FENG SHUI FOR THE NURSURY

I wanted to go a little deeper for Cara- as she design's her daughter's bedroom. I thought the showcase house I did in 2004 was another good example.

Cranky children that do not sleep well can cause us to too easily forget all the wonderful aspects of raising a child. Even the newest of mothers quickly learn how important it is for baby to sleep well. As a mother of FOUR, I have learned that a well-rested child is usually content, well trained and agreeable. The mornings are always so much more pleasant at my home than the few hours before bedtime (my personal least favorite time of the day).

In designing the nursery for the 2004 Designer Showcase Dream Home, I incorporated Feng Shui techniques to make it a haven for rest! Relying on ideas from Feng Shui for Children’s Spaces, by Nancilee Wydra, and drawing from real-life experience with my own children, I incorporated those elements that would enable a child to easily quiet down and relax by just being in the room.

Color is an inexpensive and beneficial place to start for creating a dream nursery. Greens, blues and purples fill this space. The soft colors, low in contrast to one another, are relaxing and encourage quiet activity as well as sleeping. The colors are not pure and vibrant, but rather grayed and more subtle. When selecting a color scheme for a bedroom, choose soft colors that are next to one another on a color wheel, like blues and purples, rather than opposite one another, like yellows and purples. The higher the contrast, the more the color scheme will inspire action and movement. High contrast and bright colors may be an excellent choice for a playroom or bonus room, but they are not exactly what you want at naptime!

It is essential to consider that different children will have different needs. A sad, melancholy child could benefit from a soft yellow, which cheers. But instead of combining yellow with high-contrasting blue, use a soft green, or a subtle peach. And what if red is your child’s favorite color? Is it not allowed at all? Of course not- simply combine it with soft tans and blues and put the red on the bed skirt, where it won’t be seen when it’s time to slumber.

While murals are gaining fast popularity in homes, especially children’s rooms, not all murals are ideal for a young person’s space. The subtlety of the mural in this dream nursery inspires peace rather than uproar. The same rules apply with artwork as with wall color. By keeping the colors soft and low in contrast, your child will be calmer and will rest more easily.

The soft window treatments that adorn the windows in the Dream Home Showcase nursery were selected for their ability to diffuse light, creating a cozy environment, even for middle-of-the-day naptime. The floor pillows in soft muted colors encourage quiet play. Mom can settle down with her little one for a bedtime story next to their paper moon light, which subtly diffuses the reading light.

It is significant to consider the contour of an area when creating a room for baby as well. While diagonal lines encourage activity and movement, the soft circles found in this room inspire a calming sleepiness. The curvature is repeated throughout this space as seen in the round crib, rotund ceiling art work, circular rug, spherical light, and curved changing table motif.

Feng Shui experts agree that every room in your home should have a form of sound. With studies illustrating how noise is an essential ingredient for a child’s development, the nursery is certainly one place not to be overlooked for some sort of reverberation. You don’t need constant classical music (although that would work). Something as simple as a ticking clock will enhance child development.

Texture is another element that can be used to a child’s advantage in a nursery. If you want your child to use the room primarily for quiet activities and sleep, use textures that are fine rather than coarse, open weaves rather than tightly woven fabrics, soft rather than rigid, matte rather than shiny, and smooth rather than rough. Patterns with small repeats will also be more soothing than bold, larger patterns.

Clean, uncluttered spaces are vital for encouraging relaxing and sleeping in anyone’s bedroom, but especially for baby. When the child’s bedroom doubles as a playroom, this beacons the need for storage solutions, which put the toys out of sight.

By following simple techniques in selecting the color, lighting, and texture for your baby’s nursery, you too can create a peaceful place that will encourage rest and happiness for your new addition.