Dainty Cots For Tiny Tots

Designing a nursery is undoubtedly one of the most exciting things about preparing for the arrival of a baby. Yet, this task can be quite a long, drawn-out experience, especially because of the bewildering array of options out there.

Of all the pieces of baby nursery furniture, the baby cot is definitely the central item. There are dozens of options with just this one item and several factors to consider - the space available in the room, cot size, its design and style, the décor and theme of your home... Not to mention, of course, that the materials and colors used must suit the baby and be safe, as well as match your budget limitations.

Fortunately, help is at hand. This guide will help you narrow down your top priorities when looking for cots, as well as offer a few relevant suggestions along the way.

Nurseries should typically be spacious and airy, with lots of ventilation and light. However, the living space may sometimes be a constraint. In such a case, the size of each item of furniture becomes critical. Even two inches more or less can make a difference to the overall impression of space available.

Look for space-saving features, such as cot-top-changers and under-cot-drawers. The former can save you the space and expense that a full-fledged changer will take. Though it wouldn't offer as much storage space as a changing unit, you can get around this by using under-cot drawers that fit perfectly below the cot. The Silhouette range from Izziwotnot is a good example of a unit that offers both a cot-top changer and under-cot drawers.

Unless your nursery has lower-than-normal ceilings (not recommended), the height of furniture is not important. Most good designs are optimized to practical heights anyway. Length and width are more pertinent, the former being the higher dimension.

Some cots can be converted into a junior bed. These are usually slightly bigger than their simpler counterparts. However, this is a very useful option, as it saves you the expenditure of having to buy a new bed when the baby grows up a little. Evaluate which is more critical to you.

For instance, consider the Humphrey's Corner cot from Izziwotnot. This is one of the most compact cots, just 125cm long. The cot-bed length from the same range is 146cm. At the other end of the spectrum, at 158cm, is the Bailey Oak cot-bed. However, this item conforms to the BS-EN-716 norms, making it very safe indeed.

Generally, any quality manufacturer's range is safe, and it isn't likely that baby can hurt himself around them. But if you're looking for more technical parameters than strong and comfortable builds, then compliance with BS-EN-716 standards is what you should look for. These standards represent the latest benchmark in safety standards for cots.

Last, but still important, pay attention to color. If you're going to specially paint your nursery blue or pink, there are several ranges that will match the scheme. However, remember that these aren't the only options. In fact, if you're willing to be a little flexible, you're likely to find several ranges that match the pre-existing scheme of the room.

Avoid garish and harsh colors, as these tend to make babies cranky. Pick from light pastel shades, or bright but pleasant colors. Examples include pale greens, yellows, pinks, or even white or cream shades.