When you decorate a baby's room---especially if it's the first time---you might feel tempted to drop a fortune on the umpteen matching pieces of the latest theme decor. Resist that temptation: while decorating a nursery is a good time to indulge your whimsical side, you'll want to create a comfortable and tasteful room that can grow with your child.
Invest in Adaptable Furnishings
Invest the bulk of your budget in furnishings your child can use past babyhood, or those you can eventually use elsewhere in your home. Manufacturers make cribs that convert to toddler and regular beds, and changing tables that convert to a regular chest of drawers. Look for open shelving units your baby can use later for books or toys. For now, tuck fabric-lined baskets on the shelves to corral diapers and other supplies.
Opt for an upholstered rocker in a neutral fabric Add a cute pillow and throw to give it a nursery feel. When you're past the rocking stage and want to move the chair to the living room, you'll be glad it isn't covered in hundreds of tiny bunnies.
Add a Bed for You
If you have the space, nestle a twin bed against the wall. Dress it sofa-style as a daybed for now, and then use the mattress later for your child's big girl or boy bed. For now, you'll be glad to have a place to nap when the baby is sick or waking up fussy every half hour.
Go Easy on Color Combinations
If you're planning a circus or other brightly-colored theme, limit murals to one wall and use moderation in the rest of the decor. If you paint every wall a different bright color---and go equally wild with the furnishings, fabrics and accessories---he room might make you nervous and edgy. That's not good for you or your baby. Make sure the eye has plenty of places to rest.
Limit Gender-Specific Furnishings
If you anticipate more babies in the future, seek inexpensive items or things you'll probably want to replace anyway for your gender-specific furnishings. Even if you don't plan for more children, your baby girl might decide she prefers rocket ships to tiaras in a few years. Save the pinks and blues for the bedding, artwork and accessories.
For furniture, select natural wood finishes or those painted in white, cream or black. For the windows, try white tab-top curtains hanging from white, painted rods. You can make them feminine by tying fluffy pastel ribbons around the bases of the tabs. If the next baby is a boy, remove the ribbons and stitch bold covered buttons to the tabs.
