One of the areas I specialize in is Green Design (I will tell you about my other area in a later post). Specifically, I cater to first time parents who want to create an eco-friendly nursery for their baby. Below is a list of basic tips you can do to make your baby's nursery eco-friendly:
- As I mentioned in my previous post, painting is the easiest and cheapest way to update a room. In this case, you want to use a paint with no or low VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Pretty much all home improvement or paint stores now offer this (reasonably priced). One brand that is highly promoted on HGTV is Mythic Paint. This paint is more on the expensive side (avg cost $50 a gallon) but after reading their site, I must admit I am impressed. I will use this paint in the near future and report my findings to you. If anyone has used this paint already, please share your thoughts.
- Infants spend A LOT of time on the floor. Consider using bamboo, cork (which is great if you have allergies), or wood that is certified by Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). If using carpet is a must, you want to use natural materials like wool, jute, sisal, sea grass, coir (coconut husks), and recycled carpeting. Also, use 100% natural wool carpet padding. A popular choice is Earth Weave Carpet Mills. A GREAT alternative to using carpet is using carpet tiles. Two reasons that make carpet tiles a better solution than carpet is you can skip carpet padding altogether and you can easily remove any tile instead of replacing the entire carpet. It's also fairly easy to install. The most popular brand is FLOR. With FLOR if you want to replace a tile or totally get rid of all the tiles, FLOR will pay for the shipping of the old tiles so it could be used for recycling.
- You want to look for furniture that is formaldehyde-free. A furniture company that received high ratings is Pacific Rim Woodworking. Another option is to buy unpainted solid wood furniture and stain or paint it with low or no VOCs.
- Choose organic bedding (Pottery Barn Kids offers great organic bedding that are reasonably priced) and mattresses made out of natural latex rubber.
- Lastly, invest in an air purifier to free your space of allergens. Also, be sure to open a window everyday to let in fresh air and circulate out the stale air.
If you start with these few basic tips, you will be well on your way for creating a healthier environment for you and your child.
Coming soon....Going Green in other areas of your home!
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Welcome! Great post!
Happy Labor Day!
blessings,
kari & kijsa
Thank you Kari and Kijsa. I truly appreciate it.
Many Blessing to you too!
Tiaa
Very informative! When painting a child’s room, what are the most soothing/calming colors that you would recommend?
Thank you, Christine. Cool colors are the most calming/soothing i.e. blue, green, and violet. Think of the ocean and nature and how serene it is.
In designing a room, I would make the sleeping area the soothing colors however I would add accents of “warm colors” i.e. red, orange, and yellow in the play areas to stimulate energy and interest.
Feel free to contact me if you have additional questions.