tiny humans big decisions pros and cons of designing a nursery

When Abhishek Parmar introduced his new child dwelling from the hospital, the child was welcomed in a room meticulously designed by his mother and father. A small however heat area that sported a trendy, minimalistic theme, and pastel partitions.

What the now two-year-old didn’t know is simply how a lot work his mother and father put into creating the area. The Singapore-based couple went the do-it-yourself (DIY) method, which got here with its justifiable share of challenges.

During the pandemic, a small room of their home turned a home-office. This was then earmarked to be the nursery. Since it wasn’t spacious, accommodating the whole lot was not simple. “We had to keep the furniture and décor minimalistic. So, finding the right things that would meet our needs, both functional and aesthetic, was key. With plenty of options available, it took us a while to narrow things down and a couple of iterations to get it all right.” Labour being costly in Singapore, the 30-year-old mother and father “had to assemble pretty much everything ourselves — bed, changing station, shelves and storage, and artwork”.

Keeping it easy

When celebrities announce the arrival of a child, the information is commonly accompanied by particulars of a plush child nursery — be it Ram Charan, Karan Johar, Allu Arjun, Soha Ali Khan, Lindsay Lohan, or Anushka Sharma, to call a few. While these glimpses function inspiration for some mother and father like Parmar, others desire to maintain it easy.

Some new mother and father focus time and vitality on constructing a devoted area for a child’s arrival, however simply a few years in the past, this was not the norm.

Amrita Bose is a father or mother to a 10-year-old. But a nursery was nowhere on her listing of considerations. “We couldn’t really afford one,” she recollects. At the time, a 35-year-old Bose was dwelling together with her husband, then 39, in a 2-BHK. “Having a baby alone is so expensive. We set up a cot in our bedroom — baby used to co-sleep and we would play on the bed.”

Unlike designers who let you know to accommodate the various preliminary life phases of a child, Bose selected to make the perfect use of no matter was out there. “When she grew up a bit, a mat on the floor of the living room was enough.”

The toddler room designed and styled by Sarah Sham.
| Photo Credit:
Special association

The media skilled from Bengaluru is just not the one one. Rohini Varma and her companion turned mother and father at 25 and 28; and have been extra centered on their child. “[A nursery] is not common in our circle. People [we know] don’t think that having separate themes or furniture impacts a child’s growth. We knew the child wasn’t going to remain in a single room anyway,” the Kerala native says, including that their daughter used to sleep of their mattress until she turned 5.

Storage woes

Storage wants addressing even earlier than a new member enters the home. Especially in cities resembling Mumbai the place area is at all times a difficulty. While mother and father typically make do with assets they’ve at hand — like Varma, who says that the couple allotted a separate cabinet in the home to retailer their daughter’s belongings — designers urge new mother and father to give attention to accessibility and a storage funding that can develop together with the child.

“As a parent, my primary focus was accessibility,” says designer Sarah Sham, father or mother of a four-and-a-half-year-old. Having the whole lot inside simple attain was vital. “Whether it was diapers, baby cream, or a comfortable spot to sit and feed my baby.” Hence, investing in a sturdy chest of drawers is a prime tip she affords. “It’s an item you’ll use for years to come. I’m still using the same one we bought when she was born,” says the principal designer at Essajees Atelier and co-founder of Jea Interiors.

Storage and accessibility have been prime priorities for one more Mumbai-based designer. Sahiba Madan, principal architect and founder at Insitu by Kalakaarihaath, designed a nursery for her firstborn herself. “Babies’ requirements evolve so quickly that one can never really keep up. I wanted to develop more storage solutions that worked in the long term.”

The wall artwork designed by Sahiba Madan.
| Photo Credit:
Special association

Functionality trumps aesthetics

This was a concern for Parmar, too. “It’s very likely that the room will require re-designing and upgrades as he outgrows some of the stuff.” In the final two years, they’ve already needed to make modifications to the nursery — a greater mattress, swapping the altering desk for toys, books and operating round.

Dual objective furnishings come in useful right here — like Sham’s suggestion of cribs that may be transformed into beds because the child grows. “Another product we’ve continued to use is a sofa bed with built-in storage that was originally in the nursery when our baby was small. It has since become a regular sofa in my child’s room,” she says.

Creating a security web

Sham wouldn’t compromise on security when constructing the nursery. “I wanted to ensure that the items my baby might need were accessible, but more importantly I wanted to keep potentially harmful objects out of reach. Especially avoiding sharp edges.”

Babyproofing may be accomplished within the easiest of methods. “Wood flooring is a great choice for nurseries, as it’s softer and warmer than tile or stone. Adding a plush rug on top is essential, as both parents and kids spend a lot of time on the floor. A quality rug adds comfort and warmth to the space.”

Building a nursery is a enjoyable exercise for brand new mother and father — balancing performance with aesthetics to create a area that’s stuffed with love and care, regardless of fancy furnishings and plush décor.

Since infants spend a lot time on their backs, including a design component on the ceiling might make for a enjoyable addition. Like Madan, who has introduced such ideas to life, says, “We’ve put together an artwork that starts from the ceiling and comes down the wall. It looks straight out of a dream.”

The author is a options journalist exploring tradition, individuals, and city life throughout Bengaluru and Mumbai.