Baby Nursery Decorating Ideas
Some people like solid colors, but to break it up, wallpaper one wall or even upholster it. Upholstering a wall is much easier than it seems. Along with the fabric you’ll need quarter-inch foam, spray adhesive, and tacking strip. The strip can be purchased at most upholstery shops or supply stores. Cut, and if necessary, sew fabric to the approximate size of the wall allowing a little extra on each side for adjusting the position. Cut out light socket areas and around doors and windows. Do the same with the foam piece, leaving the fabric slightly longer than the foam, around windows, doors and light switches.
Begin at the top corner of the wall and spray the adhesive on a small portion of the wall. Attach the foam, leaving an inch or so at the top and at the side, for trimming. Continue across the top of the wall until the foam is attached all the way across. Work your way down the wall, making sure areas around openings are secure. Trim the excess foam. Lay the cut fabric on a table and place the tacking strip along the top edge. To attach the tacking strip lay it about an inch from the top edge of the fabric. Fold the edge of the fabric over the tacking strip, pushing the fabric down in between the tacks. Hang the entire piece by tapping the nails into the top edge of the wall, over the foam.
Now use the tacking strip to do the side edges of the wall. Hold the tacking strip about a half inch out from the edge of the wall, with tacks facing outwards. Push the edges of the fabric on to the strip, sliding it between the tacks. Flip the tack strip over and nail it into the wall. Do the same to the other side and bottom.
To do the wall covering without using tacking strip, hang the foam but leave it a half inch away from the edges. Now spray the edges of the wall with adhesive and attach the fabric. Use hot glue or spray adhesive to put trim up around the edges, such as narrow rope or lace.
To upholster the wall without using foam, tacking strip and adhesives, simply dip the pre-cut fabric into starch. Put the fabric on the wall and smooth it down with a straight edge. When it’s time to remove it and launder, simply pull it down from the wall, launder, re-dip in starch and re-hang. The wall will look lovely done in lace or boyish by using blue and white plaid fabric. This is an easy way to decorate now and change the decor later.
Since you’ve done a wall in fabric you can use images cut from the fabric, or a coordinating cloth, to enhance baby furniture. Purchase an ordinary, small trash can that has a smooth finish, and decorate it yourself. Cut out a pattern or image from the fabric, dip it in starch or spray the adhesive on the trash can, then attach the cloth to the can.
This same method can be used on the crib, a small lamp and other areas of the room. If you just don’t have the time or money to do an entire wall with the material, just cut out the images from the cloth and attach them to random areas of the walls. Or, just put the pattern on the molding and trim work, then paint the rest of the room a solid color.
To paint a room in stripes first paint it one solid color. Allow a few days for the paint to set well. Now use masking tape to make easy stripes. Run the tape the length of the walls, spaced a certain distance apart, then paint. Peel the tape and the room is striped. To make pin stripes, dip a piece of yarn in paint, use gloved hand to remove excess paint from string length, then put the string up to the wall and press. Don’t rub the string or allow it to move, but keep taught. It’s important, when using this technique, to mark the lines to be painted before you dip the yarn. That way you’ll get evenly spaced stripes.
Another way to decorate walls, lamps and crib is to use large rub-on appliques. Nowadays, these appliques are available in huge patterns like picket fences, willow trees, and giant rainbows. The appliques are easy to do and will adhere to most smooth surfaces. Simply tape the desired pattern to the wall and use a wooden popsicle stick or coin to transfer the image to the wall or crib. This is an easy way to add butterflies, flowers, balloons and other fun themes to baby’s room. Add smaller rub-ons to mirror, door knobs, rocking chair and other in-room items.
One more method is to paint the walls in a solid pastel color then fill squirt guns with other pastel colors and squirt the paint, in random patterns, all over the walls. This is a unique look that is soft yet whimsical. And, the technique can be used on crib, lamp or even ceiling. Cover floor and light fixtures well before beginning this technique.
To make cute light switch covers, find an image online, then print it out in a square block and trim it down to switch cover size. Use adhesive to attach it to the switch cover or have it printed on clear, sticky paper. For rooms with a pull-chain light fixture on the ceiling attach a cloth ribbon of pink, blue or a room-coordinated color to the end of the pull switch. At the very end of the ribbon attach a small stuffed animal or tiny, soft doll. Other ideas for the pull cord end is a pacifier, a rattle, or a small toy.
Decorate a diaper pail by gluing tiny stuffed animals all over the lid, then all over the pail itself. The stuffed animals can also be used to decorate a lamp or shade. Use contact cement or another strong adhesive to attach several of the animals around a lamp base. Or, use needle and thread or adhesive to attach tiny stuffed animals around the edge of the lampshade. Make stuffed animal tie-backs for your curtains to match.
To save money purchase inexpensive accessories like diaper pail, diaper stacker, lamps and rugs, then enhance them yourself by attaching small dolls, toys, stuffed animals, strung beads, lace and other embellishments. These embellishments can also be used on door knobs of a dresser, door handles in the room, and other areas.
Some theme ideas for a boy is whimsical vehicles, kid cowboys, safari prints, sports, frogs, Peanuts or Disney characters, teddy bears, or nautical themes. For a girl, cotton candy, flowers, butterflies, celestial, patchwork, or pink and white stripes. You’ll ultimately pick your own theme and patterns for the room but there is a lot you can do to enhance the look without spending tons of money.
