural light as possible at other times.

To avoid your baby becoming too hot or cold, don't position their cot right next to a window or by a radiator. It may also be a good idea to invest in a room thermometer. Babies are far more sensitive to temperature than adults and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) has been linked to overheating, so it's important to try to keep the room at around 18°C

Toddlers
Children grow out of the latest fads as quickly as their first pair of shoes, so rather than succumbing to an entire room of Dora the Explorer, choose a neutral backdrop and introduce colour with textiles, graphic wall stickers (which are quick and easy to change) and fun accessories. 'Mount pictures of characters in inexpensive frames,' suggests Anita Kaushal, author of HomeFamilyLifestyle, 'or encourage your kids to draw their own pictures and frame those instead.'

Teach toddlers to be tidy as early as possible by hanging pegs low and keeping storage within easy reach.

'Little children spend a lot of time on the floor, so treat them to a huge rug to keep small bottoms warm,' says Laura Slack. The Speed rug from Habitat has a fun racetrack design.

Boxes and baskets are ideal for storing toys and games, and can be easily transported around the house if need be. Label the fronts for easy identification and keep one basket at the foot of the bed for stray toys that are still kicking around at bedtime.

Dimmer switches are a boon for checking on a sleeping toddler and can be left on low for an infant who's afraid of the dark.

Cover electrical sockets and keep trailing cords out of reach

Tweenies
Older children will relish having some input in the way their bedroom looks. 'Ask kids what they like about their favourite toys,' suggests Laura Slack. 'Use these colours, textures and motifs and base the scheme around them.' If bubblegum pink and electric blue go against all your interior style principles, compromise with powder pink or dove grey. 'Instead of dousing whole walls in vivid colours, buy cheap or second-hand furniture and paint that instead,' suggests Anita Kaushal.'Then your kids can have what they want, but it's completely disposable.'

Bunk beds make the most of every inch, and they're great for sleepovers and as dens. Alternatively, choose a single bed with a pull-out truckle that houses another mattress for when friends come to stay. The White Company has stylish designs.

Adjustable shelves can accommodate big picture books for small kids, then be adapted for paperbacks as well as CDs and DVDs.

Fairy lights are an easy way to add a magical touch - string twinkling lights round a mirror for a little girl, or pin up a net of lights to create a personal cosmos for a budding spaceman.

Murals can create a focal point in a kid's room. 'A modern, minimalist room that appeals to grown-ups can be completely updated with a stylish, graphic mural', says Mandy Colliss of Funky Little Darlings, who can create a bespoke mural with all your child's favourite things. 'Pick contemporary furniture and soft furnishings in the colours of the mural to create a coherent look.'

Don't position furniture near a window, and fit catches on windows as an additional safety measure.

Teenagers
When kids hit the teenage years, a whole new challenge in designing their rooms awaits,' says Judith Wilson, author of Teen Zone. 'The layout may require radical readjustments as fresh issues arise, from controlling noise to allowing privacy.' Let teenagers personalise the space so they can create a place where they will enjoy spending time.

'A montage of pictures, photos and memorabilia is a great way for teens to express themselves,' says Anita Kaushal. Cover one wall in cork tiles to save the wall from Blu Tack marks and insulate the rest of the house from the sound of the latest Sugababes CD.

Some sort of study area is essential in every teenager's room. A work station with closing doors or a desk hidden in a cupboard is a good idea, or sectioned off with shelving, a curtain or a panel.

As with all students, teenagers need good task lighting for reading and homework. Anglepoise lamps are design classics.

Minggu, 10 September 2017

Nursery Furniture Sets: Which Should You Get for Your Baby?

Your baby will spend more time in the nursery than anywhere else, so it's only practical that you give him only the best there is. However, that doesn't mean that you have to break the bank in order to get the right pieces for the nursery.

More than anything else, it is important to have your baby's safety in mind when buying nursery furniture sets. Make sure that the nursery furniture sets meet the modern safety standards in your area.

