Decorating Ideas for Baby’s Room

As that nesting urge kicks in, eco-friendly moms-to-be can get creative in planning and decorating the nursery. You can take one thing that might otherwise end up stuffed in a drawer or taking up space in a landfill and use it for your new baby’s room. Repurpose projects are good for the environment and can be cost effective too. Consider some ways you can make something into something else just right for the nursery.

Create Innovative Wall Tools Out of Salvage

Salvaged items can add a touch of shabby chic to the nursery while helping to reduce clutter in local landfills. Sides of old cribs, ladders, doors, window frames and even wood pallets give a modern nursery charm. For example, hang an old window frame with a flower box in the corner to store baby supplies. You can opt for the natural worn look or paint the piece to match other things in the room. All you need do is look past the item’s history and find a new purpose for it.

If you need some inspiration, blog KidSpace Stuff offers creative ways to use salvage shutters and coordinate them with the theme of the room. Wood blinds from TheShadeStore.com come in various sizes and colors, according to the website, and would match the pattern on shutters perfectly. Check out Betters Homes and Gardens for ways to upcycle paint cans and jars too.

Why Old Furniture is a Great Find for a Nursery

Buying old furniture from a thrift store or garage sale is a practical way to add to the nursery, save money and upcycle at the same time. For example, a sturdy dresser makes a fine changing table with a little rehab, according to Parents Magazine. Don’t worry about whether the dresser has all the drawers, either. You can use the missing sections as shelves for baby wipes and diapers. Just add a changing pad to the top, so the baby has a little cushion.

When painting the dresser isn’t jazzy enough, HGTV provides you with cool instructions on how to decoupage and add the baby’s name or monogram. Now, expand on this idea and monogram other key furniture pieces to match.

If you buy a crib second hand, make sure it complies with the current safety standards. Baby Café offers some actionable advice on what to do when looking for used baby items to fill your nursery.

About those Baby Gifts

How many baby blankets did you get at the shower? Instead of running to the store for exchanges, consider ways you can convert gifts into décor for the baby room. For example, why not pick out one or two of the more colorful blankets and turn them into wall hangings. Use PVC pipe, recycled of course, or an old curtain rod through to top hem to transform them into art.

Do-it-yourself wall art is an affordable and easy way to fill up those walls. HGTV takes you step-by-step through some easy wall art projects that you can make work for the new nursery such as hanging letters or framing cloth swatches.

Speaking of Wall Art

Better Home and Gardens suggests that doodles make a nice wall accessory, too. Spend a day coloring or finger painting with the family and then frame a few choice pieces to hang in the nursery. Maybe opt for a project that is more educational. For example, find a poem or quote from a book that is a family favorite and help big brother or sister write it out on construction paper for framing.