Recommendations for selection
Some basic tips:
- You should choose cribs made from safe, environmentally friendly, hypoallergenic and high-quality materials, for example, natural wood or metal.
- A good solution would be durable and stable structures equipped with slatted sides. The distance between the slats should not be too narrow so that the baby does not get stuck.
- For newborns, it is advisable to give preference to a firmer mattress, for example, one with coconut fiber filling and special orthopedic pillows, which can only be used from a certain age.
- It would be better if the bottom of the structure consists of slats, this will provide ventilation for the mattress and allow it to dry out faster.
What furniture should be in a room for a newborn
Not many things are needed for a small child. If there is no possibility or desire to house him separately, everything can be placed in the parents’ room. It must be said right away that the room for a newborn should be cleared of all unnecessary items, including flowers, carpets and numerous draperies. They all just collect dust, which is extremely undesirable. The list of necessary furniture is small:
- Crib;
- chest of drawers-changing table (can be separately, but it is more practical in this version);
- wardrobe for children's clothes;
- sofa or armchair for adults.
It is better to cover the walls in a newborn’s room with paper-based wallpaper or paint them with water-based paint.
Cot
For some young parents, a separate crib for a child is an irreplaceable thing, for others it is superfluous. The main question is whether your baby will sleep peacefully in his own bed or whether he will be more comfortable with his mother. In principle, if the baby is calm, you will get better sleep when he sleeps separately: you don’t have to constantly remember that a little person is lying next to you. In order not to get up extra at night when the baby starts tossing and turning, you can move the crib closer at night so that you can reach the baby with your hand. Feeling your touch, he will calm down more quickly. Over time, children get used to sleeping on their own. All this is for the case if the nursery is combined with your bedroom. If the baby has a personal room allocated to him, a crib is simply a must.
A convenient compromise: the baby is in his crib and the mother does not need to get up
If you bought a crib ready-made, the bottom of it can be adjusted to several height positions. It's comfortable. In the first months of life, while the baby is still inactive, the bottom is set to the highest position. This makes it easier and more convenient to place and lift newborns. As they grow older and become more mobile, the bottom is lowered lower so that the matured owner does not accidentally fall out.
There are rocking beds. Of course, they are more convenient for rocking children to sleep. But they quickly get used to it and then it may happen that you need to push the crib all night - this is the only way the children agree to sleep. So you should be careful with this.
If you really want a canopy and frills, they will need to be washed often
Now about canopies and capes. Without a doubt, they look cute, but doctors unanimously do not recommend doing them. They interfere with normal air exchange, block the sun's rays necessary for the child, and also collect dust. All this is true, but if mom really wants it, you can buy a crib with a canopy, but you’ll just have to wash it regularly (once every two weeks for sure).
It is also important to choose the right place for the crib. It should be placed so that the sun looks into it, but not under the window, not near the radiator, and also not in a place where there are drafts.
Dresser/changing table
In principle, these can be two separate items, but it is much more practical in this version: there is a lid on the chest of drawers in the form of a changing table. This is convenient for caring for a child: everything you need is at hand.
Great combination: crib with attached chest of drawers/changing table
If you are still wondering whether you need a diaper at all, because diapers have remained mainly as children's underwear, then you are completely in vain. You will need to change your baby's clothes often. It is more convenient to stand upright, rather than bending over or sitting on a bed/sofa. Standing is much faster and more comfortable, which is what changing tables allow you to do. Also, the sides, nailed on three sides around the perimeter, will prevent the child from falling over.
Wardrobe for children's clothes
A room for a newborn up to 6 months can do without a closet - everything is included in the chest of drawers. But after six months, a closet is already needed. They can consist of two sections - in the top there are shelves for clothes (necessarily with doors so that things don’t get dusty), at the bottom there can be drawers for toys.
Functional model of a wardrobe for a nursery
Since this type of furniture will continue to serve you, pay attention to its corners. It is desirable that they be rounded. A grown-up child should not be able to get seriously injured during games. Well, the structure must be strong and stable, and the materials (including paint) must be safe and intended specifically for children's rooms. Any children's furniture must have safety certificates separately for the material from which the furniture is made, and separately for finishing materials (glue, paints, etc.).
Sofa or armchair
This piece of furniture is necessary for adults, and, first of all, for mothers. The specific choice - a sofa or an armchair - depends on how you prefer to feed your baby - sitting or lying down. Although you can sit on the sofa and sit. For this, the armrests should be high and preferably soft. Not much furniture now meets such requirements and don’t be discouraged if you don’t find anything suitable. Take the most acceptable option, and the pillows will provide you with comfort. They should be of different sizes, shapes and thicknesses so that they can be placed under your back or elbow, ensuring the most comfortable position.
