Nursery essentials

All mothers and soon-to-be moms: this posting is for you. What an exciting and life-changing time! To help you in your transition to motherhood, here are a few tips for the nursery:

Furniture: Let safety be your guide in all purchase decisions. In addition to a crib, you will need a comfy chair or love seat in the nursery, for late night feedings. If space is tight, leave the change table and dresser in the bathroom. Maybe you have a counter in the bathroom that can act as a change table for a few years? If that is the case, securely install a smooth board along the counter edge, to prevent your little one from rolling off.

Colour: Rather than preparing a room that your child can "grow into", think about what you want for your baby right now. There will undoubtedly be scratches, wear and tear, and by the time your little one is about to start school, his/her room will need an update anyways. For now, think soft colours. Avoid bright red and orange walls, they are too intense and energizing for a baby's room. I would also stay away from dark blues and greens, brown and black. You want to create a space where your child can flourish and grow, so opt for lighter colours. If you want gender-neutral walls, buttery and creamy hues are good choices. Combine them with colourful drapes, patterned nursery sets and fun artwork.

Window treatment: A roll-down, black-out blind is highly recommended and will help your little one sleep during daytime naps.

Flooring: You and your child will spend a lot of time playing on the floor, so invest in a warm and soft area rug.

Artwork: Suspend any of these cute fabrics on a wooden frame and mount on the wall. Or simply hem the edges and tack to the wall:

This fabric would be beautiful on soft green, 

cream, or light blue walls. Three Gables Studio,

North Bay.

Would look sharp in a pink or light green

room. Three Gables Studio.

This fabric would be a good choice for a 

room with soft, buttery, creamy or light

green walls. Three Gables Studio.

Detail from "Boys will be boys".

More elephants and monkeys, this time

on a fabric from Stewart's Deccorating. 

Would look crisp with a neutral or light

blue wall colour.

Why not combine this "Alphabet soup" fabric with

lime green? Stewart's. 

Also at Stewart's, this animal fabric would go well

with creamy walls.

Happy Mothers Day!