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A good baby nursery design begins with planning a few essentials before you even pick up a paint brush. Here are a few things you need to think about before you begin your nursery decorating project:



The first step in planning your nursery design is to choose a baby crib.

The baby crib usually forms the focal point of the baby nursery, and why not - that's where the baby is right? So choosing the right one is a pretty important decision.



To a large degree, your choice of baby crib will influence your options when it comes to selecting the rest of the baby nursery furniture.

In addition, the shape you choose can limit your nursery room layout options, and the finish you choose can limit your baby nursery colors and the nursery themes available to you.

Be aware of this, take your time, and choose wisely. (If you are undecided on your nursery colors and/or your theme, you can always finalize the finish of your baby crib later during the nursery decorating process.)

Remember to take baby crib safety into account, look for a crib that is durable and make sure that the crib you decide upon fits in with the nursery decorating style you have chosen.

Click here to visit the Baby Cribs section.

You may also decide to start off with a small baby bed, such as a bassinet or cradle. Small baby beds tend to be less expensive and you can always buy your crib later when your credit card has had a chance to recover from the nursery decorating spree!

You can find out more about your small baby bed options here.




Almost as important as choosing a baby crib, the second step in planning a baby nursery design is to select the rest of the baby nursery furniture.

The most important baby nursery furniture items you should be looking for are:

• A baby changing table.
• A rocker or glider chair with ottoman or footstool.
• A nightstand or small table, and
• A nursery hamper.

Click here to learn more about the five baby nursery furniture essentials.


Many baby cribs are available as part of a baby furniture collection. These collections normally consist of the baby crib, dresser and/or baby changing table, and sometimes an armoire.

If you want your baby nursery furniture to be perfectly coordinated, this is the way to go. Many outlets offer baby furniture collections at substantial discounts.

Perfect co-ordination is not to everyone's taste, however. Neither is it necessary. For instance, settling for an iron baby crib does not necessarily dictate the purchase of an iron baby changing table. Iron and wood go beautifully together in a baby nursery as does wood with two different finishes, if carefully selected.

After making your furniture choices, make sure there will be enough nursery storage space in your baby nursery design and draw a floor plan to plan your layout and make sure that your baby nursery will not be too crowded.

Again, remember to take baby furniture safety into account, look for furniture that is durable and make sure that the furniture you decide upon complements your baby crib and fits in with your nursery decorating style.

Click here to visit the Baby Nursery Furniture section.

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The third step in planning a baby nursery design is to decide how you are going to provide night time lighting.

There are so many nursery lighting options out there that it's difficult to know where to start. The exact lighting you eventually decide upon, will be influenced by your decor choices and will be dealt with further on. But it is important to decide on the type of lighting you would prefer, upfront while planning a baby nursery design.

This is so that if you need to run wires in the walls, ceilings or floors or add plug points in the nursery room, you can do it now, without wrecking all of your hard work. You know hubby won't be popular when he angle-grinds right through your painstakingly created nursery mural!

Examples of baby nursery lighting options to consider:

• A dimmer switch (this works really well - I used one in my last baby room.)
• Nursery lamps

• Chandeliers
• Sconces - (Not above the crib for safety reasons)
• Ceiling lights
• Nursery night lights
• Nursery light shows

Remember to take safety into account, and make sure that the lighting you decide upon fits in with the nursery decorating style you have chosen.

Click here to visit the Baby Nursery Lighting section.




This seemingly simple aspect of planning a baby nursery design can be complicated by such issues as:

• The flooring in the rest of your home.
• Susceptibility of the family to allergies.
• Whether or not you have the budget to replace the current baby nursery floor.
• And, last but most definitely not least, what's best for baby.

Because the floor in the baby nursery room covers such a relatively large surface area, it is widely accepted that it has a significant effect on baby's health.

Make sure you are aware of the potential health hazards surrounding nursery flooring before making your decision. If you can afford to, you should apply these considerations to the flooring in the rest of the home as well. Baby will soon be crawling around all over it!

Click here to visit the Baby Nursery Flooring section.















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