When decorating the nursery, consider first how much space you can work with so that you can accommodate everything that is needed. Take note also of the theme that you're going to use in the bedroom. You can get pieces that match the room's theme. All you need is to do a little research. Of course, you need to keep in mind the gender of your baby in order to have a theme.

Most parents order nursery furniture sets months in advance, so that they'll have more time decorating the nursery. The first thing that you may want to look into is crib design. Choose a crib that doesn't have very wide slats; otherwise, your baby can slip his head into it and get stuck. Again, safety first. If you have a bigger budget, you can get one with built-in storage drawers for baby accessories. Pricier ones can also give you better quality in terms of function and design.

You can use the crib immediately after your baby is born. But since babies tend to gravitate toward snug places, you can get something smaller first. Think of bassinets, cradles and Moses baskets. You can easily move these cozy portable beds from room to room, so that you can watch over your little baby any time.

Another thing you should look into is the changing table. In your baby's first year of life alone, you will have changed more than 2,000 diapers! That's a lot of nappies and plenty of changing time too. Invest in a quality changing table that is sturdy enough to support your baby even as he grows heavier. Also, look for guard rails that keep your baby from falling to the floor. Some changing tables also have built-in storage which you can use for organizing baby items.

Kamis, 31 Agustus 2017

Creating a Beautiful and Healthy Nursery for Your Baby

CONGRATULATIONS! It's time to start planning your baby's nursery. This is a wonderful opportunity to express your creativity and prepare a healthy room to welcome your new baby home. Here are some decorating ideas to get you started.

1. Color considerations. It used to be that little girl's rooms were pink and little boy's rooms were blue. While these colors are still a popular choice, don't feel limited by tradition. Today there are endless possibilities for color. Color has the ability to set the mood and evoke feelings of peace and tranquility, inspire creativity or get us energized. Think about how you feel in a deep red room verses a space painted a soothing sky blue. Pastel colors make a room feel spacious and promote relaxation making them a good choice for a baby's bedroom. Think about buttery yellows or soft lilac paired with sage green. Many parents prefer bolder primary colors for their baby's room like red, blue and yellow. These also look great and have been shown to stimulate brain activity, but think about reserving them for an older child or limiting them to a designated play area in the nursery. Infants need a lot of sleep and keeping the nursery in calming colors, prevents distraction and over stimulation.

No matter what color you chose to paint, use a natural or zero VOC paint to avoid having fumes in the nursery. If you are pregnant, try to have someone else do the painting and make sure there is adequate ventilation.

2. Create a little whimsy. Think about using an object for other than its intended purpose. For example, instead of the little plastic disks under the furniture feet to prevent the dreaded floor dents, why not use baby shoes? How about using alphabet blocks with your child's initials as finials on a curtain rod? If you are doing a nautical theme, what about hanging up a life preserver with you child's name painted on it?

3. Consider alternatives to carpet . New carpet may look nice and be warm and soft to walk on, but it can also be a toxic nightmare. New carpeting contains too many chemicals to list which may be released into the air for a long time. Older carpets contains years of accumulated dust and dirt that may contribute to the development of asthma. There are many other flooring options besides carpeting that are now coming into mainstream design. Cork flooring is beautiful, soft and environmentally friendly. Bamboo is another attractive environmentally friendly option. Just make sure that the manufacturer and the installer do not use any glues containing formaldehyde.

Natural fiber area rugs are another option which can be laid on cork or bamboo floors to make a play area or to give your baby a soft spot to land while learning to walk. Wool rugs are available in many fun designs for children's rooms. Some people just love the look and warmth of wall to wall carpeting and for those there is low VOC carpeting made from recycled plastic making it even more durable and stain resistant than traditional carpeting.

