Filed under: Decorating, Tips | Tags: 3 in 1 crib, art van furniture, changing table, decorating a nursery on a budget, decorating on a budget, nursery decorating, nursery themes, shopping for nursery furniture, themed nursery
Decorating a nursery and budget typically don’t belong in the same sentence, but in my world, they had to. With the hubby in school and me being the only one working, money was a little tight. I started planning early, and I highly advise that. This way you are able to spread the costs over a few months instead of dropping a bundle all at once.
The first thing I did was sit down and make a plan. Budget was the first thing to tackle. How much did I have to spend on the basics: furniture, accessories, flooring, etc. Next was to set the “theme”, which you all know if you read my post on themed nurseries. And lastly, a shopping list (or add to the registry list). The shopping list will help with making impulse buys of random things you find, that may not “go” once it gets home.
As you plan your nursery, make sure to think about your child when they are older. My girlfriend decorated her sons nursery with a moo-moo cow theme, and although she still loved it, she wanted to change it before he turned 2. She felt it was too baby-boy for a toddler. Lesson: go for themes, colors or decorations that will grow with your child so you won’t have to spend the money to decorate again 2-3 years down the road.
This can also be applied when you are shopping for furniture. We decided to go with a 3 in 1 crib, meaning the crib converts to a toddler bed, and then the toddler bed can convert into the headboard/footboard for the double bed. Also look for a changing table that turns into a dresser once your little one can finally use the potty! The longer you can use these expensive pieces, the better their value is… and that’s better for your pocketbook!
One thing to keep in mind… you are shopping for baby things now. Everything is adorable, cute and you are going to want everything! You might even think you need everything… you don’t, trust me. Toughen up and stick to that budget. I promise, you’ll thank me later.
Filed under: Decorating, Tips | Tags: animal nursery, baby registry, decorating, mommy wears heels, nursery accessories, nursery decorating, nursery decorating ideas, nursery themes, pottery barn kids, rosenberry rooms, sports themed nursery, surf themed nursery
Let’s face it; every woman loves a themed nursery. We love shopping (online and in stores) to find the perfect touch to make our baby’s new room just perfect. But while most men think themed nurseries are pointless and ask “why”, we just can’t wait to start decorating.
Once we found out we were having a boy, I thought long and hard about how I wanted to design his nursery. My husband, having been a surf bum in Maui for a couple of years, actually got excited at the idea of doing a surf-themed bedroom… on one condition… it “couldn’t be cheesy.” His concern, what if 2 or 3 years down the road, our son hated it. My compromise, to use simple striped and gingham print bedding (www.potterybarnkids.com) and let the accessories do the talking. This way, it would be much easier to flip out a few pictures and other add-ons if our little munchkin didn’t like it.
One of the best websites I have found for doing themed nurseries is, Rosenberry Rooms (www.rosenberryrooms.com). With everything from personalized art to rugs, to lighting and more, you will find those perfect little “extras” to make your little ones nursery all their own.
Rosenberry Rooms allows the user to browse by the following styles:
Pick Your Color, Pick Your Pattern, All Stars (sports-themed), Animal Fun, Farm Friends, Little Critters, Use Your Imagination (fairies, superheroes, etc.), When I Grow Up, Planes, Train and Automobiles, By the Sea, Mother Nature and Back to Basics (alphabet, 123’s, etc.). While this is only one of the ways you can shop on this site, it makes for the most fun! They even have a gift registry option if you chose to register for all those little “extras”.
**TIP**: sign up for their e-mails, you’ll get coupons and special discounts!
