NEW YORK, NY –  Having a baby is such an exciting time for new parents and nothing is more important than that infant’s safety.  Designing a nursery for your baby can be fun, but parents must not forget that safety is the most important element of any room your baby is in.  Keep your baby’s nursery safe and chic with these stylish design tips.

Wall Coloring and Coverings
A brown tone, paired with pastel colors like yellow, green, pink, and blue make for a beautiful, understated contrast that creates a restful vibe.  Use high quality, low VOC latex paints to lessen fumes, and air out the room both while painting and afterward.

Make sure your walls are not only beautiful but safe by covering all electrical outlets with outlet plugs or sliding covers and ensuring that all wall hangings, pictures or other wall decorations are well secured out of the reach of children.

Well-Dressed Windows
Windows make for great design opportunities for your baby’s room—they’re also a source of natural light and fresh air.  For a contemporary look, coordinate your blinds with curtains in bright colors and soft fabrics to complement the room’s décor.

Avoid using corded window blinds, shades or draperies, which pose a potential strangulation hazard to infants and young children. Check each room for window coverings with exposed or dangling cords and retrofit or replace them with today’s safer products.

Government safety officials and the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) recommend that only cordless window coverings be used in homes with young children.  For more information about window cord safety, or to order free retrofit kits, visit www.windowcoverings.org.

Chic Crib
Babies sleep most of the time, so a comfortable bed is a must for baby that also serves as the focal point of the room. White, cherry and espresso colored crib frames always look chic, but make sure the crib is properly assembled, sturdy, and that there are no gaps larger than two fingers between the mattress and the sides of the crib.

To further ensure your child’s safety, never use a crib that is more than 10 years old, and never fill the bed with stuffed animals, thick quilts or pillows that might accidentally trap or suffocate an infant.

Fun Furniture
There are numerous cute baby furniture options available in different themes from forest animals, floral, nautical and fun geometric shapes that are sure to please both baby and parents. Carefully position the furniture for a clean look and uncluttered space, making sure to eliminate any hazardous obstacles. Place the crib away from any windows, shelves, lamps or wall décor that a baby could easily reach and pull.

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The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) is a coalition of major U.S. manufacturers, importers and retailers of window coverings dedicated to educating consumers about window cord safety. The Council also assists and supports its members in the industry’s ongoing efforts to encourage the use of cordless products in homes with young children, its redesign of corded products, and its support of the national ANSI/WCMA standard for corded window coverings.  WCSC’s activities in no way constitute an assumption of any legal duty owed by its members or any other entity.