4. Paint a Mural . You don't have to be Picasso, just a little resourceful. Find a picture you like and want to paint on the nursery wall. Enlarge the picture using a photocopy machine and transfer to a clear plastic sheet for an overhead projector. This can be done at a local office supply store. Inexpensive overhead projectors are readily available on E-bay. Just project the picture up on the wall, trace, and paint. Remember to allow enough time to finish all the tracing before moving the projector since it's very difficult to re-position it to match exactly.

5. Get a Breath of Fresh Air. Air purifiers are a great addition to a nursery. They remove dust and bacteria from the air reducing the likelihood of your baby catching a cold or developing asthma. There is a wide range of air purifiers on the market to choose from. The best will have HEPA or HEGA filtration and will also remove gasses from the air. Beware of air purifiers that contain ionizers as they may release ozone into the air which is harmful to lung tissue, especially for those with asthma. Air purifiers are available in a wide range of prices but also consider how much it will cost to operate in terms of electricity and replacement filters. Think about how noisy a unit is while running. If you can't leave it on while your baby sleeps it will not do serve much purpose in the nursery. Air purifiers specifically designed for a baby's nursery that come in pink and blue and make a "white noise" which actually helps your baby to fall asleep are available. Now that will help you both to rest easy!

6. Add Some Green. Plants are healthy little guys to have around the house. They not only look good as a design element, but they also work hard to clean the air. NASA has tested 12 plants for their ability to remove formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene from the air (Yes...those chemicals are most likely all in your home). Consider placing a Bamboo palm, Dracaena 'Janet Craig', Mother-in-law's tongue, Dracaena Marginata, Peace lily, green Spider plant, or golden pothos in the nursery and anywhere else around your home. Based on the NASA study, an 1800 square foot home would need between 15-20 plants to clean the air. Of course, not everyone wants to feel like they live in a jungle but that's why you have the air purifier.

7. Think Organic . Organic has escaped the confines of the kitchen and has made its way into the bedroom. An organic cotton and wool crib mattress is an essential item for a healthy nursery. Traditional crib mattresses are sprayed with polybrominated diphenyl ethers (nicknamed PBDEs). Several animal studies have found that PBDEs build up in the body over time and exposure during critical growth periods may cause irreversible reproductive and nervous system damage.1 PBDEs are chemically similar to PCB's which were banned in 1976 after they were found to cause cancer and affect the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine system in animals2. PBDEs are already banned in Europe but unfortunately they are still widely used in the US. Although it may seem like you never get any sleep with a newborn in the house, babies actually do a lot of sleeping--about 60% of their first year! That is a lot of time to spend in close contact with a mattress treated with PBDEs. Don't worry that you will have to trade off fire safety for general health. The wool in organic mattresses acts to regulate temperature as well as being naturally fire retardant without the addition of any synthetic chemicals.

While we're talking organic, opt for organic sheets to go along with that mattress. Most baby bedding contains cotton, which is the second most heavily pesticide treated crop. The pesticides used on cotton are also some of the most toxic. Choosing organic bedding will ensure that your baby is not in close contact to any pesticide residues while they are sleeping.

8. Refurbish Some Furniture. Some furniture contains particle board (A.K.A. pressed wood or MDF) which involves the use of formaldehyde in the manufacturing process. The formaldehyde can then off gas from the furniture into the air where your baby can breathe the fumes. A crib should always be purchased new to ensure that it meets current safety standards so look to see that it is made from solid wood and contains no particle board. Dressers, however, can be purchased used and painted using natural or zero VOC paints to complement the design scheme. Purchasing older, used furniture is also a good way to save some money which could be put toward other necessities...like the organic mattress, bedding and air purifier.

