Designing baby rooms on a budget

Watching your little one transitioning from baby to toddlerhood is quite fascinating. There is a lot to deal with, though.

Now, they are more mobile than ever, communicating more than usual and most probably have different interests. If you have been co-sleeping, they are now moving into their bed. If not, you are thinking of transforming their baby room to suit their age and interest.

Preparing for a new baby is also the same. There is a lot of adjusting to do, and a whole lot of preparation that is involved. Preparing the nursery is one such preparation.

So whether you are preparing a nursery or upgrading the baby’s room, this can be both exciting and daunting. The one thing it does not have to be is expensive.

According to Karabo Nqubuka of Dainty Home Living, parents can DIY their kid’s rooms without breaking the bank.

Here are a few things to consider before you start.

Inspiration board

Nqubuka says the best starting point is to have an inspiration board. This serves as a great guide to what you need to purchase. It will also protect you from buying unnecessary items. So, go online and search what looks you would like to go for. Create a Pinterest mood board until you have made up your mind.

Limit your colours

Make sure you choose simple colours. Choose clean and subtle ones rather than loud colours. Remember, kids feed off their surroundings and this will help calm and soothe them.

Avoid character themes

Character themes are always a great idea until your child outgrows them and moves on to the next one. Imagine your child getting over Pepper Pig and obsessing over Dora the Explorer. It really isn’t worth the renovation and painting headache.

Refurbish furniture

You can purchase second-hand furniture that you can refurbish. You can do this by repainting the items. According to Nqubuka, “it is amazing what paint can do”. This can save you a lot of money. Items you can buy second hand:

• Baby crib
• Rocking chair
• Baby dresser

Also, don’t shy away from hand-me-downs. They can save you a lot of money when you know what you can do with them.

Double-use the furniture

This not only saves you money but can also save you space. You can double up the baby’s dresser as a changing area rather than buying a separate one. All you have to is purchase a diaper changing mat and place it safely on the dresser and you are good to go.

Wall art

You can also DIY some wall art or look up some accent wall design ideas using paint just to add a personal touch to the room. You can either write the baby’s name, draw some animals, or a tree or whatever your baby is into. Just not the spidey guy.