Painting a Nursery

What to Consider when Painting a Nursery

Make Sure Your Nursery Uses Baby Safe Paint

Your child’s health and safety is your primary concern, of course, which means you should pay close attention to the type of paint you use for your nursery. Fortunately, most modern paints don’t pose much of a health risk for either adults or children. Still, some paints are better-suited for nursery painting than others. More specifically, you’ll want to go for a water-based product that also contains low VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Going this route will minimize odor and potential air pollution. If you’re not sure whether a certain brand or paint type is safe to apply in your nursery, ask your interior painting services for their input. Also, make sure your nursery is completely painted months in advance of the delivery (if possible) to ensure that any lingering odors are no longer present.

Ensure You Use Best Nursery Paint Colors

Though more research must be done in this matter, the colors you choose for your child’s nursery can potentially have an impact on their development, mood, sleep patterns, and more. Of course, your child won’t have a say in these matters, so the choice is ultimately yours. If you want to establish your nursery as a definitively kid-centric space, you might opt for brighter, saturated colors. If you already have furniture and accessories picked out for your nursery, you might also base your choices off of these features. And, once again, if you hire home interior painters for the job, they can help you select the right paint colors for your nursery.

Why Paint Finish For Nurseries Matters

Color isn’t the only aesthetic concern regarding the paint you choose. You must also think about the paint’s finish (sheen). While glossier paints are generally more durable and easier to clean than their less glossy counterparts, their high light reflective values (LRV) can irritate and harm your child’s eyes when enough light comes through (color is also a factor in determining LRV -- the more white present in a color, the higher the LRV). So, your best bet might be to go with a less shiny paint finish that can still hold up to scuffs and scratches fairly well, such as eggshell or satin.

Best Designs for Baby Nurseries

If you browse enough images of nurseries online, you’re bound to come across some that feature painted patterns and murals as opposed to standard solid color walls. This is a valid and playful way to go, but it’s also challenging and often expensive. For one thing, unless you’re particularly artistic yourself, you’ll have to find house painting professionals skilled in mural painting (unless you go with wallpaper instead, which is another matter entirely). Painting with patterns is slightly less intensive, though it requires the use of various tools (stencils, painter’s tape, projectors, levelers, etc.) and is also time-consuming. If you’re willing to spend the extra time and money on these options, you can end up with a truly unique and eye-catching nursery.

HOA Painting Caveats

Lastly, if your property is part of a Homeowners Association (HOA), you may have some hurdles to jump through before starting on nursery painting. This is because all HOAs have certain rules and restrictions (known as the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs)) regarding how, when, and why you paint your home, and some can be quite strict. HOA painting rules mainly apply to exteriors, since the primary concern is maintaining a neighborhood’s outward unity. That said, your Northern California HOA may have limitations on the interior home painting services you can hire, the colors you choose for your nursery, and other interior rooms, etc. Make sure you understand your Northern California HOA’s CC&Rs before making any final decisions, and, if necessary, seek the proper approvals before moving forward with painting your nursery.

Just like bringing a child into this world, painting a nursery is exciting but daunting. Ultimately, you simply want your nursery’s paint job to be safe and visually appealing without overstepping any bounds (if you live in an HOA). If you need more advice and specific help regarding these matters, Endure Painting is here for you. For more information regarding our skills and services, call us at (510) 458-2120 or send us an email at hello@endurepainting.com.