9. Choose a Theme. The theme is something you would want to consider first but I am putting it last because it will pull everything together. There are endless ideas for nursery themes. You could choose a cartoon character, angels, lady bugs, butterflies, fire engines, cars, sports, an under-the-sea theme...you just can't name them all. Let's say you decide to go with an under-the-sea theme. You can paint the walls a pale blue color like the Caribbean Sea. Get pictures of sea creatures and paint them on the walls and ceiling. Use the little children's water shoes for underneath the furniture legs. Buy a new crib, organic mattress and air purifier and find a used dresser in a style you like. You could paint the dresser a sandy color and purchase new draw pulls shaped like fish. When your child outgrows the theme, the furniture is painted a neutral color and you can just change the drawer pulls. Consider a cork floor with a wool or cotton area rug in a sea theme. Top it off by hanging a few pothos plants to give the appearance of seaweed. You'll have a beautiful nursery that puts the health of your baby first.

Selasa, 15 Agustus 2017

Finding The Best Way To Furnish Your Baby's Bedroom

The addition of a new baby into the family is a wonderful occasion but it is also a time for change and in many cases upheaval. Before the birth of the baby so many things need to be organised and be ready in time for the birth. One major job that always needs preparing is the baby's bedroom.

As long as you know the gender of your baby before the birth you can start to prepare the bedroom weeks or months in advance of the birth. A new baby's bedroom doesn't have to be anything too fancy as the baby won't have to impress anybody; the most important thing is for the bedroom to contain good practical furniture and items that you will need on a daily basis for your baby as well as items of convenience. Items such as clothes drawers, a small wardrobe, a crib and a set of storage shelves will generally be enough in the room both to make the room look full as well serve as a practical place to look after your baby.

Where furniture is concerned for your baby's room the choice can be quite simple alternatively you can go as extravagant as you please, most design houses now provide ranges of baby furniture that would grace many a penthouse suite. Practicality really has to be the key for any parent when furnishing the baby's room. No matter how wonderful the furniture looks if a parent cannot keep clothes and baby sundries organised and to hand when preparing the baby then extra work and stress will be created, which is not good.

You can allow yourself to indulge in certain items of luxury baby furniture to improve the look of the room as the practicality of certain pieces would be the same regardless of the quality. One such item of furniture would be the baby's crib. These are available in many designs and it is possible to find a style to suit most types of interior décor. Pieces of furniture tend to fall into the category of fashion furniture as certain styles do go in and out of fashion with frequent regularity but many of the older more traditional styles will probably be available for ever. The old nursery type crib which is rectangular in shape with wooden side fence rails is the ultimate old nursery style crib is probably still to this day the most popular style but it is now possible to get cribs that although are still as practical as the older style versions can just add a little bit more style to a room. One of the more popular "new" style cribs is round in shape and hence doesn't pen the baby in so much as he or she is free to roll around in any direction without banging into the sides of the crib. This style also offers the parents more accessibility when getting the infant out of the crib.

If you would prefer to stick with the more traditional style of crib it is still possible to freshen up the look of a baby's bedroom by adding a few other touches that can make subtle little differences to the overall look of the room. The bedding that you put onto the crib is one such thing. Baby crib bedding comes in many different materials and styles, from standard cotton to organic bamboo fibre as well as a hundred different materials and styles. Sometimes it might be pay to be prudent with the bedding for your babies crib as not babies adapt to sleeping with a different type of material than they are already used to. Unfortunately it may be a case of trial and error before you can find a bedding type for your baby's crib that suits everybody.

Rabu, 26 Juli 2017

Create A Safe Haven For Your Baby - Bedroom Designing Tips You Should Know

Most parents concentrate on design more than anything else when arranging the bedroom of their baby. But you should think of more than just design. Your baby needs to be safe and comfortable too.

You might think that the bedroom is the safest place on earth for your little one but the bedroom actually poses considerable threat to the life of your baby. This is why when you are designing your baby's room, you should keep safety and comfort in mind.

