How to arrange and decorate your baby's room

Your baby is due to arrive in a few months, and you can't wait to start setting up their room. You've got a thousand and one questions: what decor? What colours? Light or dark tones? What kind of furniture? What style? Practical or design-led? A room in keeping with feng shui principles? Montessori? There's so much information to take in that the choices can leave you deliberating for a long time. We'll try to shed light on a few points that we feel are most important.

Wall decoration

If you decide to leave the walls white and you're not in a position to paint or put up wallpaper, you can always decorate the walls with a few objects, frames, or simple small shelves — always kept well away from the baby's cot. A simple and on-trend idea: buy wall stickers that you can peel off easily whenever you like. If you do choose to paint or wallpaper the walls, opt for light, unobtrusive colours — nothing loud or garish like red. You could also paint just one wall, or create a two-tone effect. Create a calm, zen space — above all, somewhere you feel comfortable, so your baby will feel comfortable too.

Dominant colours

Whatever furniture or decorations you choose, try to be consistent and stick to colours that inspire calm and serenity. Pastel shades are ideal for a baby's room. And if you're not planning to completely revamp the room as your baby grows, invest in colours that won't tire you out after just a few months.

Simple, practical furniture

The choice of baby furniture is vast; you'll need to think about your short- and long-term wishes and work within the space available. If you choose to put your newborn in a Moses basket for whatever reason, or in a co-sleeping bed, bear in mind that you'll need to make a change during their first year and move them into a larger bed. When it comes to sleeping arrangements, a convertible cot is a great compromise that can adapt perfectly to your child's age — some even cover 0 to 14 years! A huge saving, and an effective solution for smaller spaces. If you're a fan of Montessori methods, a floor mattress might appeal to you, though it cannot be used from birth as it is not safe enough for newborns. As for the changing table and hygiene corner, some pieces of furniture are also all-in-one designs, offering a great space-saving solution with clever storage features! Wardrobe or chest of drawers? It all depends on the space you have. A wardrobe is practical as it has both shelving and hanging space, but takes up a lot of room. A chest of drawers is smaller and easier to position, but only offers drawer storage. A bonus tip: place a mirror near your baby's play area — such as in front of their activity mat — so they can see themselves while they play. Babies absolutely love it!

Decoration for a child's room

Again, opt for a pared-back, uncluttered look to leave space for both you and your child. Too much visual information and too many objects can overstimulate your baby and have the opposite effect to what you're aiming for. A few tips: choose wooden toys, short-pile rugs for hygiene purposes, and above all do not place any decorative objects above your child's cot for safety reasons. Make sure everything meets safety standards and is properly secured, with child-appropriate protective fittings.