Nursery Setup Ideas

The arrival of a baby is an exciting time that calls for plenty of inspiration and creativity. Decorating your nursery may feel like a big project, but with just a little extra planning, you can create a beautiful and comforting space for your child. Get inspired for decorating your child's nursery with these nursery setup tips from Madico.

Finding the Right Location

A nursery can't be built in just any room. To create a safe and comfortable nursey, you have to take factors such as temperature, layout and proximity to the rest of the house into careful consideration. Make sure to consider the following elements when choosing a nursery location:

• Room size: While your child may be small now, they'll be growing in no time. The same room they'll live in as a newborn will likely be the same room they're romping around in as a toddler, so you should choose a room that isn't too tight of a fit for all your nursery furniture. It's also crucial to keep enough clear space in your nursery so you can easily navigate it late at night without running into toys or furniture.
• Air circulation: Maintaining adequate airflow in the room is instrumental to keeping your baby healthy. Aside from windows, your room should be outfitted with a ceiling fan to help your child sleep at night and prevent them from getting overheated. Consider purchasing a humidifier or dehumidifier to ensure the room's moisture levels are just right.
• Desired layout: A nursery requires ample room for a crib, changing table, feeding area and room to play, at a minimum. It's best to keep your furniture toward the wall but not clutter the room with too many pieces. Always make sure your nursery is easy to navigate, especially when you're making your way through it in the dark.
• Proximity to your room: When you have a baby, you'll be walking back and forth from your room to theirs several times a night. Make sure the walkway between your rooms is always clear and free of any potential hazards that could cause you to fall.
• Proximity to a bathroom: There's no way around it — babies are messy. Even once you've created a well-stocked changing area, you'll want to be in close proximity to a bathroom. This way, you can quickly get set up for your baby's bathtime and wash yourself off when the inevitable happens.

Top Nursery Design Styles and Themes

Deciding on a specific theme is one of the fastest ways to decrease the number of decisions you have to make about your nursery. From cute and whimsical styles to more modern and sleek looks, deciding on the right nursery theme for your baby isn't always easy. 

Try to keep your budget, design goals and existing pieces in mind before settling on any one particular theme. If you're keeping your baby's gender a surprise or anticipate using the room for their future sibling, it's smart to create a gender-neutral theme that will both pique your child's curiosity and allow you to reuse the room.

Some of the most common nursery themes are: 

• Comforting neutrals: Going with a soft, neutral color scheme can create a calming space for you and your baby. Natural elements like woods and bright linens can create a comforting atmosphere and you can reuse them once your child grows up. This idea may be the best option for you if you plan on converting the room into a space other than a child's room in the future
• Safari-inspired: Young children absolutely love animals, so a safari-inspired design is a perfect way to catch their eye. Features like canopies and animal plushes can create a design that's comforting and intriguing for your baby. Whether you opt for earthy, natural colors or a more vibrant design, plenty of safari-inspired options are available.
• Farmhouse-inspired: With farmhouse chic more in style than ever, a farmhouse-inspired design is a perfect way to incorporate both animal and rustic elements into your design. If you have an ample amount of antique or heritage pieces from your family, a farmhouse-inspired look may be the best way to go.
• Travel-inspired: Kids are naturally curious, so why not give them a room where they can learn and play with elements from all around the world? A travel-inspired room has endless design possibilities, such as maps, airplanes, animals and more. Either focus on one specific region to inspire your design or take elements from all across the globe.
• Night sky-inspired: A baby's room should be as restful and calming as possible, so why not consider a theme with moon and stars? Go with darker tones to capture the elements of the night sky. Be sure to add soft, twinkling lights to emulate the stars, too.

If you don't want to stick to one theme, you have options. The trick to decorating with mismatched pieces of furniture is to embrace contrast to create a cohesive look. Keep an eye out for decorations with similar materials, textures and colors. Use bold accents when you have trouble finding a matching option for a piece. These tricks will create a seamless design even when you have various pieces.

Choosing the Right Furniture

Of course, nurseries require special furniture built with your baby's safety in mind. Always make sure that every piece you introduce in your nursery is considered safe by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). No nursery is complete without the following pieces of furniture:

Bassinets and/or Cribs

When your baby first comes home from the hospital, you'll want to opt for a comfortable bassinet. This option is much smaller than a crib and is light enough to move back and forth from your child's room to yours for the recommended six months you should be sleeping in the same room. Once your baby grows out of a bassinet, it's time to get your crib set up.

The most important centerpiece of any nursery is the crib. While it's tempting to go all out decorating your child's crib with lots of blankets, pillows and stuffed animals, you must keep your child's crib empty to keep them safe. Outfit the crib with nothing more than a fitted sheet for at least the first year of your child's life. Additionally, though you may have a hand-me-down or vintage crib, it's best to consider purchasing a new one to ensure your child's safety.

