This email is an answer to a question from “Shoshanna,” posted in families.com forums. She says: “I’d like to know how to decorate a nursery on a budget and still make it really cute!”
I have a one-year-old boy myself, so I undertook the task of decorating a nursery on a budget fairly recently. To answer her question and give you all some tips as well, here are my ideas for spending less while still making a cute, welcoming place for your little one:
1. Since furniture will be the most expensive part of the new nursery, try to think of some ways you can cut costs in this area. You can look for furniture at yard sales, or second-hand stores. Do make sure anything you buy secondhand complies with current child safety requirements. The National Safety Council explains things to consider when buying a crib: http://www.nsc.org/library/facts/cribtips.htm. Also, Ikea is a great place to buy inexpensive nursery items. They sell cribs for as little as $59.99!
2. Pick a theme. You’ve probably already thought about this. Nearly every nursery has a theme. If you are looking to save some money, you might not want to pick a character theme like Winnie the Pooh. Character products are usually more expensive. If you still want a character in the nursery, just don’t go overboard. For example, you could decorate the nursery like a forest, and add a few Winnie the Pooh characters as special touches.
3. Use versatile colors. One of the cheapest ways to dress up a room is to paint. And it can make such a big difference! If you want the design to grow with your child, don’t choose anything too babyish. This is especially true for boys. For my son’s room, I chose a patriot red, white, and blue theme. Not only can I use these same colors in my son’s room for years to come, but some of the things I’ve bought to decorate with would also work well in a little girl’s room if later we have a girl.
Check out my other article: “Simple-Chic Kid’s Rooms” for other tips on adding decorative touches to the room. I would also love to hear decorating ideas for a nursery that anyone else has.