When designing a baby's nursery, doting parents typically focus on color schemes, décor, and safety features. But one critical component that often gets overlooked is selecting the right nursery curtains. When your baby doesn't sleep soundly, neither do you. That's why it's essential that the natural light coming into the nursery is conducive to your baby's sleep schedule.
Choosing Nursery Curtains: Key Considerations
To Sleep or Not to Sleep
Let's start with the type of baby curtains you should consider. You might be tempted to go with a light, breezy fabric that lets in a lot of natural light. And while that may be aesthetically pleasing, it's not going to do your baby (or you) any favors when trying to get your little one into a sleep routine.
Unlike adults, babies' sleep patterns can be very sporadic. Daytime doesn't always mean playtime to a baby, and nighttime doesn't always mean it's time to sleep. So, how do you train your baby when to sleep and when to wake? The solution is nursery blackout curtains.
Blackout curtains, combined with blackout shades for the nursery, let you control how light or dark you want in the room. When it's naptime on a sunny day, blackout curtains indicate it's time to sleep. When it's time for your baby to wake, open the curtains and let in the natural light.
Safety First
Choosing safe curtains for your nursery is essential. You'll find a range of blackout curtains and shades that provide the safety features you need to keep your baby safe. Cordless styles are the ideal solution. Dangling cords pose a serious risk of strangulation to young children (and pets, too). Blinds.com offers a variety of cordless blackout curtains for the nursery, including motorized styles.
Light vs. Dark: Weighing Your Options
With so many luxurious fabrics now available for window treatments, many homeowners lean toward lighter, airier materials that are easier to install than heavier drapes and fill a home with beautiful natural light. While light-filtering curtains may be a smart choice for everyday living areas, when decorating a nursery, blackout curtains make the best sense.
Blackout curtains weigh more than other styles, so they'll require a heavier rod to support them. You may also find the color choices tend to run on the darker side, although lighter colors are now available in many blackout curtains and shades. However, the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to choosing curtains for your baby's room. After all, nothing is more important than a happy, rested child (and parent.)
A Little Peace and Quiet
Besides the obvious room-darkening qualities of nursery blackout curtains, they can also reduce noise levels during your baby's quiet time. Blackout curtains use thicker, more opaque fabrics, which offer added soundproofing qualities. That can make all the difference when your neighbor decides to mow their lawn during your child's naptime.
Maintaining the Right Temperature
Although the primary purpose of blackout curtains for a baby's room is to control light, they also help maintain a comfortable temperature. The materials used in blackout curtains and shades provide insulation from outside elements on hot summer days and cold winter nights.
Pretty Yet Practical: Choosing the Right Style
• Cordless or Motorized Cellular Shades: Cellular shades feature a honeycomb design that helps to control the temperature in your baby's room. They fit snugly to the window opening to better control the light entering from outside. And the cordless style keeps your child safe. Want to make things even easier? Try motorized shades that can be raised and lowered remotely. Some models can even be set to open gradually.
• Cordless or Motorized Roller Shades: Roller shades have a sleek, modern look that may complement your nursery's décor. However, this style doesn't fit as tightly to a window opening, which can let extra light filter in. If opting for a roller shade, it's wise to add blackout curtains as a top layer or Light Gap Blockers to control the amount of light better.
• Curtains and Drapes: Blackout nursery curtains can be used alone or as a top layer over shades. You can add light-filtering shades underneath if you want the option of letting in more light. Or you could add blackout shades, giving you more room-darkening control. Adding this double layer is an excellent solution if your baby gets easily stirred by any light entering the room during their sleep cycle.
• Shutters : Indoor shutters add a stunning decorative touch to any room, including a child's room. However, some light will seep through even when the louvers are closed completely. If you love the look of window shutters but need more room-darkening qualities, add complementary blackout drapes that can be left open to show off the shutters and closed when it's baby's bedtime.
Need Help Deciding?
If you're still unsure which styles and baby-friendly features work best for you, the design experts at Blinds.com are here to help. For free tips and advice, call us at 800-505-1905. We'll help you choose the best blackout curtains for your nursery so you and your baby can get the restful sleep you deserve.
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