You are expecting a baby, this is one of the most exciting times in your life.

After the news and excitement sets in, most people begin thinking about decorating a nursery. Today, a lot of couples plan ahead and know what the sex of the child will be.

Having two grown daughters, I remember the enormous excitement Tom and I feel when we were expecting. Back then decorating was done mainly in blues and pinks.

Times have changed somewhat and couples are expanding the nursery scene into yellows, greens, and peach tones. One accessory that will always remain popular is stuffed animals.

Let's take a little different approach on some simple ideas for your new baby and nursery.

One of the first concepts is to think for the future. I have seen many people put a lot of expenses into a nursery, and in a couple of years, the child has outgrown the theme, or you grow tired of the base color, accents, and accessories.

When expecting, two colors seem to always come to mind, The traditional soft pink tones and the masculine blue color. Pink and blue colors have been a part of infant history for a long time. Once the baby is born, they are so dependent on us. As they begin to grow they take on their own personality, likes and dislikes.

Having been a lead teacher at a large child development center, this is one thing I saw time and time again. From infancy through school age, children change very rapidly. The expense of nursery can be cut down with a simple creative approach.

Take a base color that also blends in with the rest of your living space.

In the first two years, put your expense in accessories, so they can be passed down to your own future children, or for other parents.

Make the nursery warm and relaxing, with soft tones and accents.

Time does pass quickly and babies become toddlers. Toddlers become pre-schoolers.

Before you know it, your child enters his or her formal years of school.

Not only will time pass quickly, but your child's interest will constantly change.

This photo is a great example of an infants room that can be kept as a toddler and pre-school room. The yellow foundation color creates a bright yet soothing visual for you and our infant.

The orange dresser with the light wood dresser creates a well balanced room. Numbers and letters in different colors gives your infant wonderful visuals to focus on.

The lime green tone chair is great for you sitting, as well as an accent piece. Great idea for future and keeping within your budget.

I love this look in a nursery setting. The green foundation color again creates a warm and soothing look and feel. This style can be used for a girl or a boy.

You can add a little more accents and accessories around the room. Great way to keep the color into the toddler and pre-school years. The brown adds a new dimension to the room, creating a little bold feel. Another nice way to stay within a budget.

This is another great look for an infants room. Soft diamond shapes on the foundation, the walls. The setting is in a city, but can be done in any location.

The warm look of the off white crib and carpet creates an atmosphere of rest and relaxation. A little color is brought out in the doll or stuffed animal in a rocking chair.

The height of a full size wall unit balances the room out with the higher ceilings. Another great look for taking your precious one from infancy through the toddler and pre-school years.

The very soft pink walls gives this room a delicate look. The white chair railing and warm tone off white carpet balances the wall colors. The bolder tone couch or sitting area brings in a different color family.

A neat idea as the bolder color isn't overpowering.

The light tone green dresser blends in with the soft walls. Notice the crib how it balances out the overall tone of the room. Once again, great idea for budget and using these tones for the future.

When our first daughter was born I decided to go ahead and give her room a nice clean and crisp look. I painted it a stark white. I made the mistake as the nursery should be a soothing area.

Pastel colors in a baby's room will work very well. Don't go overboard on a lot of different color tones. Keep it simple, soft and soothing. Below are a couple of generic and simple ideas for the base of your child's room for the future.

This first picture has a blue foundation color. Notice how simple the furniture is arranged. Consider adding a border if you want across the top of the room.

Make sure your properly prepare the wall so if you decide to remove the border or replace it, the border will come off easily. A picture or an odd number of pictures is a nice touch to the room.



The second picture is in a soft yellow foundation color. Three pictures accent the one wall. Notice how both baby rooms have a play area. The play area is a great thing to plan for when the child begins to grow.

The play area down the road can actually become a working and study area. Rearranging the room from time to time is a great way to save some money. It gives the room and new and fresh look.



Stuffed Animals from our Inside Out Store. I have always loved stuffed animals. Our daughters rooms were full of a variety of different theme base animals. Even today with the girls gone, you can visit our home and find stuffed animals throughout different theme base rooms. Another way to incorporate stuffed animals is in a A baby's room is such an important aspect of your living space. Whether the room is large or small, purchase furniture that will fit the room and not over crowded the space.

When your baby is an infant, the priority for the child will be nurturing and love. You can create a dynamic look in a baby's room staying within your budget.

I know what it is like to be a proud parent, but also your baby will be growing quickly and she or he will begin to develop his or her personality. So to recap a few simple ideas.

Design Ideas for Baby Rooms is a wonderful decorating resource book for all of you expectant parents.

Susan has great ideas of color combination and other nursery decorating. Great buy and solid reviews.

Be open to themes, but also have colors, accents, and accessories that will change with your babies growth. The result can control your expenses so you can stay within your budget.

This page is just one avenue you can consider when you are expecting a wonderful bundle of joy.