Nursery Design No-Nos

By Kim Proulx

When searching for sample nursery design images I came across a few pictures that at first glance looked pretty. Then when actually looking at these pictures I noticed several no-nos that inspired this article! I wanted to share these nursery design DON'T DOs with all you moms-to-be, so you don't make the same nursery design blunders that these people did. Avoid doing the following and your baby's first room will be safe and comfy.

Nursery Picture #1 at first, looked like a pretty space. I love the dark walls, vibrant art work and comfy chair, but when looking closer I noticed several no-nos when it comes to nursery design.

Remove the Painting from Behind the Crib: First, I'd recommend that the modern painting above the crib be moved to another wall. The painting's beautiful pattern and colors are sure to capture baby's attention, so much so, that baby might decide to try to stand and touch the painting. If that happens, that little guy or girl just might end up with a big painting falling into the crib. That's a definite No-No!

Reposition the Book Holder on the Wall: Books in a nursery are important, but you don't want them too close to the crib or your little angel will pull some books into bed and probably end up chewing or sucking on them rather than reading them. Books near the crib...not a good idea!

Diaper Pale and Trash Can are Too Close to the Crib: Make sure to put all smelly items, like trash cans and diaper pales across the room. If your little guy or girl got a whiff of dirty diapers or anything stinky during a nap or nighttime sleep, this might cause him/her to wake up early resulting in you getting up early too. Definitely not fun for you or baby! Also, the diaper pale with a lid in this picture is so close that baby could stick his finger through the crib slat and get a finger pinched.

Nursery Picture #2 shows a baby space with very beautiful, blue walls and comfy rug on the floor which caught my eye at first as a darling looking room. Then I quickly noticed the big mistakes!

Crib is Too Close to the Window: The baby's bed is super close to the bright, big window. First, this is a hazard, but also an annoyance for a sleeping baby. The brightness of the window will definitely make naps shorter and when the sun comes up in the morning Baby will want to get up too. Definitely keep the crib further away from any window and get room darkening shades, so the sunlight doesn't disturb your sleeping baby.

Lamp and Monitor Need to be Moved:I then noticed that there's a lamp and baby monitor on a stool right next to the crib. This is a huge no-no! The reason this is a horrible idea is because when Baby gets a little bigger he's sure to reach over or through the slats and grab one or both of those items. The cords could get wrapped around baby and cause a big problem!

Toys Must be Removed from the Crib:I then glanced to the crib and noticed that it looked pretty full of baby toys and pillows, all of which are definite dangers in a baby's bed! The crib shouldn't have any type of bulky toys, pillows or crib bedding when baby is little.

Nursery Picture #3 was quite stunning with the beautiful rose colored walls contrasting with the gorgeous white baby furniture set. Once I got over the room's beauty, I quickly started noticing the nursery design no-nos!

Wall Shelf too Close to Changing Area: The changing table looks nice, but there's a shelf on the wall above the changing space that's definitely not a good idea. This shelf will catch baby's eye and she'll soon be trying to grab everything on that shelf, possibly causing things to fall on her. It will also encourage Baby to move more than she should during a diaper or clothes change.

Crib Canopy Must Be Removed When Baby Grows:A canopy is beautiful and delicate and makes a feminine statement in a baby's nursery, but it's not a good idea to keep it over the crib when baby gets big enough to stand or grab things through the slats. A curious baby is sure to grab the canopy sides and pull the fabric into the baby bed and give in to her desire to want to suck on the fabric. This could be a choking hazard for sure!

One Final Statement About Nursery Design No-Nos: When creating a baby's nursery think...simple design, non-bulky bedding, no loose items near baby and the room will be a safe space for your little one! I'd also suggest doing some research about the effects of colors on babies' moods, so you choose the right colors for the walls as well.