Sofa - for mom
There are also rocking chairs and some designs are really comfortable. But they take up a lot of space, so they can’t even fit in every room. Please note that when the child learns to crawl, the chair will need to be removed. Its unstable design can be dangerous for the baby.
Types of beds for babies
Thanks to the huge variety of models, a nursery for a newborn can be decorated with both a classic cradle and a technologically advanced modern crib.
With pendulum mechanism
A crib with a pendulum mechanism will rock the baby to sleep on its own with a slight push. Modern products can have a programmable pendulum, which allows the mother, using the remote control, to set the desired duration and amplitude of motion sickness.
Bedside
It is a very convenient solution that allows you to place the child’s sleeping place next to the parent’s bed. The possibility of installing the side in the previous position will allow you to turn the model into a classic crib.
The photo shows a white bedside cradle for a newborn in a bedroom interior.
Rocking bed
Perfect for little ones who can't sleep without motion sickness. Such products can also be converted into regular beds with legs.
Transformer
Due to the versatility of the transformable bed and additional elements, it can easily be converted, for example, into a desk with two chairs or a mini-sofa.
Cot-playpen
It is a lightweight portable prefabricated structure, which is distinguished by the presence of a wooden or plastic bottom and high fabric sides with mesh inserts.
With built-in furniture
A functional model, complemented with a changing table, a small chest of drawers for children's clothes or drawers for toys, will significantly save space in a small room.
The photo shows a crib for a newborn, with a built-in chest of drawers and a changing table.
Cradle
Compact and cozy wall-mounted and floor-mounted cradles, decorated from the inside with soft and eco-friendly material, will give a newborn baby a sense of security and are perfect for babies from birth to six months of age.
We buy furniture for a newborn
For a baby's room, it is recommended to select only the most necessary furniture so that there is plenty of free space. As a rule, the set consists of the following items: a sleeping place, a changing table, various storage systems, an armchair, a small sofa or sofa, and hanging shelves.
To make it more convenient for a mother to feed her child, you can buy a soft ottoman for the feet. It is advisable to choose furniture made of natural wood with a perfectly smooth surface, without sharp corners. This will help avoid injury in the future.
When the baby grows up and begins to crawl and walk, he will certainly want to explore the contents of every drawer and closet, which sometimes ends quite sadly. Therefore, tables, cabinets, chests of drawers and other furniture that can be opened must have locks.
The main item in a baby's nursery is, of course, the crib. The choice of its model depends on the style and design of the room, as well as on the wishes of the parents. The following types of sleeping places for newborns are in demand on the market: cradles, traditional playpens with sides, pendulums, beds on runners and transformers. All of them are very comfortable, practical, perfect for lulling and restful sleep of small children.
You can read more about the choice of cradles here.
What types of cribs are there?
There are several main forms.
Oval
Due to the absence of sharp corners, it is absolutely safe, does not take up much space and fits perfectly into small rooms.
Round
It has a very gentle and cute appearance, can have a different bottom arrangement and be equipped with wheels.
Rectangular
The rectangular classic bed has standard parameters and is used for the baby from birth to 3-5 years.
The photo shows a rectangular wooden crib in a nursery for a newborn.
Bunk
It is a fairly practical model that allows you to rationally organize the space in the room.
Color range of cribs
The tint solution for cradles can be a variety of colors, such as gray, pink, white, beige or blue.
Also, green, brown, blue, turquoise designs and even wenge-colored products are often found in interiors.
The photo shows a nursery for a newborn boy with a crib made in white.
The white design adds extra light to the environment and, due to its versatility, is perfect for both a newborn boy and girl.
A green crib can also decorate the interior of a nursery for a baby of any gender; in addition, this shade has a calming and relaxing effect.
Gray, beige or woody pastel shades are especially recommended for newborn babies, as they do not negatively affect the psyche.
The photo shows a gray crib in a room for a newborn in a Scandinavian style.
Choosing the interior color
According to psychologists, light shades should predominate in the interior of the room of children from 0 to 3 years old. They have a calming effect and promote sound, healthy sleep. Bright colors, on the other hand, are disturbing, irritating and have a negative impact on infants' vision.
Doctors also do not recommend using half-tones, for example, orange, purple, terracotta, in decorating a nursery for babies. Due to the fact that they consist of several shades, the child’s color perception may not be formed correctly.
Light shades of beige, peach, blue, olive, green, pink, and yellow are considered suitable. This palette is perfect for decoration, textiles and furniture.
How to decorate a room for a newborn and make it elegant? You can refresh a monochromatic interior with thematic designs, floral patterns, floral prints on wallpaper, curtains, and crib decorations.
There can also be rich colors in the nursery, but only in the form of accents. For example, in toys placed on shelves, paintings, panels decorating walls, small decorative items.