A baby's mattress is of equal importance to their crib. With the right mattress, you can help your child sleep easier and minimize the risk of suffocation. Consider purchasing a mattress that's hypoallergenic and washable so you can prevent your child's skin from getting irritated.

Changing Table

Many parents decide to buy either a dedicated changing table or use a sturdy dresser as a changing table. Regardless of your choice, make sure your changing table has ample room to store diapers, wipes, creams and any other products you may need to keep your baby and space clean. 

One advantage of choosing a dresser over a dedicated changing table is the ability to store your baby's clothing, swaddled blankets, toys and more in one dedicated space. To choose the right dresser to use as a changing table, make sure your dresser is deep and no taller than your waist height. Don't forget to buy a topper for your changing table to keep your baby comfortable and protect your furniture from stains.

Rockers

A rocker is one of the most special and sentimental pieces of furniture in a nursery. These chairs are the perfect place for feeding, swaddling, reading and putting your child to sleep. When picking a rocker, make sure to find one that's comfortable for sitting in for long periods of time and rocks with a smooth, gliding motion. If you're planning on having multiple children, one great rocking chair can last you for decades to come and maybe even be passed down to your grandchildren.

Nightlights

Since your baby will be sleeping often, you should invest in a reliable nightlight that casts a soft glow over your space. Many new nightlights even work with your phone, meaning you can control your night lights as necessary and never worry about losing the remote. Don't forget that the nightlight is also for you, so it's smart to invest in one that allows you to quickly navigate your baby's nursery on dark nights. 

Blackout Home Window Film

Because babies sleep at all hours of the day, you need a solution to keep the daylight out and give both you and your baby some peace and quiet. Using solar control films is a simple way for families to minimize light and glare coming into their baby's room without completely blocking out the sunlight. With solar control films, you can control glare, prevent your furniture from fading and block out 99% of ultraviolet (UV) light.

Nursery Decorating Ideas and Tips

Now that you've put in the hard work of determining the location and furniture of your nursery, it's time to get to the fun part — decorating. If you have a theme for your nursery, now's the time to go all out with stuffed animals, artwork, fun furniture and more. Here are some specific nursery design ideas and tips to consider for your nursery:

• Exciting mobiles: Why not brighten up your nursery with an exciting mobile that will hold your baby's attention and add intrigue to the room? Today, you can find mobiles to match almost any nursery theme.
• Miniature libraries: Storytime is a great way to bond with your child and give them the headstart they need to succeed in school. A miniature library is an exciting feature that allows you to organize all of your storybooks and educational materials in one easy-to-access place. Consider opting for a traditional bookshelf or floating shelves to put your collection on display.
• Themed art for a gallery wall: Adding art is the easiest way to create a space that feels well tied together by a central theme. There are endless original and handmade prints online for purchase, or you can consider asking an artistic family member or friend to create a one-of-a-kind piece for you. 
• Colorful and durable upholstery: If you're upcycling some of the furniture in your nursery, pick a spill-proof or outdoor material that will stay colorful and clean even when accidents happen. Just make sure to opt for durable colors that don't become easily stained or worn.
• Washable wallpaper: Despite your best intentions, a mess is inevitable in a nursery. Fortunately, washable wallpaper — or paint with stain-resistant surfaces — gives you a chance to add color to a room without showing any damage that comes its way.
• Whimsical lighting: Aside from overhead lighting and nightlights, you may want to add some whimsical lighting to your nursery. Choose soft lighting choices like fairy lights or salt lamps to give the room a soft glow. Otherwise, star lamps and lighted mobiles are great ways to keep your child entertained.
• A touch of nature: Adding one or two plants placed far out of your child's reach can make the space feel more inviting. Look for hearty plants that require minimal care, are nontoxic and can remain in your child's room as they grow older.
• A sentimental finish: Whether you have a hand-me-down rocker that's been in your family for generations or a baby blanket from your own childhood, a sentimental touch can truly bring your nursery together and make you feel like the room is complete. Otherwise, use this opportunity to create new memories by creating an art piece, blanket or even furniture just for your baby.

Finish Your Nursery With Solar Film From Madico

At Madico, we create residential window films that make your nursery more inviting, lessen glare and reduce exposure to UV rays by as much as 99%. UV rays aren't just bad for your skin — they can fade your furniture. Aside from protecting your skin and furniture, Madico solar control film helps cool your home and reflect the heat away from your windows in the summer while letting it in during the winter. 

Madico solar control film has shown an up to 70% return on investment in our commercial testing and pays for itself in less than two years. As our film blocks out up to 86% of the sun's heat, you'll see a reduction in cooling costs up to 30%. With savings like that, you can make the most out of your nursery budget.

Take a look at our products to see more than a dozen varieties of our signature residential solar control films. To purchase our films, you can find a dealer or contact us today.