The Modern Baby Nursery

If you hope to begin your family in your new home, or even in your current home, you’ll no doubt cast an eye toward which room will serve as a nursery. I thought it might be fun to take a look at how other couples are designing and decorating theirs.

No More Pastels

“Gone are the pink-or-blue color palettes,” Erica Rivera writes in the Star Tribune. “Newborns are increasingly coming home to rooms with gray color schemes.” Sure, it sounds kind of drab, but you need to see it in action. Navy blue walls are also popular (yes, even for girls), set off by pops of color in the accessories.

Bye-Bye Matching Furniture

Say goodbye to “matchy-matchy furniture sets,” says Rivera. Whereas the standard nursery contains a changing table, crib, dresser, and rocking chair, today’s parents choose more multi-functional pieces. These include dressers long enough to act as a changing table and swivel chairs instead of rockers.

Even the basic crib has been updated. Cleaner lines and convertibility are the order of the day.

Keep it Green

Newborns and infants are much more susceptible to the effects of toxic compounds than older children and adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Keep in mind that your infant will eventually be crawling on the floor and playing and exploring near the walls.

Use low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paint on the walls in your new home. Other commonly found toxicants in the home include formaldehyde emitted by building materials and styrene and 4-phenylcyclohexane from new synthetic carpets.

Carpets deserve a special mention since “off-gassing” can occur for up to five years after installation. Experts recommend that you leave a window open for the first 72 hours after the carpet is installed and use a fan to ventilate the gases outdoors.

Your safest alternative, however, is to eschew carpet and go with tile, hardwood, or laminate floors and use area rugs.