Transforming a Guest Room into a Nursery for Baby
There is a strange, startling moment in the life of a soon-to-be parent when she realizes that the guest room that she carefully planned is no longer going to be used as such. Transforming a guest room into a nursery can be a big job, especially if you wait until the last minute. Instead of rushing to switch the room right before the baby is born, start early and follow the steps below to help you plan for the transition.
Evaluate
Before you rush out the buy the crib and baby furniture, evaluate what you already have in the guest bedroom. Chances are that the room has a dresser or armoire that can be switched to house the baby's clothes rather than the guests. Is there a comfortable chair in the room already that can be used by mom and dad for midnight feedings? If so, keep it in there. Use as much as you can of what you already own to reduce your costs and to be environmentally conscious about purchasing new items.
What to Do With the Stuff
Guest rooms tend to acquire a lot of "stuff." Whether you are super organized or not, the amount of the things that you will pull out of your guest room will probably surprise you. When you start making room for the nursery equipment and furniture, sort out items that are not staying in the room by what will be donated, sold at a yard sale, and what will be relocated in the house and kept. Be ruthless with your sorting, especially if you do not have a lot of storage space in the rest of the house. If you know that, realistically, there is no way you are going to have a yard sale before the baby is born, put those items in the donate pile. It is better to get them out of the house than to keep them inside and contribute to clutter. Keep in mind that you will be seeing an influx of baby accessories coming into the house as you get closer to your due date.
Using What You Keep as Inspiration
That comfortable upholstered chair and ottoman that you decided to keep from the guest room decor, can be inspirational for your nursery colors. Use it get ideas for wall colors and fabric choices. If the chair is comfortable, but in no way fits your vision of what the nursery will look like, get a fitted slipcover in a color that will match your ideal nursery decor. Other items that you keep, whether it is a floral print on the wall or a metal butterfly art sculpture, can also be used to inspire your vision of the nursery. The guest room decor and nursery design do not have to be mutually exclusive if you do not want them to be.
Changing a guest room into a nursery is a big job that will probably require the movement of heavy pieces of furniture. Be sure to enlist help and do not try to move anything yourself. Remember not to lament the loss of guest space, for your new addition to the family will be much more welcome.
About the Author:
Staff writer for WallDecorandHomeAccents.com, Jessica Ackerman has extensive design experience, using home wall art and southwestern metal art decor.
