Baby rooms need to be designed in such a way that they are a comfortable place for the baby to drop off to sleep quickly and without stress. There are a number of things which can make it harder to sleep, and you want to avoid these as much as possible – as well as encourage rest and relaxation. Here are some design tips to follow.

1. Eliminate blue light

The first thing that you should do is to check the room for blue lights. Blue lights can be very distressing for the human brain, and can disrupt sleeping patterns as well as prevent your children from falling asleep easily. You might find them on electronic devices around the room – once the lights are out, they will be even more obvious. If you have a nightlight for the baby, ensure that it is a warm orange or red-toned bulb. This will make the room more soothing for them, and will help them to nod off.

2. Keep out natural light

During the night, it’s very important that light from outside is kept out of the room. Outdoor lighting can really affect your baby’s sleep schedule, and can cause them to wake up with the dawn or refuse to fall asleep under a streetlight. Use blackout curtains to keep out the light. With your nightlight inside the room, you can still get the light needed to see without opening the curtains.

3. Consider noise

As you are planning the room, make sure that you take location into consideration – this may even be something to think about when you are buying your first or next home with the baby. Check on OpenAgent that the baby’s room will be away from road noise and in a quieter part of the house. Next, you can reduce noise as well as covering the sound of siblings sleeping in the same room by introducing a white noise generator. This can be something like a fan set on low, a quiet audio CD which plays white noise or natural sounds, or simply a sound machine. Keep the volume low, as small ears can’t tolerate loud noises as easily.

4. Emphasise calm

When choosing your décor, try to stay away from busy or active elements. The best room design could be one that uses solid, calming colours, such as pastels. This applies to the baby’s bed dressings, clothes, and even toys too. Bold patterns aren’t best used in the bedroom. Also consider having a smaller mobile over the crib – a large mobile with lots of elements can be overwhelming to the baby, who sees it as much larger than we do. Try also storing away toys and other items at night so that the room is calm and clear. All of this creates an impression of a sleep-ready room, which is good preparation for later years.

All of these techniques will help design a baby room which is focused on sleep, not on activity. This is great training for the toddler years!