Decorating the Nursery

You want your nursery to be as special as the little one that?s on the way, but choosing d?cor for the baby?s room can be overwhelming.? Here are a few tips to streamline the process.

First, choose your color palette.? Experts recommend painting the room in a calming, cool color, such as deep blue, green or purple.? And keep in mind that it?s cost-effective to choose a color that older kids would like as well, which will cut down on future repainting costs.?

Overall, experts suggest matching the d?cor of the nursery to the rest of your home.? If you have a living room and kitchen that feature lots of vibrant greens and blues, consider softer tones in the same color family for the nursery.? Try to avoid reds; this is the first color (aside from black and white) that babies can discern and might be too harsh on an infant?s eyes.

Consider neutral walls ? beige, white or taupe ? accented with colorful furniture treatments that lend a youthful vibe without being too bold.? Think painted doorknobs, dresser legs or even tabletops in primary colors.

Be sure to build in plenty of storage for extra diapers, toys and clothes.? Experts recommend reserving open floor space to give your baby plenty of room to roam.

To add a person touch, get creative and paint a scene from a favorite nursery rhyme on a blank wall ? anything from Jack and Jill to Alice in Wonderland or Cinderella.? Not so artistic?? Simply frame some illustrations, or the pages of the books themselves, and hang them in groupings on the wall.

Another idea is to consider adding monograms to the room.? By looking through design books, you might find a monogram that fits the mood of the nursery (contemporary rather than Victorian, for example) and paint it on the headboard of the crib, a tabletop or the wall to create an overarching motif for the room.