I like to start out decorating a nursery (for a baby boy or a baby girl, either one) by painting a lovely blue sky on the ceiling, with just a few fluffy little clouds to make it interesting. It’s just such a happy kind of thing, and the child won’t “out-grow” it for years and years… if ever!
One particular room I did, a couple of years ago, was shared by a baby boy and his 5-year-old brother. The room already had a theme of kites in the bedding and drapes, but needed something to pull it all together. So I added a couple of big fat kite-shaped pillows to the play area and carried the kite theme up into the blue-sky ceiling. First I made a cardboard template of one of the larger kites in the bedding fabric, and just traced lightly around it on the ceiling in a couple of places. Fill in the kite outlines with bright coordinating colors of acrylic craft paints, and freehand the kite tail down the wall, and there you have it — wonderful, lively, and easy to do!
Here, Rebecca Johnson offers five more great ideas to get you started on decorating a bedroom for baby.
Ideas for Decorating the Baby Nursery Walls
by Rebecca Johnson
Planning a baby nursery can be a big job but the decorating aspect of it can be quite fun. There are many great ways that you can accent your baby nursery walls to give the room a personality as unique as your new baby. Remember to keep safety in mind when decorating your nursery walls and to have fun and get creative. Keep in mind that you will be spending a lot of time in the room also, so make it a place that will be enjoyable not only for your new baby but for you as well. Here are some great decorating ideas to consider for your baby’s new room:
1. Purchase a belly casting mold and make a belly cast of your stomach. Sometime in the last couple months of your pregnancy is best so that you can get the full effect. Once you have made the mold, decorate it any way you want. A popular option is to paint it to compliment your baby nursery’s theme. For example if your nursery has a beach theme, paint a beach scene on it or paint the belly cast to look like a beach ball. Another idea is to make some good quality copies of your ultrasound pictures and paste them on the belly cast like a collage. Get creative and have fun with it. The finished product will be a great memento for you and your baby.
2. Hang a growth chart. It is a great way to decorate your nursery, track your child’s growth, and it makes a great keepsake. Growth charts are available in a wide variety of colors and styles and you may even be able to find one that matches your nursery’s theme. Consider purchasing a non-toxic baby ink pad and making a hand or footprint on the chart whenever you measure your child’s height. It is another great way to measure your baby’s growth and you will be surprised how quickly those little hands and feet grow!
3. Look for wall hangings and art work that coordinate with your room theme. For example, if your theme is airplanes, look for airplane related items that will compliment the room. If you have a character theme such as Winnie the Pooh, Hello Kitty, or Baby Snoopy, it should be easy to locate some art work items that will work well on the nursery walls. The quilt that comes with your nursery bedding set also works great as a wall hanging.
4. Murals are a really great way to dress up the nursery walls. Murals can cover the whole wall of just a small portion. There are several types of murals you can buy, the most popular and easy to use murals come in pieces that can be applied to the wall just like wallpaper. If you or someone you know is artistic, you might want to consider a hand painted mural. You could also hire an artist to paint it for you.
Wall decals are another option to murals. They come in much smaller pieces and can be applied to the nursery walls where ever you want. There are a wide variety available and you may be able to find some that go with your theme.
5. Letters that spell out the name you have chosen for your new baby is another great way to decorate the nursery walls. You can get wooden letters in many styles and colors that will hang on the wall. Ceramic letters featuring characters such as Winnie the Pooh can also be found and look cute sitting on a wall shelf.
You can be as creative as you want when it comes to decorating your baby’s nursery. Taking the theme or color scheme you have chosen into consideration will definitely help you when it comes to picking out art and other décor for your nursery’s wall. Have fun and enjoy the experience and you will end up with a great room that both you and your new baby will enjoy spending time in.
Rebecca Johnson is the owner of Decorating-Your-Baby-Nursery.com, a website that offers advice on all aspects of planning a baby nursery. Visit it for more nursery decorating ideas and planning advice.