Window Treatments Considerations for Baby Nurseries – a Guide for Parents

You may or may not have given much consideration to which window treatments you are going to use for you child’s nursery. I would certainly understand if this is way down on your list of priorities. But there are some compelling issues to consider, that only require a little effort and awareness.

When choosing baby nursery window treatments, the key is find a perfect balance between safety and whimsical. Recent research shows that developing infants respond positively to primary colors and simple, black and white graphic stimulation. However, baby nursery window treatments should be more functional than aesthetic.

It is crucial to regulate the light in an infant's room. Babies keep their own sleeping hours, so blackout curtains are usually a good idea. This way, evening street lamps or afternoon sun won't keep a child awake and midday naps are not out of the question. Beyond the safety considerations, I believe this is one of the most important pieces of advice. New parents need their precious rest too and the more regular sleep hours your baby keeps the better off you will be.

For obvious reasons, baby nursery window treatments have to be the most safety-conscious of any room in the house. Many new parents put their child's crib near the window, figuring that the light and visual activity will be stimulating to a growing brain. This could certainly be true, but parents also need to be conscious of window cords, drapes and other window hardware. This is why cordless window treatments are perfect for infant's rooms. There are two cordless window options that are currently popular-electric and top down/bottom up. Both of these eliminate cords that could be grabbed by infants to pull down other window hardware or worse. Both of these control mechanisms are also completely compatible with any number of blackout drape materials. It is also important to note that the issue window cord safety applies to your entire house, especially for toddlers.

Some developmental experts recommend employing an organized color palette throughout the room. Don't overwhelm the child, but try to match primary color panels in crucial location. For example, harmonizing drapes, seat cushions and wall pictures will create a solid and stimulating visual environment.

Another issue that parents should be aware of is the issue of some imported vinyl mini blinds and lead poisoning. According to a study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), some imported vinyl mini blinds present a lead poisoning hazard for young children. The study went on so say that, “Twenty-five million non-glossy, vinyl mini blinds that have lead added to stabilize the plastic in the blinds are imported each year from China, Taiwan, Mexico, and Indonesia.” Additionally, the CPSC found that over time the plastic deteriorates from exposure to sunlight and heat to form lead dust on the surface of the blind. The amount of lead dust that formed from the deterioration varied from blind to blind. This study was done almost ten years ago and it may or may not be reasonable to assume that issue has been addressed. To be on the safe side, if you are purchasing vinyl blinds of any kind, you may want to inquire about the use of lead in the manufacturing process.