• Baby's room should function as a place for learning, play and rest.nurseries image by Palindra from Fotolia.com
  
  Though nurseries are just as much for parents as they are for baby, it is important to keep in mind their function and focus on making them as stimulating and comfortable to baby as possible. By incorporating bold colors, visually interesting themes and practical elements, you can ensure a cozy place for baby to sleep, play and learn.
  
  

Wall Decor

• While contemporary styles still include pastels as popular colors for baby rooms, bold, contrasting colors and patterns are actually more interesting and developmentally appropriate for baby. Contemporary money-saving ideas include having family members dip their hands in colored paints and handprint the wall with their signatures beneath. You can also draw clusters of colorful happy faces for wall decor. Other ideas include hanging baby quilts or brightly patterned children's place mats on the walls. You can also stencil a brightly colored border or paint a colorful mural of storks, dinosaurs, bears, a jungle or any other theme that allows for colorful and eye-catching detail. Be sure any wallpaper is easy to wipe down, as you will need to clean it at some point.
  
  

Floors

• Whether you have a carpeted, tile or wood floored room, an area rug may be a good idea. It defines a playing and tumbling area for baby when she is mobile enough, and it will be the one to take the wear and tear from playing, spills and other incidentals. Choose a fun, bold-colored rug. A flat, dense weave is preferable over shaggy rugs. They are easier to clean and get less lint, dust and junk stuck in them—something you'll appreciate once baby begins putting every tiny thing in her mouth. Be wary of light-colored rugs. They show dirt more easily and aren't as interesting to a baby who will spend plenty of time looking at it.
  
  

Consider the Ceiling

• Since your baby will be spending plenty of time on his back in his room, consider decorating the ceiling with eye-catching details. You can hang brightly colored parasols or mobiles for him to gaze at. You can also hang kites or billowy fabric pulled through a series of rings. Make sure nothing hangs down far enough so that baby can reach it once he begins pulling himself up to stand in his crib and grabbing at things. Of course, you can always use bright wallpaper on the ceiling or place decals there, a glow-in-the-dark solar system, for example.
  
  

A Place to Learn

• One very important consideration sometimes overlooked in prepping a baby room is considering how you will provide learning and activity spaces for older babies. Exploring new areas is important for babies. Create spaces for different activities in baby's room. Have a reading area, a toy and dramatic play area and a work table for art. If space is limited, concentrate on small, portable baskets and furniture to create these areas as you do the activities with baby. This will stimulate her and make life easier for you.