New Parents Design Adult-Friendly Nurseries

Blue for boys, pink for girls, perhaps green or yellow if the baby's sex is unknown; and, of course, the bold childhood primaries: red, blue and yellow. Those are the traditional choices when you're decorating the nursery. New parents are turning tradition upside down, opting to decorate their baby's room in more adult colors and styles that are comforting to the parents and send a special message to their child.

Driving a $7.3 billions industry, new parents typically spend from $5,000 to $15,000 furnishing and decorating their baby's nursery, according to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association.

In decorating a nursery, parents should first consider their own comfort, says Missouri designer Elizabeth Maxson. "The first couple of months are so tiring for the parents. When you're sitting in a nursery at 3 in the morning, you want something soothing, so that [you] can soothe the baby."

More adult colors, themes that send a special message, and furnishings that will not lose their usefulness but will grow with the child are making inroads on the usual Disney, Sesame Street, Winnie the Pooh, and Bob the Builder decorating schemes. Here are a few examples from creative new parents:

• Nesting. Emma Hand created a "nesting" theme for her daughter. She used a soft marbled taupe on the walls to evoke the outdoors. Husband Carl cemented a tree limb into a corner from which hang soft, colorful cloth birds. Brightly painted storage units now hold diaper supplies but will hold toys as the baby grows. An antique family dresser adds a sense of heritage to the room. "I like birds ... and the symbolism behind birds," Emma explained; "they're monogamous and family-oriented. And a nest is a place where you feel very comforted, yet you're getting ready to fly."
• Taking wing. Marland Blanchard and his wife went with an aviator theme when they found out they were expecting a boy. "I wanted this room to tell my son that he can reach to the horizon," Marland said. A wall mural of a 1930s field airport adorns one slate-blue wall. A kid-friendly hardwood floor and vintage aviator plaques carry the theme. A chair rail backlit with motion-sensor tube lighting gives the illusion of runway lights. The soft light allows Marland and his wife to easily check on their son and will serve as a nightlight when he's older.
• Up, up and away. A basket chair above which hangs a multi-colored fabric "balloon" is the focal point of a hot-air balloon room. The oversized chair provides a cozy place to cuddle and read. Brightly painted round cubbies hold books and toys. Big puffy clouds seem to drift across the soft blue sky ceiling. The message Sue Frances wanted to give her child: There are no limits to your dreams.