Bringing Up Baby: Design That Grows With Your Kids
Go from newborn to age to four with a minimum of fuss.
Those early years are busy. You don’t always have the time to make a masterpiece out of your child’s room. Heck, you don’t always have the time to shower! So getting it right the first time, creating a space that will grow with your child and make your child’s room functional and pretty, in one fell swoop, is ideal.
Skip The Baby Furniture And Look To Pieces That Will Last
While we can all agree on the necessity for a crib at first, consider a model that converts into a twin bed frame, down the road. It’s a little more of an investment up front but it will save you time and money in the long run. And be sure to purchase a quality mattress and waterproof cover for it. We all spend a lot of our lives sleeping: we should do it in comfort!
A change table is a ‘nice to have’ but a change pad on an anchored-to-the-wall chest of drawers will also do the trick and will not need to be replaced as your child finishes with diapers and moves into big boy / girl panties!
A rocking chair in the room is nice for midnight feeding times but as the little one becomes mobile, you need to be concerned about squished toes. A comfortable chair with a washable cloth surface and ottoman might be a better and longer term option that will withstand being climbed on and be soft enough to avoid any head bumps!
Easy To Clean Is The Order Of The Day
Kids make messes, even as newborns. It’s not their fault: they are programmed to be a little bit gross, at times. Spit up and other ‘projectiles’ can stain and be hard to clean so make sure that most surfaces in the baby’s room are washable.
Paint the walls with non-toxic, washable paint because there will come a day when crayons on the walls will be the latest in ‘art nouveau’ at your house; use fabrics for draperies that can be spot cleaned or even thrown right in the washer and drier and when it comes to upholstery, look for hardy fabrics that can be zipped off the cushions and washed.
The handmade, non-toxic rugs made by Lorena Canals are a great example of a product designed and manufactured with your family in mind. They are hand dyed and hardy, can be thrown in a standard washer / dryer for easy cleaning and will last for ages.
Safety Is Still Paramount Where Kids Are Concerned
With all of these suggestions, it’s important to remember: Safety first! Furniture that is rounded and soft, rather than hard edged, will be easier as your baby enters the world of toddlerhood.
Furniture that is sturdy is essential: consider pieces that aren’t going to tip over as little ones learn to pull themselves up. The ability to anchor pieces to the wall and add drawer locks to avoid them being pulled out and over baby are important too. Sturdy pieces will withstand a few knocks and crayon attacks.
Keep anything that is hanging on the wall out of reach – including pictures and other decorations. Consider the crib / bed placement to ensure that baby will not be able to reach and pull on anything that could fall down on them. They won’t do it in the first months but they grow fast and before you know it, they’re reaching for everything they can get their little hands on.
And when it all gets to be too much for you, and you need to escape a little, it might be time to start planning your own little oasis.
