Parenting is an amazing experience for giving your little one the very best of you; they are your main concern and a lot of the time your wants or needs go on the back burner – that shouldn’t be the case when it comes to your nursery design. Your baby boy won’t care about colour scheme is “too girly” or have a preference in how the room is styled. You are the one in there in all hours of the day and night, feeding, changing and settling – it should be a space that you love to be in – because trust me, you’ll be in there a lot.
Tip Two – Do it Once
Gender neutral is the way to design and buy - even if you aren’t planning on having more the one child, your little princess who loves pink may go through a tomboy stage! Children’s styling has changed recently; where you see a lot more black and white, grey undertones and then pops of neutral colouring (reds, yellows and oranges). With everything I’ve put into my nursery, I’ve kept the key items gender neutral so when it comes to our next child (boy or girl) we can reuse everything. I’ve also thought long term about the furniture, the shelving unit I’ve purchased for the nursery, will be able to be used in a child’s room, playroom or the lounge in the future.
Tip Three – Plan Well
Think through how you will use the space and make a floor plan that is practical. For example; you will want a table or dresser close to your feeding chair – as you need to eat and drink, your change table needs to have easy access to nappies, laundry basket and clothes, the cot shouldn’t be close to windows or doors. Don’t buy anything without knowing it fits in your space and leaves enough room for you to get around. We changed our floor plan so many times trying to maximize the space we had, and it was worth it.
Tip Four – Do your Research
I wouldn’t recommend just showing up a large baby store to purchase everything all at once and rely on a staff member’s knowledge. There are so many products available and the more you know, the better. In a lot of cases it isn’t just about what is the best product – but what is best for you considering your budget, your parenting preference and your plans for your family growing in the future. That is why I turned to Little Co when putting together my nursery – it’s an online concept store that sells products recommended and used by a Mum who wants to help other first time mothers select things they actually need. I now plan to blog quite frequently at alicepearson.com about products I have used and recommend, as I haven’t purchased a thing that didn’t come recommended by someone.
Tip Four – Don’t Rush
My husband would say don’t rush into purchases; once you have found the products you want make sure you are purchasing them for the best price possible; consider looking on trademe and see what the difference is in buying it secondhand. There are always sales – so keep an eye out for them! I’m glad I have a husband like that – because he has certainly stopped me making purchases that I would regret. I would say – don’t rush the process of putting together your nursery. I’ve heard way too many stories of people putting together their nursery that the last moment, I think it causes too much stress and pressure. I had an amazing pregnancy and birth; and a lot of that came down to not allowing stress or fear into my world. Nesting is an important process for new parents; there is enough that is daunting about your new arrival without the feeling of “I’m not ready yet” on top of that. The more you can slowly begin to do – the better. There are a lot of store that do laybuy like the “Little Bundles” on Little Co website; so if you are pregnant – start nesting!
Little Nest nursery design by Alice Pearson
Alice Pearson is part of the winning duo from The Block NZ Season 2 where she showcased her natural eye for design, colour and creative flair.
Now in a new season of life (a new Mum to baby Alek) Alice’s interior design talents and love for shopping has turned to just one room in the house – the nursery! Little Nest is a nursery interior design service.
Packages include a design board; including a colour scheme for the room, fabric + wallpaper options, lighting, furniture and decor items all within the frames of the clients budget, design style and floor plan. For more details or to book your package email alice at littlenest@littleco.co.nz
