nursery trends

     Nurseries aren’t just for babies anymore. That’s the consensus of interior designers who work with parents to create personal spaces for their infants.

     Kristen Finney of Finney Interiors says her clients “want to blend their child’s nursery in with the overall design and decor of their home.”

     Today’s nursery has become a sanctuary for mother and baby, according to Missy Shoesmith of Ta-Dah Designs. “Simple rooms with personalized items and walls make the space one-of-a-kind,” she says. “When the room is comfortable for mom as well as baby, she will use the nursery more often for time to bond with her child.”

     Jessica Davis of JL Designs says, “I find that just as children's names become more unique, so do their nursery spaces. People are getting away from the typical nursery themes and color schemes that have been used in the past 10 to 15 years. They are finding that, by making their child’s space a reflection of the parent, the result is interesting, balanced, and fresh.

     According to Dana Tucker of Faux Daddy Designs, she is receiving a number of requests to incorporate the child’s name into custom wall design. “We are also seeing parents looking for more whimsical designs,” she says, and adds that the ceiling of the nursery should be considered a fifth wall, as an infant will spend the first year of its life on its back.

     In agreement is Amanda Sweeney of Just Design This, who says, “Your baby stares at the ceiling for the first five to six months of their life. One possibility is to simply paint the ceiling a blue, green, or yellow to compliment the room and give a soothing effect.”

     Color trends for nurseries have changed with the times, according to the experts. 

     “Most parents are avoiding the traditional pale blue or pink,” according to Gail Hancock of Baylor Bone Interiors. “We have used almost every color but those two in the last few years. Some nurseries have used black or chocolate as a neutral. One of our favorites was a leopard nursery.

     Versatility is often created in a nursery through the use of murals and wall art on canvases or boards that can be moved, according to Tanna Miller of Trends & Traditions. “Parents are looking carefully at long term furniture and generally select finishes and styles that will last years,” she says. “Style is coming from art, light fixtures, storage pieces, and other accent furnishings rather than from themed textiles and wallpaper.”

     Finney says that popular nursery colors today are green, orange, yellow, purple, and chocolate brown.

     The richer blues, the olive greens, the deeper pinks, and the plum colors and earth tones are popular, according to Sweeney who calls them “greyed down” colors.

     As homeowners have become more interested in “green” issues for their home, so have parents become concerned about environmentally friendly and safe products in the nursery.

     Sweeney says that one way to go green in the nursery is through the use of organic fabrics and paints with low or no off-gassing.

     Carol Bass of One Day Decorating says, “as far as green goes, I believe new parents are more concerned about how something will affect the baby rather than the environment. They’re concerned about paints and carpet dyes.”

     “We are utilizing the new Bamboo batting for our crib bumpers and quilts, as well as using natural fibers such as organic cottons and printed fabrics that haven’t been treated with chemicals,” according to Terry.

     What do parents occasionally overlook in planning the nursery?  Comfortable seating, such as a glider with an ottoman or a rocker are essential nursery furniture, and storage is also a crucial element.

     It’s easy for first-time parents to overlook the clutter that comes with a baby, according to Bass. “They need to give some thought to storage for all the accessories an infant requires.”

     In addition, designers suggest thought be given to light control through appropriate window treatments. “Combining a valance with a roman shade may do a better job of controlling light than blinds,” according to Catherine Terry of Bella Vista Baby.

     Vickie Morehead of VM Designs also mentions the need to control outside light and recommends blackout materials used in window treatments.

     A rug for playtime is another essential, according to Finney.

     There are a number of sources for nursery decor including:

Baylor Bone Interiors
Hendersonville
615/ 822-3199

Bella Vista Baby
Murfreesboro
615/ 896-6643

Brentwood Interiors
Brentwood
615/ 376-6361

Designs By Anna Aycock
Brentwood
615/ 794-7561

Faux Daddy Designs
Franklin
615/ 599-1470

Finney Interiors
Nashville
615/ 294-4227

JL Design
Nashville
615/ 321-1888

Just Design This
Nashville
615/ 578-4738

One Day Decorating
Fairview
615/ 799-4022

Redo Home & Design
Franklin
615-663-6802

Ta-Dah Design
Hendersonville
615/ 824-0888

Trends & Traditions
Nashville
615/ 399-0661

VM Designs, LLC
Nolensville
615/ 714-4590