6 Tips to Design a Healthy Baby Nursery
When you’re expecting, you may find that you need to do some home remodeling as you design a baby nursery. Luckily, room additions are a specialty of ours at HG Luxury Homes. We also understand that infants and young children are sensitive to environmental toxins. This means that it is essential to plan your nursery room addition with a lot of attention to potential hazards.
One major concern in baby nurseries is “outgassing” (also known as “off-gassing”). These interchangeable terms refer to the release of gas that is dissolved or trapped in a solid. For example, that lingering odor of fresh paint or new furniture is actually off-gassing, and it’s important to avoid this in a baby’s room. To help you plan your home remodeling project, we’ve come up with a few helpful tips to keep in mind.
Avoid Repeat Offenders
As we mentioned, fresh paint and new furniture can lead to off-gassing in your baby nursery. However, this also includes a few other products common in home renovations.
- Wall-to-wall carpet
- A manufactured wood product like MDF
- Fabrics with permanent treatments
- Anything with vinyl (such as wallpaper or curtains)
- Polyurethane foam
- Products treated with antimicrobial chemicals
Don’t Buy Baby Nursery Products Off “Green” Labels Alone
Even the Greenseal label isn’t a fool-proof guide. This is because these labels don’t cover everything, and they aren’t all considering how sensitive a baby is. These labels are a great start, but it’s important to check for potentially hazardous ingredients.
For example, any products you buy for your baby nursery during your home remodeling project should be free of formaldehyde, toxic adhesives, stain-resistant chemicals, flame-retardant chemicals, etc. Paints should be labeled as “Zero-VOC” and only contain low amounts of chemicals known as biocides.
Allow Some Time Between After Project Completion
When you’re building a baby nursery or completing another room addition a baby might spend time in, allot a cushion of time between completion and exposure. A good rule of thumb to consider is that it’s safe for the baby when someone with a strong sense of smell cannot detect an odor in the space. Allow the space to circulate air and be sure to moderate the temperature to speed up the outgassing.
Ventilation Is Vital in a Baby Nursery
Allowing for an exchange of fresh air is essential in any space. However, it is vital for a baby nursery due to their heightened sensitivity. Open windows to allow good circulation of air and speed up the outgassing process.
If you live in an area with poor air quality, it’s still good to crack the window. However, you may want to run an air filter while the window is open and shortly after it’s closed.
Control Moisture in the Space
Oftentimes, parents use a humidifier in their baby nursery as well as in a child’s room. Unfortunately, this can load the space with moisture that produces mold. When you plan to utilize a humidifier, you may want to invest in a hygrometer. This device measures the humidity of the space, allowing you to ensure the moisture levels stay below 50 percent.
Unplug in the Baby Nursery
Once this room addition is complete, and your baby has a beautiful new space to sleep and play, you may want to unplug devices. Electronics can create electromagnetic fields (EMFs), and these frequencies can interfere with the body’s own electromagnetic properties.
Try to keep any EMF levels low by eliminating all but the essential electronics from the baby nursery. For instance, a baby monitor is a great tool, but you might want to stay away from ones equipped with WiFi.
Room Additions with HG Luxury Homes
When it comes to room additions, especially a baby nursery, the options may be overwhelming. At HG Luxury Homes, we understand how difficult it can be to take on a home remodeling project. That’s why we work closely with our clients to incorporate their tastes into any and all room additions.
Our design-build team can take the weight off your shoulders and shape the design of your new rooms. We work with you to maximize your budget and provide credible guidance on design trends that might influence your decisions. Best of all, we offer 3D imaging software that allows you to visualize your ideas before the project begins. Contact us today to see how our design-build team can help you.