Nursery to Nightmare

Just when you thought everything had been said about babies this week following the Royal birth, I'm going to 'throw my hat into the ring'. Although in fairness this is not so much for Kate, it's more for every other unsuspecting mother or expectant mother.

One of the joys of pregnancy (swollen ankles, morning sickness and hemorrhoids aside) is thinking about decorating the Nursery. These days there is such a wealth of really good products out there, you can buy off the shelf without worrying about having the same scheme as nearly everyone else on the maternity ward.  www.susiewatsondesigns.co.uk has just launched a new collection 'Bedtime with Owlbert', perfect for every little VIP and honing in on that owl and bird trend that is big at the moment. My advice to mothers-to-be is enjoy the process, revel in the fact that you can 'go to town' safe in the knowledge that the nursery, at least in the early months, will stay pristine and styled to within an inch of its life.

Take a look at www.babyface.uk.com for that American Rhode Island vibe or look at www.teamson.co.uk for painted nursery toys and furniture  which may well become family treasures.

But time cannot stand still and your little bundles of joy are soon toddling around, developing close attachments to the most hideous of toys in the most headache inducing hues, many without a single natural fibre to call their own. Beautiful displays of keepsakes and old fashioned jointed teddy bears are trashed in favour of whatever the modern equivalent is to a 'Tweeney'! At this stage the only advice I can offer is storage, storage and more storage.

But then before you are really aware of it you are suddenly ensconced in 'the teenage years'. Every surface artfully displays washing, both clean and dirty. Glasses and mugs  en mass form an art installation on window ledges, whilst waste paper baskets overflow with wrappers and the distinct smell of aged apple cores.

I decorated my sons room in a relaxing grey/blue shade  and created a wall intended to provoke wonderment and wanderlust by installing a giant world map from www.coxandcox.co.uk. Everything else has been kept to a minimum for very good reason.

The teenage years can be a time when your children want to develop their own tastes and sense of style and this can be an opportunity for them to explore their creative side. Trust me, under no circumstances should this be encouraged.

My advice:-

Paint floors, walls and ceilings with a rubberised coating and pressure wash everything down once a week!