Tip 1: Choose the appropriate crib set first. While some parents use bassinet mattress for their little ones, others immediately give cribs. According to sleep experts, bassinet helps give the infant a secured kind of feeling. The cocoon-like shape makes them feel like they are still in their mother's womb. However, this can also suffocate the baby. It increases the likelihood of SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Choose a good kind of crib with sturdy structure. The crib should be made from natural materials. They should be painted with non-toxic materials. Also choose the right mattress. Consider buying a semi-firm kind of mattress as this provides better support for the baby. Moreover, a natural mattress devoid of harmful chemicals is also an ideal choice. Harmful chemicals tend to facilitate off-gassing. You would not want your baby to inhale toxic nerve gasses. SIDS can also happen because of toxic nerve gas inhalation.

Place the crib in the center of the room, away from the wall. This will ensure that there is good flow of air on all sides of the crib. It will also avoid mishaps such as falling wall designs or wall pictures.

Tip 2: Combine vibrant and neutral colors when painting the room. Vibrant colors stimulate the baby's brain while neutral colors help them sleep better. Yellow, blue, pink and green are some of the most popular colors for bedroom designs. But you can also mix a bit of dark colors such as deep purple, brown or even red.

Tip 3: Use quick-dry paint with no smell and no toxic chemicals. They cost more than regular paint but they contain safer ingredients. Also, it is difficult to get rid of regular paint smell.

Tip 4: Do not put a lot of pillows in the baby's crib. Use small bolsters and place them on the edges of the crib. Also use one small and light pillow to cradle the baby's head. Do not use big and heavy pillows as this might pose suffocation threats to your baby.

Tip 5: The room has to be well-ventilated. You can also purchase room thermometer to measure the humidity inside and to make sure that the room temperature is conducive for sleeping.


Jumat, 07 Juli 2017

Five Tips For Choosing Airplane Baby Bedding For Your Baby Boy

If you have a little baby boy, you most likely want to decorate his room in boyish designs such as cars and trucks, trains, sports, pirate, and so on. One good theme for a boy's room is aviation or airplane. Many boys dream to fly high in the sky that is why most pilots are guys. Most parents decorate their boy's bedroom with this theme mostly because of the colors. The colors are blue and white, perfect for your little son's bedroom.

The focal point of any bedroom is the bed. It is the most important furniture inside this room because this is the area where your little one can relax and sleep peacefully. If you are thinking of having an airplane theme for your son's bedroom, you should also consider getting a set of airplane baby bedding. It would look awkward and out of place if the bedding has a different theme from the rest of the room's decorations and furnishings.

If you are going to buy a baby bedding set, here are your considerations:

    The colors are very important. Babies should be able to sleep well in their rooms and the colors should be soothing and relaxing, although very young babies still cannot recognize colors. But as they start to grow older, they will slowly recognize colors. Since an airplane theme is perfect for little baby boys, you can choose the primary color blue or light blue. Light blue is perfect for infants and babies. You can choose a darker shade of blue for toddlers.
    The major colors for an airplane themed room are blue and white. Blue and white represent the colors of the sky and cloud. You can also incorporate other designs that will add more color and interest to the room. You can choose additional designs like the sun, moon, stars, flowers, trees, birds, hot air balloons, and anything outdoors, especially those objects that are usually found in the sky.
    You should also consider the material used for making the bedding set, not just the designs. Is the bedding soft enough for your baby to be comfortable while sleeping? Will it keep your baby warm when the temperature is low or cool when the temperature is high? Is it safe for your baby's skin and lungs? These factors should be your guide when choosing any kind of bedding.
    You should also consider the size of the bedding. Determine whether your baby's crib has the standard size or not. If the crib's size is standard, then it is easy to find a bedding set that will fit snugly into the crib. Do not choose something too fluffy or big to prevent suffocation that is fatal especially to babies.
    You should also consider other furnishings inside the room such as your baby's changing station, closet, curtains, and so on. Make sure that they also complement the room's overall airplane theme.

By considering these tips, you will be able to choose the perfect baby bedding for your little one's bedroom.