Bright, beautiful stickers will diversify the palette of the room and introduce an element of play. They can be placed on bedside tables, cabinets, walls, and as the child grows older, replaced with more relevant ones.
Source: mblx.ruBed options for boys
Wooden or metal cribs are generally chosen, both in dark and subdued boyish shades such as brown, gray or blue, and in lighter colors of blue, white or green.
Cradles are often equipped with comfortable wheels, soft sides, which are decorated with images of cars or boats, interesting hanging rattles for games and mood, and are also equipped with a musical mobile with airplanes, rockets or funny little animals.
The photo shows a room for a newborn boy with a white crib equipped with wheels.
Lighting, decor and textile design of space for a newborn
When decorating windows, it is better to give preference to simple textile solutions. It is important that the baby’s room is bright, so it is better to use transparent tulle as curtains or not to curtain the windows at all. You also need to think about window decoration options that will collect a minimum amount of dust. Choose simple curtains that are easy for you to wash, avoid complex compositions, many folds, ruffles and lambrequins, and minimize the presence of various fringes and tassels.
To create the required level of artificial light in the baby's room, you will need several light sources. In the area where the crib is installed, you can use both a pendant chandelier and wall sconces, and in the so-called parent segment, you can install a floor lamp. Make sure that the design of the lighting fixture is stable and safe.
Wall decor is one of the most effective ways to diversify the light wall decoration in a baby’s room. Family photos in bright frames, paintings depicting fairy-tale characters or cartoon characters - they can be easily replaced as the child’s preferences change as he grows up.
In terms of decorating a baby's room with carpets, it is important not to overdo it. At first, until the child learns to sit and then crawl, you will only need a small rug in the area of the crib or changing table, where the parents will spend the most time.
Photos of cribs for girls
Designs that have a light and airy design with decoration in the form of bows, ruffles, soft upholstery or various patterns are especially appropriate here. For example, carriage cribs or truly royal products with a canopy, which is complemented with a large bow, monogram, crown or other accessories, look very original.
Color designs traditionally include pink, lilac, white, light brown or fabulous shades of gold and silver.
The photo shows a white crib decorated with a pink canopy in the interior of a nursery for a newborn girl.
Interesting ideas for newborn twins
In a family with twins or twins, parents choose one combined or two separate beds. Wide designs with a divider in the form of a bolster or side and two-tier models are also often used, which will be especially appropriate in a small room.
Design and decor of cribs for babies
Quite often, cradles are decorated with additional decorative elements, such as a canopy, which is an excellent protection from light during daytime sleep, various designs, small inscriptions and images with rhinestones, or a carriage screed that matches the color of the overall design.
The photo shows a nursery and a crib for a newborn with a backrest decorated with a carriage tie in a light pink shade.
Carved, vintage forged or wicker beds look very beautiful and cozy, for example in the form of a basket, for the manufacture of which vines, raffia leaves or rattan stems are most often used.
Examples of cribs for babies in the interior of rooms
Cradles are placed not only in the nursery, but also in the living room or parent's bedroom. This is mainly due to the lack of extra square meters. The best place to organize a children's corner will be the brightest area in the room or a separate niche, which should have high-quality lighting and good air exchange.
The photo shows the interior of a bedroom with a cradle for a newborn, located near the bed.
When placing the cradle in the living room or bedroom, you should not install it next to household appliances, heating radiators, or clutter the room with unnecessary objects that collect dust.
Zoning and lighting
When planning the design of a nursery, you should definitely take into account the fact that the child will grow up quickly, which means he will need not only a place to sleep, but also space for games. It is recommended to divide the room for newborns into the following functional areas:
- rest – a crib, chair or sofa for parents is installed here;
- care - includes a changing table, chest of drawers or bedside tables in which it is convenient to place everything you need;
- storage – these are cabinets, racks and other modular systems;
- playroom - free space.
Zoning can be done in different ways. For example, use wall, floor and ceiling finishes for each part of the room that differ in color and texture. Using a special arrangement of furniture, screens, curtains, open shelving, and a complex design of the ceiling structure.
Advice! With any zoning method, it is better to designate the central part of the room as a play area.
Lighting plays an important role in the interior. It must be multi-level so that the child is not disturbed by the bright light of the ceiling chandelier while sleeping. Near the crib it is worth installing a table lamp with dim light, which will be useful for the mother during night feedings. It is also recommended to install a lamp at the changing table. This could be a wall sconce or a floor lamp.
Source: belisama-lighting.com
A selection of unusual cribs for newborns
Unusual and original design products undoubtedly become an exclusive interior item and allow you to make the atmosphere in the room unique.
A variety of cradles with bright designs look truly delightful, attract attention, create a fun interior and provide an opportunity to give children a unique and inimitable sleeping bed.
The photo shows an unusual design of a transparent crib for a newborn, made of acrylic.
