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Can you share a room with your baby? Absolutely! Not only can you have a shared bedroom with a baby, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies share parents' bedroom for a year, or at minimum six months, to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Ahead, find helpful design tips when sharing a room with baby.
Regardless of whether you are setting up a shared bedroom with a baby temporarily until the baby is a bit older or constrained by space- you'll find design tips to creating an ideal shared room with the baby.
Setting up a shared bedroom can be tricky, let's face it- there's a lot of stuff that needs to get packed into one room. And, you want to find a layout so parents( and baby) can have their individual areas. The size of the room can be an issue too.
Here are 17 simple designer-approved tips and ideas when sharing a room with baby.
17 NURSERY NOOK IDEAS
1.CONSIDER THE FLOOR SPACE
First, take into account the available floor space. Understanding how much floor space you have will help guide your design decisions. A large bedroom means more space to accommodate bedroom and nursery furniture. And, a smaller bedroom means you'll have to make some choices when selecting furniture.
2.FIGURE OUT A LAYOUT FOR THE SHARED SPACE
Think through the shared bedroom's potential layout. The size and shape of the shared room may guide the best room layout. Also, having a clear understanding of the functions you need the shared room to accommodate – be it sleeping, nursing, diapering, etc. will help you decide on the best use of space.
3.IDENTIFY THE ESSENTIAL FURNITURE ITEMS
Sometimes parents struggle to find enough space to accommodate the existing furniture and the nursery furniture needed for the baby. So it might be necessary to take an honest survey of items you need and pare down items you have to make space for baby's things.
4.PICK A SAFE SLEEPING SURFACE FOR BABY
Though you are sharing a room with baby, you definitely shouldn't share a bed! The American Association of Pediatrics recommends that the baby sleeps on a crib, bassinet, portable crib, or play yard that meets the safety standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), along with a tight-fitting, firm mattress.
5.MAKE THE SHARED ROOM COMFORTABLE FOR ALL
Design the bedroom with a good nights' sleep and relaxation in mind, whether it's shared or not. Keep items that are important to you. Add items or furniture pieces that can enhance comfort - throw pillows, a plant, and create a cozy nursing nook.
6.CREATE ZONES WITH FURNITURE PLACEMENT
It's not just a crib or bassinet that needs to go in the shared bedroom. You'll also need to set up a diapering station and make space for a nursing nook.
7.MOVE THE CRIB AWAY FROM THE BED
Just because you are sharing a bedroom with the baby doesn't mean that you should place the crib next to your bed. Place the crib or bassinet at some distance from your bed to help with sleep training.
8.KEEP THE ROOM DESIGN REFINED AND SOPHISTICATED
Beautiful bedrooms' shared or not, are meant to be restful and have a relaxing vibe. To that end-choose, a soothing color palette and bring in window drapes, an area rug, and plush bedding (for the bed) to give the space a refined, sophisticated look.
9.MIX AND MATCH STYLES
Keep in mind that when you choose a crib, nursery chair, and perhaps even a nursery dresser, you don't need to match the existing style in the bedroom. You can balance out the visual weight of the space by going with a different furniture style altogether.
10.ADD STORAGE SOLUTIONS
Storage solutions are a must in a shared room. Where possible, try to add storage solutions for the baby's clothes, toys, and baby essentials-so everything has a place.
11.MAXIMIZE THE WALL SPACE
One of the best ways to add storage and keep the room uncluttered is to focus on the wall space. To make up for the lack of square footage, incorporate wall storage solutions so there is ample space to store and organize essentials.
12.VISUALLY DIVIDE THE SPACE
When setting up a shared room, creating a sense of personal space for parents and the baby is helpful. Perhaps, a room divider or a curtain could provide a little privacy between the bed and crib.
13.PERSONALIZE EACH AREA
Just because the room is shared doesn't mean it can't have personal touches. Make the shared space feel special by decorating with decor pieces to personalize each area.
14.ADD FUN, PLAYFUL TOUCHES
On that same note, bring in some whimsical nursery decor to give the baby's space a fun, playful vibe.
15.GO WITH BLACKOUT CURTAINS
Blackout curtains are essential whether decorating a nursery or even a shared room. Blackout curtains will help keep light out of the space so the baby can fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Shop our favorite blackout curtains
16.BRING IN A WHITE NOISE MACHINE
Bringing in a white noise machine like this one to help create a comfortable sleeping experience for your baby is even more important when sharing a space with your baby. A white noise machine drowns out sounds so the baby can stay asleep longer and that you can move about your bedroom without tiptoeing or being afraid that you'll wake the baby up.
17.LAYER THE LIGHTING
Rather than relying on just the overhead light in the bedroom, layer the lighting by adding a table lamp, a floor lamp, and dimmers. Not only will you create a gorgeous ambiance, but you'll find it helpful when feeding and changing the baby during late-night hours.
Last Updated on March 17, 2022 by Tira Attygalla
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